In the beginning....
The itchy feet struck again! This time our sights were set on Europe - well, Western Europe. Some countries in Western Europe. Okay, a few cities! Anyway, we started off by making a list of countries and cities we wanted to visit. Maybe our list wasn't what the "average" tourist (if there is such a beast) wants to see, but still... We sent our list off to our travel agent (that sounds pretty classy, but the story is that our membership of a travel group, Worldmark, gives us access to this service. In retrospect, perhaps she could have made some suggestions about the order in which we travelled, but we saw everything we wanted, so that's merely a quibble.
This is the story of our adventures, a bit of text, lots of photos! I've also included a few links for those who want to investigate further - but don't worry if that's not your thing, you're not missing anything! (Quite a bit of Wikipedia, and whatever they say about Wikipedia, it's always a good place to start!)
Apologies in advance for the quality of the photos - we're not professionals, or even very experienced, and, in my case, I was operating with an iPad, always difficult to manoeuvre, often hanging out of bus windows and craning over the crowds. Challenging!
My left foot - er, leg.
A major issue, of course, is that my left leg isn’t always reliable (for such little things those prolapsed discs can cause an awful lot of pain!). So, how to make sure my dodgy leg didn't spoil our holiday? I certainly didn't intend to hang round any hotel rooms! Alan did some research on the Internet, and this is what he found:
It's a disc....a flick of the wrist, and....
...it's a seat!
My seat looks like a dalek with a flat top. It proved a boon - my leg tends to give way abruptly and painfully, so it was great having my seat slung over (usually) Alan's shoulder!
Melbourne
We spent a couple of days in Melbourne before skipping the country, a great chance to catch up with friends and family. We had a great view of this lovely city from our hotel room!
Singapore stopover
It's a long way from Australia to - just about anywhere, really! Our stopover (after 8 hours in the air!) was in Singapore. Seems a nice airport!
Then 13 (thirteen!) hours to Amsterdam! That was a test of endurance!
Netherlands
image from National Geographic
Amsterdam and surrounds
Bikes
It's a city of bikes. They're everywhere! According to Wikipedia, Amsterdam is the most bike-friendly capital city in the world. Everyone rides a bike - children, old people, men and women in business suits....
This is a common sight - a pile of bikes outside the station. They're not new bikes, but well-used, possibly stolen! Apparently, bike-theft is rife, so no-one bothers to buy a new one. You don't see many cars in the city - everyone travels by bike and train.
Canals
When in Amsterdam, take a canal ride! It's a great way to see the city!
Museums
For museum nerds like us, Amsterdam is awesome!
Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is a national museum, dedicated to arts, crafts and history.
We spent hours there, fascinated by the arts and paintings - to actually see the famous paintings we'd only ever seen in books or on the Internet - wow!
Vermeer - The Milkmaid
Van Gogh - self-portrait
We also saw classics such as Rembrandt's The Night Watch - and that is big! - and Verspronck's Girl in a blue dress.
It's not all paintings, of course - there is some fantastic carving, in a range of media.
The architecture of the actual building is beautiful, too. This is the ceiling of one of the galleries:
For more about the Rijksmuseum, see this article.
Van Gogh Museum
Another marvellous museum is the Van Gogh Museum. The Dutch are very proud of this one of their favourite sons, and this is a "must-see" for visitors and locals alike. The queues went round the block and then some! We had tickets enabling us to jump the queue, but even the queues for the special ticket-holders were horrendous! Although it showcases some of Van Gogh's early drawings and letters, this museum is more about the man than his art. Most of his famous works are in other museums around the world. You can see more about the museum here.
Cheese and windmills
What to do on a rainy day? Take a bus tour, of course! The tour we chose highlighted a couple of traditional features of the Netherlands. Our first stop was the historic town of Alkmaar, to visit the famous cheese-market, where we saw traditionally-dressed cheese carriers in action. Cheese-carriers are part of the locally-made cheese tradition - no factories here!
It's a beautiful old town. There is a canal, of course.
Alkmaar Town Hall
We spoke with a shop-owner who has family in Australia. Small world and all that!
It's a fascinating place to visit. As well as being a working windmill, it's set up as a museum (millers don't get paid much; have to make a living somehow!) The interior shots are part of a presentation about how the miller and his (I'm not being sexist, it was usually a male) family lived. You can find more information here.
