tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542840911570822982024-03-26T10:46:47.180+11:00Life in a year full of SaturdaysThe world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comBlogger386125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-56760613484980615662024-01-04T10:43:00.004+11:002024-01-14T11:11:00.090+11:00The Grampians (Australia) - Tiny stay, tiny house<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>The Grampians (Australia)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>04 JAN - 07 JAN 2024</b></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The benefits from a having a
short break allows all of us to slow down a little and take a breather from the
pace of the daily routines to which we’ve come accustomed. You tend to forget
how the pace of everyday life and the regiment of routine becomes so ingrained
in your psyche until you step into the first moment that you’re truly away from
it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, considering Aiden’s newly
acquired understanding of what it means to leave home, and the excitement that
he exudes in anticipation of discovering a new place or ‘going to another
hotel’, or identifying a play opportunity, travelling and the anticipation of
it has become far more enjoyable once again. Not that it was ever not enjoyable
but those travelling with infants & toddlers know all about the challenges encountered
on the way to those temporary periods of ‘freedom’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Only on reflection do you notice
that time operates at a speed to which we never truly become accustomed. Inga
& I have in Melbourne now for nearly the past 6 years, where the hell did
that go? In that time the destinations that have quite often lured us in their
direction and away from the comforts of our abode <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have been the Yarra Valley, the Mornington
Peninsula and the Great Ocean Road. Certainly other places have been on our
radar, such as Rutherglen, Mildura, Gippsland and the Snowy Mountains but we haven’t
quite made it to those place as yet. As for the Grampians, certainly there <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was one occasion prior to Aiden being born
that Inga and I did make our way to their for what was only aa long afternoon
stay but admittedly it the idea was very well constructed only really an
afterthought, a haphazardly bolted on addition to another cruisey drive along
the southern coastline.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On this occasion our escape was planned
and we had orientated our Grampians discovery around the booking we had made
for a tiny house, accommodation which was situated in the little locale of Dadswell
Bridge, about 35kms north of Halls Gap, a quaint little town nestled in the
heart of the Grampians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The idea of tiny houses doesn’t
seem to be too dissimilar to the concept of caravans or motor homes but somehow
their concept has been elevated to incorporate a new way of living rather than
just occupying the space of having a mobile conveyor of the comforts of home.
Having watched countless shows on the ‘tiny house movement’ for several years
now, the both of us have been fascinated by the designs and concepts that makes
its way into the overarching premise of downsizing and embracing minimalist
living within compact spaces. The movement itself advocates for a lifestyle