Our guide was helpful and knowledgeable. She gave us a brief outline of the polder system of the Netherlands, developed by farmers and engineers to cope with the low-lying nature of the country. (About half the country is below sea-level: it's not called The Low Countries for nothing!) If you want to know more about how the Dutch have reclaimed land, have a look at this paper.
The countryside is very flat and neat, even in the rain.
Eating
Amsterdam has some great eating places! On our first day, we came across this great little oasis of rural France in downtown Amsterdam. Yummy bread and cheese!
Found some great Japanese food at the Sumo restaurant.
We celebrated our wedding anniversary in Amsterdam. Found a great restaurant, de Belhamel. We were too busy eating to take many photos!
These were our starters, but we lost interest in photography after that!
You have to be careful of the coffee shops in Amsterdam. You can get more than a caffeine hit just by breathing! Or so I'm told. Marijuana is tolerated in parts of Amsterdam, though not, strictly speaking , legal. If you really want to know more about the Dutch drug policy, for any reason, read this.
This is the Siberie coffee shop, reputedly the coolest in Amsterdam. We didn't go there, but I heard a great story from someone who did!
Random pictures
From the Rijksmuseum
Fascinating shop selling all sorts of kitchen paraphernalia
One of the narrow lanes.
It's a lovely country. Dank je wel, Amsterdam!
There was a minor hiccup as we left Amsterdam. We were supposed to travel by train to the airport, but there was track work (isn't there always? The train people had laid on FREE buses from the station, but that didn't stop a couple of taxi-drivers touting for custom and wanting to charge 50 euros! Same the world over!
Denmark
Our first sight of Denmark was the huge wind turbine farm in the harbour - Denmark is committed to renewable energy, and the Middelgrunden farm is a major project, which is partly owned by citizens - you can buy shares in it.
Picture from Wikipedia. Creative Commons.
My knowledge of Denmark's history being limited, I had to do a bit of background research. I didn't realise the area we now know as Denmark has such a violent and warlike history. The current Queen, Margarethe II can trace her lineage back to the Viking Kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth, making Denmark's the oldest monarchy in Europe.
Copenhagen
We arrived in Copenhagen in the rain, but that was no deterrent. It's a beautiful city, whatever the weather.
The Danes take their chocolate seriously!
There's even a school!
The Fountain of Charity
Coffee on the canal. The owners provide rugs on cold days.
Tivoli Gardens
The Tivoli Gardens were high on our to-do list, and, fortunately the rain had cleared by the time we set out. Its the second-oldest amusement park in the world, and is the venue for a varied range of entertainments, from theatrical presentations, to markets, dance, music..... There's a huge number of rides - some of them looked pretty scary!
Growing some food!
That ride's not for me!
It was a lovely evening, capped off by a beautiful meal at one of the many restaurants.
We decided on a guided bus tour to see the sights.
Kronborg Castle
Kronborg castle was the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet, and is believed to have been the inspiration for Elsinore Castle. It has guarded the entrance to the Baltic Sea for at least six centuries, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.
The chapel
Holger the Dane. He sleeps in the dungeon, and will wake and save Denmark if the country is in danger.
Dining room
Great hall
For more about Kronborg Castle, see the UNESCO site.
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. Another UNESCO World Heritage site, it includes both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features, and contains many sarcophagi and chapels.
Tomb of Christian IV.
Sarcophagus of Queen Margarethe I
It wasn't all tombs of monarchs PAST, of course! Denmark's current Queen, Margarethe II, has her tomb ready and waiting, which is a bit morbid, but I guess that's the way it is if you're a monarch!
From Medieval History
The gilded wood tryptich from the High Altar. It was made in Antwerp in about 1560 and depicts the life of Christ.
The main chapel
The nave
The ceiling of the chapel.
This beautiful cathedral has come a long way since it was first built, supposedly by King Harald Bluetooth in about 960. It has been a UNESCO site since 1995.
The Viking Ship Museum
Denmark is proud of its Viking past. The Viking Ship Museum contains rebuilt models and excavated original ships from the time the Vikings ruled the North Atlantic. Our guide was a member of a group that not only builds models of Viking ships, but sails them, so we were lucky to have a very knowledgeable enthusiast with us! The museum was built in 1969, overlooking the Roskilde Fjord, to showcase the five excavated ships known as the Skuldelev ships. These are ships that were deliberately sunk in about 1070 - 1090 to protect Roskilde from enemy attack from the sea. More ships have been excavated since.
The workshop
That's the Roskilde Fjord out there!
The Viking Ship Museum also conducts research and education in marine archaeology and maritime history.
Frederiksborg Castle
Frederiksborg Castle one of the most beautiful Renaissance castle in Scandinavia, was built by King Christian IV, replacing an earlier building. It now houses the Museum of National History, the Palace chapel and boasts beautiful baroque style gardens.
The exterior
The chapel
One of the many bedrooms
Another bedroom
The Great Hall. Just look at that ceiling!
The chapel again
This astronomical clock, decorated with signs of the zodiac, shows the Copernican solar system and precision clockwork within the sphere.
The gardens.
Image from Shutterstock (Didn't get a good picture myself!)
For more pictures of this magnificent castle, see this post in a blog called The Arts of Adventure, entitled This Sceptred Isle. Thank you, Flora - I don't know you, but I love your blog!
Canal boat tour
A great way to see Copenhagen is to take a canal boat tour, guided, of course. Our trip included not only the canals but the harbour.
The Little Mermaid - and she really IS little!
A warship of the Danish Navy
The Royal Yacht
The Opera House
The Black Diamond - an extension to the Royal Danish Library, made of black granite.
The "Dome of Visions, " built to publicise ideas of sustainable living and building. the Dome also functions as a greenhouse for vegetables, herbs and trees.
Church of Our Saviour, famous for its helix spire and external winding staircase.
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace is the Danish seat of Government. It houses the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office and the Supreme Court of Denmark. We saw the beautiful reception rooms used by the Queen for official functions and receptions.
The exterior
Frederick VII
Protecting the floors from our dirty feet!
Glad I don't have the cleaning of that chandelier!
The Throne Room, where foreign ambassadors present their credentials to the Queen
Amazing art works and tapestries!
And books!
The current Royals, including Our Mary.
Amalienborg Palace Square
Amalienborg Palace square is the most beautiful square in the city, and the home of the royal family. Prince Frederick, Princess Mary and their children (aka Mary, Fred and the kids) live in Frederick VII's Palace.
The flag was flying, meaning the family was in residence, so we weren't allowed in. I was looking forward to a chat with another Tassie girl, but the invite didn't arrive!
One of the guards in front of the Palace
The founder of this Palace, King Frederick VII
For more on Amalienborg, see good old Wikipedia.
Rosenborg Castle
A Renaissance castle, Rosenborg castle houses the Danish Crown Jewels, as well as many other impressive old treasures - 400 years of splendour and history. It was originally built as a country house in the early 1600s, for Christian IV, one of the most famous of Scandinavian kings.
Christian IV of Denmark (Christian Kvart of Norway) - popular, ambitious, warlike
The throne room, guarded by silver lions
And another throneOne of the sumptuous halls.
Then down, down, down to the dungeons....
...to the Crown Jewels.
The Queen's crown
The Sword of State
Some serious bling here!
As well as the enormous wealth on display in the castles and palaces of Denmark, the history is amazing. For those wanting to know more, this site gives a brief run-down on the history and culture of this fascinating country.
Eating
One of our nicest meals was at the Tivoli Gardens. There are lots of restaurants there: luckily, we chose a good one - a replica fisherman's cottage beside a small lake!
Faergekroens Bryhus
Tak, København
Germany
Image from YouTube
We definitely wanted to visit Germany, mainly because if its history, but I don't know why we chose the cities we did as bases for our travels in Germany! No doubt we had good reasons at the time, but I'm not sure we couldn't have made different choices. However, we had a lot of fun!
I tried to teach myself a little German before leaving Australia. On the whole, not a success, although I did have occasion to say "Einen Kaffee, bitte" and, even more importantly, "Ein Bier, bitte," so I had the essentials covered.
Hanover
Hanover (or Hannover, if you prefer. Both spellings seem to be equally correct) is the capital of the state of Lower Saxony, and was once the seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain. It boasts history, amazing buildings and magnificent gardens.
Old Town
We began our explorations with a walk around the Old Town - narrow alleys, half-timbered buildings, charming eateries and modern commercial developments.
Marktkirche
The Museum of History
The Museum of History showcases the history of the state and of the city.