choice underpinned by financial freedom, sustainability and a movement away
from excess consumption, although sometimes the house you see are really just
miniature mansions. In any case, what we identified in the Grampians was just
the tonic we needed for our short time away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">F</span>or those that are unaware, the Grampians is
rugged mountain range located approximately 250kms west of Melbourne, offering
stunning scenery and some exceptional wine regions. Also known for its
exceptional hiking, the challenge we faced was how invested would we be in
getting Aiden to walk up rugged trails for a view as opposed to sitting inside
a comfortable winery watching ‘anything he could think of’ on a phone and
accompanying his parents through their ‘wine knowledge and discovery
tour’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst time would tell the winner
of that option its not a stretch to identify at this early juncture where we
landed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After picking up Inga from work
on a Thursday evening we did a short drive to Ballarat and stayed at the lovely
<i>Oscars Hotel & Café Bar</i> in the centre of town. A very pleasant stop,
we found the staff to be extremely friendly, the rooms lovely and spacious and
the common areas to be equally as inviting. I’m not sure why but of all the
options for a one-night stay in Ballarat at this time appeared to be
excessively priced and Oscars by comparison offered the most value by fair
margin. So, well done Oscars all-round.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SiclANNXavXC4Xq9nndWedbtm99rV6qAh9gfZH6Oprz3BHVTs_nJqMfhIDHVn5FN17cqA6X5sfeSTCYbJOKukksPgR8tokKPTB4gRxoGw6c38Lwta6PYoPnFmkGiP4dcDTQBSaM1JGg7GfdnW822UhDnp64Iad7HO3Wl1a0VkrcHtz_w06m9twVr_7A/s4032/Ballarat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SiclANNXavXC4Xq9nndWedbtm99rV6qAh9gfZH6Oprz3BHVTs_nJqMfhIDHVn5FN17cqA6X5sfeSTCYbJOKukksPgR8tokKPTB4gRxoGw6c38Lwta6PYoPnFmkGiP4dcDTQBSaM1JGg7GfdnW822UhDnp64Iad7HO3Wl1a0VkrcHtz_w06m9twVr_7A/w480-h640/Ballarat.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Oscars Hotel & Cafe - Ballarat - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The next day we found ourselves
on the road to Dadwells Bridge, which was only an additional 150kms west of
Ballarat. Passing through the towns of Beaufort, Buangor and Ararat, we made
our first planned and ‘civilised’ stop at the wonderful Grampians estate winery
near Great Western.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">In our own continued self-discovery
of wines, both international and domestic, neither of us had really <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at any point encountered wines that had
originated in the Grampians. It was only after the fact that we have now become
acquainted with the much-celebrated Great Western wine region, characterised by
its unique terroir, cool to moderate climate, rich soil and distinctive wines. It
certainly came as a surprise to us during our first tasting that both the
Shiraz and the sparkling Shiraz were standouts. Both of us more commonly
associate Shiraz options as being bold, peppery and high in tannin but the
first option at Grampians Estate (and all those that followed), were softer, velvety