From TripAdvisor
Ah! The memories!
A medieval instrument of torture - a version of The Rack!
Part of the display about the rise of Nazism.
Model of the city.
The courtyard - lovely spot for a coffee!
August Kestner Museum
The August Kestner Museum is the oldest museum in Hanover. It was opened in 1889, and its original façade is now enclosed by the modern building seen today.
Image from Wikmapia
It is famous for its collections of Egyptian and Graeco-Roman artifacts, as well as medieval crafts and articles of everyday life. On the day we visited, there was a display of modern designs, mainly of seating.
There was also a display of items which I, for one, saw far too often a few decades ago!
Our kids sat on chairs like these - they were about third-hand when we acquired them! They also saw service with our grandkids!
I wouldn't like to swear there wasn't a lava lamp, too! How did we cope?
Herrenhausen Gardens
A short train trip took us to the Herrenhausen Gardens. These are enormous - I don't know their size, but our legs had a workout that day! They have been in existence for over 300 years, and their history is in many ways the history of royalty in Hanover. This short article has a brief run-down of the gardens' history.
Sealife
I guess if you've seen one aquarium you've seen them all, but this one was good! Hard to take pictures through glass, but we tried....
Botanical Gardens
These are enormous! We got lost, of course!
Orchids
The formal baroque gardens
Nice spot for a wedding!
Someone's gotta do it!
Celle
We headed out of Hanover to Celle, a town of about 71,000 people, half an hour's train ride from Hanover.
From the station, we headed towards the Old Town, (there's always an Old Town in Europe!) walking through some beautiful parkland, in which Schloss Celle is situated.
Image from Wikipedia
More of those charming half-timbered houses...
..and a mini El Alamein fountain!
An ice-cream (or two!) on the way back to the station.
Eating
We experienced a fascinating variety of food in Hanover.
Lots of bars and good beers.
And some food that was - well - hearty.
A (relatively) short walk from our hotel is Lake Maschee, an artificial lake often used for recreation and sporting events. We watched a regatta as we ate at one of the many restaurants.
Lovely situation overlooking the lake.
We discovered a gem on one of our walks - a charming café voted No. 1 in Germany in 2014.
Thought we'd treat ourselves to a meal at what seemed to be a classy (it was expensive, anyway!) restaurant in the centre of Hanover. So impressive I've forgotten its name!
Looked elegant, but completely tasteless. Once a pleb, always a pleb!
You won't starve while waiting for the train at the Hanover Hauptbahnhof!
Around Hanover
Aegidienkirche is a gothic church dating from 1347 which was bombed during World War II. It was never repaired, and today stands as a reminder of the horrors of war. We haven't learned much, have we?
The Neus Rathaus (New Town Hall)Apparently you can go on the parabolic lift, which follows the shape of the dome, to get a great view of the city. Not for me!
Hanover Hauptbahnhof - we spent a lot of time there!
Something disturbing
There was a disturbing incident one evening as we were eating (again!) There was a camp with a sign saying "Protect Hanover." The waitress told us this was a regular feature - a group of about 20 young people protesting, when several police vans rolled up, lights flashing and sirens blasting. As we were walking home the same evening, we saw a group of about 30 police, armed to the teeth, some mounted, talking to a small group of young people. No idea what it was all about, but the police looked pretty intimidating. I didn't feel at all threatened by the groups of young people, but the armed police sure scared the hell out of me!
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg, and is known as a manufacturing hub. Like many cities in Europe, it is a region that combines great history and modern development. Its history seems to start with Neolithic tribes, through Celts, Romans, Prussians....
Our arrival in Stuttgart wasn't much fun. We had been assured, by our travel agent, that the hotel was close to the station. It wasn't. It was a long walk at the end of a long journey, we were both tired and the hotel was difficult to find. It proved to be in the middle of the business district - perhaps that's what she meant by "central?" To make matters worse, there was extensive reconstruction going on - we were confronted by detours and walkways and a distinct lack of signage! And dragging heavy suitcases, too! That was a bad start!
Stuttgart Public Library
The great thing about our hotel, as I discovered when I stopped complaining, was that we were so close to the Stuttgart Public Library, which I really wanted to visit. It's a spectacular building, very new, very modern, very spacious. It always appears on those lists of "Libraries you must see...," "Best library buildings..." Like the Royal Library of Denmark, in Copenhagen.
As it appeared from our window at night. Pretty blurry, not to mention crooked!
Image from home-designing
A better picture of the Stuttgart library at night.
This is what it looks like during the daytime:
And this is where all the light comes from.
Mercedes Benz Museum
This was an absolute "must-see." A long trek - because we took the wrong train! - but so worth it! Such a spectacular building!
The Mercedes-Benz Museum shows the development of the automobile industry from its earliest days to the present. It is beautifully organised, to make the most of its space. You travel in a spiral to view the collections. I’m not a car person, but I loved it. Alan, of course, was in heaven - he appreciated all the technical stuff and took photos of engines. I was more excited about the cars.
Very early cars
Dashing cars (think The Great Gatsby)
Racing cars
Other cars
Service vehicles
Modern cars
Modern cars were down in the basement. You could buy them on the spot if you wanted to.
Württemberg State Museum
Yes,
another museum! The Württemberg State Museum showcases the history of the
state from the Stone Age to the present time. It is located in the Old Castle, once the residence of the Counts of Württemberg.
Image from Wikipedia
The courtyard of the Old Castle.
The museum shows the history of the various people who settled in this area - Neolithic, Celtic and Roman.
The museum also celebrates the modern era in its history, art, and culture collections.
The Württemberg Crown
Image from Wikipedia
Eating
The Germans love their cakes!
We had a lovely lunch in the heart of the city, at the Alte Kanzlei. So yummy I forgot to take photos, so check out their website. Sorry, could only find a German one, but the pictures are pretty!
Around Stuttgart
View from the Mercedes-Benz Museum
One suburban railway station is pretty much like any other!
The Neckar River
France
Image from 123Rf
We travelled by train from Stuttgart to Marseille. Another exciting adventure, going through the less touristy areas of Germany and France
Provence
Provence is more than “A year in Provence.” It has history, food, wine, castles, scenery – what more could we ask?
Marseille
Marseille is an exciting, vibrant city, but sadly, we only had a day to see the sights. Had we realised what a fascinating city it is, we might have planned our travel differently. Maybe next time....
A port in southern France, Marseille has been a crossroads of trade and immigration since it was founded by the Phoenicians in about 600 BCE. Its history makes it the stimulating and multicultural city that it is.
We started out with a stroll around the Old Port, (Vieux Port) the heart of the city, along the quayside.
We had breakfast at Le Petit Pernod and lunch at Miramar.
L'Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall)
Le Palais du Pharo. Originally a monument constructed by Napoleon III for the Empress Eugenie.
One of the many islands off the coast
Eating
There are so many restaurants overlooking the sea in the Vieux Port - it was almost a case of "eeny meeny miny mo." We got lucky when we selected Miramar.
Truffle toasts
One of the amuses-bouches
Lourmarin
Our next stay was at Lourmarin, a small village in the Luberon valley. As you approach the town, a sign announces that you are about to enter "un des plus beaux villages de France." There are many - in fact, there is an Association "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France."
And it is a beautiful town. It has a population of around 2,000, swollen by tourists in summer. It's one of those places where wealthy people, often American and British, go to retire. and run guest houses.
Views from our window
We stayed in a charming apartment, right in the centre of town, which we found on gite.com.
The interior. Very nice!
And to make our apartment even more enticing, there was "un glacier" (ice-cream parlour) below!
And the coffee-shops, wine-bars.....
The Old Castle
Europe has some lovely historical buildings. Le Château de Lourmarin was originally built as a fortress in the 12th and 13th century. It has been beautifully restored, showcasing the lifestyles of yesteryear. The lifestyles of the rich, presumably.
On a hill, as befits a fortress.
So high!
Another of those spiral staircases.
Eating
One of the restaurants to which we became addicted in Lourmarin was Le Moulin. We had some delicious meals there!
We also took advantage of the many charcuteries and boulangeries in Lourmarin. And the wine shops And the coffee-shops. And the cheeses....
Around Lourmarin
Ménerbres
Our journey to Ménerbres - a small town in the Vaucluse département - took us through some beautiful countryside, through the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in the foothills of the French Alps.
Ménerbres is one of those fascinating walled villages Europe seems to specialise in.
Nice spot for a coffee!