and slightly fruitier that what we were used to. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mhNDlDB-2QXnGYv45Djx2A96TQyyuF73xibsghFJ5b9wLxfjE8XyQmZNG9oMiksXAEvqzfEGbZNITKLxOx8Mn1raNxjvbDelP8olul55dm9geC9JHgi-y5J-y5OIlGUzkgCqxVpvscVe2r7J-4zEo4Mqzx8Ly-QbzLL9JtQghp7Qq3NDdxMGMR3zHYQ/s1172/Grampians%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mhNDlDB-2QXnGYv45Djx2A96TQyyuF73xibsghFJ5b9wLxfjE8XyQmZNG9oMiksXAEvqzfEGbZNITKLxOx8Mn1raNxjvbDelP8olul55dm9geC9JHgi-y5J-y5OIlGUzkgCqxVpvscVe2r7J-4zEo4Mqzx8Ly-QbzLL9JtQghp7Qq3NDdxMGMR3zHYQ/w452-h640/Grampians%201.jpg" width="452" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A lovely Shiraz - Grampians Estate - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfke2iBT-w1qGPjB2P4e-LPGQ5OgDBn0Xqs1kZ4ZbdYpvovfCBqeqFdV0Am7_vqQT0oihGBLeE5E2S93_LFRMi0ik7m31CVlvD5DmUWFBpJMsnTLU6Pr9O18Bz843FOo_mc1jBjb71VCl-WtZ8sgEsQjB3WqOsf6-_6b2-wF6B8my3DVU7Kidu_rkiMDc/s4032/Grampians%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfke2iBT-w1qGPjB2P4e-LPGQ5OgDBn0Xqs1kZ4ZbdYpvovfCBqeqFdV0Am7_vqQT0oihGBLeE5E2S93_LFRMi0ik7m31CVlvD5DmUWFBpJMsnTLU6Pr9O18Bz843FOo_mc1jBjb71VCl-WtZ8sgEsQjB3WqOsf6-_6b2-wF6B8my3DVU7Kidu_rkiMDc/w480-h640/Grampians%202.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Grampians Estate - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv3oL25lWLIh5t5jepkemehygoMqHtfrEvU9L8p-mWRTFJULL19asIuy7dMTyOtUNdNW3h8sC8BgYs8H80SHUfuX_HnV__J1Z8Kthu3CYk_196D-cH3MTTrzJg_bpEELSqngt4NeZCGgyjwTbMnB5VpNTkqHFs7kQbzBdj9SSoIzk-seK4nuGx7yxfcI/s4032/Grampians%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv3oL25lWLIh5t5jepkemehygoMqHtfrEvU9L8p-mWRTFJULL19asIuy7dMTyOtUNdNW3h8sC8BgYs8H80SHUfuX_HnV__J1Z8Kthu3CYk_196D-cH3MTTrzJg_bpEELSqngt4NeZCGgyjwTbMnB5VpNTkqHFs7kQbzBdj9SSoIzk-seK4nuGx7yxfcI/w480-h640/Grampians%203.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Grampians Estate - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUOwOMaDQppSEG2gtRNJmb1pkVPDDyZbOwLiKU-9oEYwtVjIvgJSHxIQPjJIOmnXbMXgTKH3ICDru_3I0R5Hy3Zz5rUbvOHc5u1qJung9sFd4QY5Vp4kot85lOxYExl1ndfKUq5lp2wcZ3xoH-GBqa4vry5XFVmJ0fyrPxrJqSJ9z8TB-d7-K9byKY38/s2787/Grampians%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2668" data-original-width="2787" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUOwOMaDQppSEG2gtRNJmb1pkVPDDyZbOwLiKU-9oEYwtVjIvgJSHxIQPjJIOmnXbMXgTKH3ICDru_3I0R5Hy3Zz5rUbvOHc5u1qJung9sFd4QY5Vp4kot85lOxYExl1ndfKUq5lp2wcZ3xoH-GBqa4vry5XFVmJ0fyrPxrJqSJ9z8TB-d7-K9byKY38/w640-h612/Grampians%204.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Grampians Estate - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwj91NU9Fo-oGZM-cv46cd9UWfjkK1WJAEbCxqGy_6HraQ69IToJT-PRl1SCo60yenV4LEmEdweYP1H5JRofT9UlkvIfqnxvW1eelT5YOMSMaITaAxxWckWPt7-azQfW-ICPLhuLY07RkvJrZ4-ywHXC-4IMNaNDdIXjplbFdGZrMXWVZVxJB76IjBOA/s4032/Grampians%205%20(Grampians%20Estate).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwj91NU9Fo-oGZM-cv46cd9UWfjkK1WJAEbCxqGy_6HraQ69IToJT-PRl1SCo60yenV4LEmEdweYP1H5JRofT9UlkvIfqnxvW1eelT5YOMSMaITaAxxWckWPt7-azQfW-ICPLhuLY07RkvJrZ4-ywHXC-4IMNaNDdIXjplbFdGZrMXWVZVxJB76IjBOA/w640-h480/Grampians%205%20(Grampians%20Estate).jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Grampians Estate - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our time at Grampians Estate was lovely
and if an additional drive down the road wasn’t a necessity our long lunch
would have become an extended afternoon. The sun was out, it was a beautiful
day, and like many wineries that we attended in the region, they were
thoughtful enough to supply options to keep children occupied whilst parents
were undertaking ‘future reconnaissance’. Whilst Aiden took to the challenge of
colouring-in, Inga and I continued to ‘develop our palates’ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Approximately 45 mins away from
Grampians Estate heading west, we arrived in Dadswells Bridge we made our way to
‘Tiny House 11’ at Grampians Edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
what was obviously once a camping and caravan park, the complex had been converted
into a tiny house park, which for our small family was the perfect option to be
able to stay in a quaint and cozy retreat set amidst the picturesque Grampian
landscape. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst the tiny houses are
purposefully minimalist, I have to say that what you do get within each space
is quite the surprise. It’s more than surprising to see how the needs of a
kitchen, bathroom, lounging space and bed are craftily fitted within what is quite
a confined space. For us it was perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The rest of the day we spent
utilising the facilities, which was mostly orientated about the swimming pool
and the lovely recreational room, which had a huge TV, games, pool table and
cooking facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVle9Y-xIkzzf5J4kakhUUkhsHVM6KjATngWkE9z20bc52eP2aEpTJ6ccGGA80WbBzgCCB6GNdG5enCoeXSzuaetEjX4KjP2HD7qHXz6IIt98wj46LofZ8_92QHbUZN0s36_SQA72dJA0YEITvnZYXNDT7F6vHkzKAuw2s5aVNfEecp1Rv3thR90NpsE/s4032/Grampians%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVle9Y-xIkzzf5J4kakhUUkhsHVM6KjATngWkE9z20bc52eP2aEpTJ6ccGGA80WbBzgCCB6GNdG5enCoeXSzuaetEjX4KjP2HD7qHXz6IIt98wj46LofZ8_92QHbUZN0s36_SQA72dJA0YEITvnZYXNDT7F6vHkzKAuw2s5aVNfEecp1Rv3thR90NpsE/w480-h640/Grampians%206.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tiny Away - Dadswells Bridge - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOYin7pDIEf6eSw9jFlU0k74OE8DN1aT1jeiz7QVebUx87xh2BfztFz_E59h6aP_4sJJZcG_98o_00IfvDP-cX-VLWwEdBPYeUomr-H2XO-AwHu3EKoii6s3FiBvaYvLu7-iqhFepkx2dRAxntxQUq_lf2RU0DV2UE64cbSydPeLCl954kBXnqmqfpao/s4032/Grampians%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOYin7pDIEf6eSw9jFlU0k74OE8DN1aT1jeiz7QVebUx87xh2BfztFz_E59h6aP_4sJJZcG_98o_00IfvDP-cX-VLWwEdBPYeUomr-H2XO-AwHu3EKoii6s3FiBvaYvLu7-iqhFepkx2dRAxntxQUq_lf2RU0DV2UE64cbSydPeLCl954kBXnqmqfpao/w640-h480/Grampians%207.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tiny Away - Dadswells Bridge - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhWCMBtLQwbC167q3H4-LgREfV4riRHs5LlVF1iBOsGz2o7mRwp7MDb-TrEn58jnvjribnZcwjgywGscFUWKGJdPK0VHSaoo4fPo-HlPCpo0enmkmm7XxHJVR9KUZuSjXI-b3z6a8SgJRBcOyc47P3dvMc4bjy7xitXmxBj076yKWLBpJdivfNRITDic/s3088/Grampians%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhWCMBtLQwbC167q3H4-LgREfV4riRHs5LlVF1iBOsGz2o7mRwp7MDb-TrEn58jnvjribnZcwjgywGscFUWKGJdPK0VHSaoo4fPo-HlPCpo0enmkmm7XxHJVR9KUZuSjXI-b3z6a8SgJRBcOyc47P3dvMc4bjy7xitXmxBj076yKWLBpJdivfNRITDic/w480-h640/Grampians%208.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tiny Away - Dadswells Bridge - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPEHnPEF-yPs7wYZPNskbajcUfKdVjI0Kp6itYY2hfFoxb6ioRcH5bvFaVqzik_IrQrnvSKEpbZGt9Uxer5zjfICQ2VBsZazuZiQPyUuhw5vADV2Eg7ZMyH7tF0YWRwBc-twA2KU0gTsqU10o_rLkh3Wcwyka6Dd8esI60Xfzfol-hzYzitB0XWP3O4g/s1572/Grampians%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPEHnPEF-yPs7wYZPNskbajcUfKdVjI0Kp6itYY2hfFoxb6ioRcH5bvFaVqzik_IrQrnvSKEpbZGt9Uxer5zjfICQ2VBsZazuZiQPyUuhw5vADV2Eg7ZMyH7tF0YWRwBc-twA2KU0gTsqU10o_rLkh3Wcwyka6Dd8esI60Xfzfol-hzYzitB0XWP3O4g/w338-h640/Grampians%209.jpg" width="338" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tiny Away - Dadswells Bridge - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our second day in the Grampians