Winery - Domaine de la Citadelle
We visited a winery called Domaine de la Citadelle, which produces 19 varieties of wine (a few of which we tasted, because - France, you know...)
The outside
Overseeing...
Checking out the production line...
The Corkscrew Museum
And now for something different - the Corkscrew Museum. Le Musée du tire-bouchon is located on the estate of the Domaine de la Citadelle. It's a private collection containing about 1,200 corkscrews dating from the 17th century to the present day. Very quirky, and far more interesting than I would have expected No photos allowed, but here's some examples.
Image from Provence-guide
Eating
Lunch at Restaurant Café Véranda. Delicious!
Avignon
Avignon - so much history, so many stairs! It has a long history, as described in this article from Avignon-et-Provence. (For the history nerds, Wikipedia has a bit more detail.) Naturally, we got lost driving round and round the walled city, but there was so much to see.
The city is dominated by the Palais des Papes and Avignon Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms d'Avignon) which look down on everything.
And yes, I made it to the top!
And then following the signs to another highlight....
Le Pont d'Avignon.
Brittany & Normandy
Brittany & Normandy - northwest France - is such a fascinating area, both in its geography and its history. There's something about a coastline that makes the present and the past that little bit more exciting!
St. Malo
We chose St. Malo as our headquarters. St. Malo is an exciting, beautiful and stimulating city, possibly my favourite part of France. It's an ancient walled city on the English Channel, sometimes known as the "City of Corsairs" because of its past - it was notorious as the home of the corsairs - French privateers, sometimes pirates. A brief history of St. Malo for those interested.
The inhabitants of St Malo, the Malouin, are fiercely independent - the city's motto is "pas le français, pas le Breton, mais Malouin," which means, roughly, "not French, not Breton, but Malouin."
St. Malo is one of those ancient walled cities with views whichever way you look:
The port
Eating
St Malo, being on the coast, is renown for its seafood. We discovered a fantastic restaurant, to which we returned several times during our stay, called " O saveurs du large," which means, roughly, "O flavours wide." Its website gives a pretty inaccurate translation of the name, but the pictures are pretty. Everything is beautifully presented.
And, of course, there were other restaurants.
And then there were les moules - mussels - very popular, and cheap, along the coast.
Bayeux
And then into Normandy to Bayeux - cobbled streets, half-timbered houses - located in the Calvados region of Normandy.
Bayeux is a town on the Aure river in the Normandy region of northwestern France, about 10 kilometers from the Channel coast. Its medieval centre contains cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and the towering, Norman-Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame. The famed Tapisserie de Bayeux, on display in an 18th-century seminary, is a 68m, 11th-century tapestry depicting the 1066 Norman invasion of England.
Some Bayeux history here.
Cathédrale Notre Dame (Bayeux Cathedral) is a beautiful Romanesque-Gothic cathedral dating from the time of William the Conqueror. The cathedral, consecrated in 1077. was built on an ancient site once occupied by Romans. Wikipedia and European-Traveller have information on the cathedral, historically and architecturally. Somehow, the Bayeux cathedral was untouched by the destruction of the D-Day landings of 1944.
Museum of the Battle of Normandy (D-Day landings)
There is some more information here, for a better idea of what this museum is all about. Probably less biased than I am, too.
The Bayeux Tapestry
This holds a high place on my bucket list - and now I've seen it! Despite my muttering about the Normandy war museum, this, too, is basically just another war museum, but a far more humane one, in my opinion. Perhaps it's the monstrous killing machines I object to? As a history buff, I've always found the story of the invasion of England by William of Normandy (that is surely quite a reversal!) a fascinating one. That story - from the winner's point of view, of course, but isn't that always the way? - is told in the Bayeux Tapestry.
The Bayeux Museum
No photos allowed, but I purchased a coaster to bring back memories as I'm drinking my coffee!
Around Bayeux
Bayeux is a beautiful town to explore.
Mont St. Michel
This was really special! This was definitely on the bucket list, because of its special geographic features and its history. The only access to the island is via the causeway, unless you're brave enough (or silly enough) to attempt the crossing any other way. In which case you take an experienced guide!
The island has been the site of strategic fortifications since ancient times, and the Abbey of Mont St Michel, built in about 709 by Benedictine monks, has added to the mystique of the site. It's a walled city on an island, just off the coast of Normandy, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979 (there are some beautiful photos on this site.) For the history nerds, good old Wikipedia to the rescue, of course!
There was a LOT of walking involved! Buses were organised from the carpark, but we happened to select the bus that stopped short of its usual destination because of some road repair issue (which the other buses didn't seem to encounter! All a plot!) so our walk was longer.
The shops and restaurants were left behind us as we began the climb in earnest.
Although the monks were expelled during the French revolution, the Abbey is now in use again for its original religious vocation.
It was a long, tough climb, but worth every step! So much history everywhere, and the views, wherever we looked, were breathtaking!
Eating
Moules et frites, naturellement!
England
The next leg of our journey took us to England, and we opted for the ferry crossing. There seems to be a theme developing here - "trains 'n' boats 'n' planes......"
A ferry trip does sound romantic, but it quickly became tedious!
And then, a train ride from Portsmouth to York, our next stop. I was a bit worried about this trip – I’d bought our tickets from Australia, and the journey had us going from Portsmouth to London, Waterloo, then from Kings Cross to York. The trip across London, with only an hour and in the middle of the day seemed challenging, to say the least, but the lovely lady at the Portsmouth station found us a far easier trip.
Yorkshire
We’d both always wanted to visit Yorkshire, for many reasons – the history (Vikings, Romans. Medieval…) and our heroes, both real and fictional (Richard III, Dalziel and Pascoe, Joe Cocker, Andrew Marvell, Fred Truman....And the scenery.....
York
We based ourselves in York, a beautiful city, with so much history! For a short run-down, see this brief history.
York was lovely, and certainly exceeded my expectations. As we watched the news footage of the December floods in Yorkshire, we recalled the beautiful streets and ancient buildings we saw during our time there.
Our accommodation was delightful. Our apartment looked down on the beautiful River Fosse, which was, sadly, flooded in the floods in Yorkshire in December 2015.
We spent a lot of town wandering round town, enjoying the old buildings.
And the shops and markets.
Getting ready for Christmas - and this was only in October!
Museums
There are so many museums in York - we could have "done" museums 24/7!
Jorvik Viking Centre
One of the exhibits
One of the galleries displaying artifacts.
The floods of December 2015 caused significant damage to the Jorvik Centre – happily, the most valuable artifacts were moved in time. The Centre is still closed for repairs and restoration, as is explained on its website.
York Museum Gardens
The York Museum Gardens are unusual in that they incorporate not only botanic gardens, but also the Yorkshire Museum. And there are many Roman and medieval ruins in the gardens.
The gardens are delightful:
Ruins of the medieval St Mary's Abbey Church.
The museum included a wide range of exhibits:
A Roman frescoed floor
Moving up to medieval times:
And of course:
Yorkists will understand! (The story here.)
National Railway Museum
Even non-train people will love this! The National Train Museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant railway vehicles, as well as a collection of other artefacts and both written and pictorial records.
Royalty travelled by train. These give you an idea of the luxury....
This is for the plebs..
York Minster
York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. Work on the present Gothic building was begun about 1230 and completed in 1472, although there are clear signs of a much earlier Christian presence possibly as early as AD 180. There was definitely a wooden structure on this site in 627.
The exterior is beautiful...
...even with the renovations which seem to be a feature of so many old structures.
Constantine the Great welcoming refugees!
The interior...
The Rose Window
Part of the mosaic floor in the Chapter House
The vault in the Chapter House
Part of The Kings' Screen, featuring 15 carved statues of kings of England, ranging from William the Conqueror to Henry VI.
Eating
What looked like a poky little café in York turned out to be a very stylish and popular bistro, with delicious food!
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town and port on the east coast of Yorkshire, on the river Esk. Tourism and fishing are important in the economy.
Ruins of Whitby Abbey
Eating
We were told that the best fish and chips in England are from the Magpie Café in Whitby, so we had to sample. Verdict – yes!
Lots of people had obviously come to Whitby for the fish & chips - there was a looong queue outside the Magpie café!
Image from the Daily Mail
Northumberland
Vindolanda
We were both keen to see Hadrian’s Wall, but sadly, didn’t quite make it (long story, which involves taking too much notice of a chap we met in a pub in York, following the wrong directions, country estimations of “a couple of miles.”) but we visited Vindolanda, the site of one of the Roman forts, just south of Hadrian’s wall.
Vondolanda’s site provides some information about the fort’s history and its archaeology. Vindolanda is a working archaeological dig; the season had just ended, but we saw many of the continuing excavations. They might look like just holes in the ground, but there was a feeling of excitement and discovery as we wandered.
It’s easy to get round the site, as there are plenty of paths and seats.
There’s also a great museum at Vindolanda, showcasing many of the artifacts (particularly leather) excavated from the Vindolanda site. No photos allowed though.
This site is particularly famous for the discovery of the Vindolanda tablets, the oldest surviving handwritten documents in Britain. Would have been great to actually see them, but they reside in the British Museum. I believe they are currently on loan to the Vindolanda Museum though. They can be seen online.
Eating
The Friends of Vindolanda run a great coffee/refreshment bar, set in beautiful gardens. Nice coffee.
Lincolnshire
Epworth
It was a delight to finally meet my Facebook friend Anne, who lives in the town of Epworth, Lincolnshire. We had a marvellous time talking - and talking - and talking! It's another of those beautiful old towns found all over England, and has close associations with Methodism, being the birthplace of both John and Charles Wesley.
Eating
Well, of course!
An almost local brew
a local-ish brew.
There was food, honest!
Out & about - Yorkshire & surrounds
And pubs...
Derbyshire
And, finally, on to the east Midlands, to the rolling hills of Derbyshire, in the beautiful Peak District National Park. As well as magnificent scenery and places to visit, Derbyshire has produced people such as Tim Brooke-Taylor, Thomas Cook, Alan Bates and Mike Hendrick.
Bakewell
We based ourselves at Bakewell, a smallish (though very touristy) market town on the edge of the Peak District.
Our unit was pretty classy!
(You can see more pictures of the accommodation - and arrange a rental if you're interested! - here. And no, I don't get commission!)
Around Bakewell
Bakewell is a charming market town - ancient buildings, cobblestones, amazing eateries, lovely scenery.
Eating
There was a great pub just around the corner, The Pointing Dog and Drake. Yummy food, delicious drinks and awesome staff. We became regulars!
Many other eateries, too, and, of course, numerous coffee shops and pubs.
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately – and how! home – in the Derbyshire Dales. How the other half lives! I felt I should have been wearing the gold lamé! It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire and has been the home of the Cavendish family since the 1500s, and contains priceless art works, furniture and books. There’s a farm, with plenty of animals, beautiful gardens and a park.
The interior
The interior is mind-blowing – we spoke with a housekeeper who told us about the amount of work, and an army of workers, to keep the house in peak condition.
Architecture
Not only the furniture and fittings, but the architecture is amazing...
The bedrooms
I lost count of them....
Art works
Chairs
Chatsworth House is the venue for many exhibitions. At the time of our visit, there was an exhibition of chairs, on which we were permitted to sit!
This looked like merely a sketch, but it was an actual seat you could sit on! So I sat.
Exterior
Treak Cliff Cavern
Treak Cliff Cavern in Castleton (at the heart of the Peak National Park) is famous for its unique and large deposits of Blue John stone, and houses some of the most beautiful cave formations found in the UK.) Blue John is a semi-precious mineral, a form of fluorite with bands of a purple-blue or yellowish colour.
I was a bit nervous about both the cave and my leg, but it turned into a marvellous visit. It’s a working mine, and the caves and tunnels are fascinating. The guide was great, pointing out the deposits of the bluish mineral, some of the stalactites and some of the workings of the mines.
A specimen of polished Blue John
Some better pictures on their website.
Narrowboat ride
A canal boat ride has always been a dream, and our afternoon cruising on the Chesterfield Canal was idyllic. The Madeline was built, as a project, by the nearby Eckington School and managed by the Chesterfield Canal Trust. The Skipper gave us rugs, coffee and biscuits, and a vivid history of the Canal and the boats.
The canal is narrow.....
...and the lock is narrower!
Will we make it?
Scenery along the canal...
A lovely relaxing way to spend the afternoon - even going through the locks was not as hairy as I'd imagined! Alan had a go at steering, and has a certificate to prove it!
Around the Peak District
Eating
Pubs
And pubs. Always pubs.
Finis
And finally, home. To Manchester (I discovered later there’s a great museum I would have loved to visit, but….,) then to Sydney (via Munich and Singapore, where there was a looong layover again!) finally to Hobart.