proved to be both the litmus test and the true challenge to our ‘steely
resolve’ to do a little bit of hiking and check out a view or two in the area. I
have to say, both Inga & I had our thoughts aligned to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be doing a walk to the ‘the Balcony’ lookout
at some point in the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but when Aiden
& I, ‘come a gutser’ whilst trying to cross a local creek in the centre of
Halls Gap, our drenched clothes put pay to idea that we’d be doing any walking,
which admittedly we more than adapted to by putting our ‘plan B’ option into
effect which was to investigate more of those pesky local wineries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Through the course of the afternoon,
we made two distinct steps into the world of the Grampians wine region, the
first being at Pomonal Estate & the second at Fallen Giants Vineyard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It was at about the mid-point of
our first tasting at Pomonal that it started to dawn on us as to how special
the Shiraz was in this region. You know when you feel as though you’ve made an
astonishing ‘discovery’ on your own accord and gain that sense of internal
pride that you’ve managed to figure out a clue all to yourself (only for it to
be pointed out that the whole world had already beaten you to the punch), well
yeah, that’s how our discovery of Grampians Shiraz played out. I’d equate it to
something akin to that one time when I ‘discovered’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the extraordinary quality and ubiquity of Malbec
& Steak in Buenos Aires (whoa, speed racer alert to Captain Obvious).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Still, no matter how far back in
the pack we’ve been with regards to the knowledge we’ve had for this region,
which effectively has been nothing, on this day we were more than charmed by
the sophistication and elegance of the wines we’d been offered. Perhaps the
Grampians isn’t exactly the hidden gem of Australian wine regions, which was
certainly the narrative we were started to create in our minds, but the fact
that it was unknown to us is what made this little excursion such the welcome
treat. Additionally, the bonus that we found at the wineries we attended was
their thoughtfulness as to thinking about the ‘little companions’ the get
dragged along to these boring places. Pomonal Estate had sporting equipment on
their lawn for any visitor to use, which Aiden & I certainly did, playing
cricket to Inga’s eternal abhorrence, and Fall Giants had both indoor and
outdoor options, which we all made use of. Once again, to all Grampians
wineries that we visited, well done! You should be congratulated!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRuVmpFmYN-aOBF78s4rqGsOnd2FKvbN_i8KIqTbz_OR1vOTFAUg7oDR2adExDDm-UWeo62D-Liu-4TnGuIcM7HRIoPXU_v05r9gIoVTcEXOsqqUffjN8H1O6IGl4hxRHfuvKTnA227aNd6n-c8OPdymTs0II3LMNLYr0oxL4MiLbl6p584prM9WRk7c/s4032/Grampians%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRuVmpFmYN-aOBF78s4rqGsOnd2FKvbN_i8KIqTbz_OR1vOTFAUg7oDR2adExDDm-UWeo62D-Liu-4TnGuIcM7HRIoPXU_v05r9gIoVTcEXOsqqUffjN8H1O6IGl4hxRHfuvKTnA227aNd6n-c8OPdymTs0II3LMNLYr0oxL4MiLbl6p584prM9WRk7c/w480-h640/Grampians%2010.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4marO1LqQwQ7bpnayrrQkUf8azoUZisXr-ngAjomzVDyTKMkNQw54seuKVrvv0CeZQQYq2TLcuwAvhAkTItEys_DVLbpzEvDBRbUJgkRcVFWfLW8gT1pNdX9dtaSv9mZkvezt3l1APZ449k-1ppRhh3jy0bzWiF-p_Aoy26YUtdeUvzanMxTcq-ZtNg/s4032/Grampians%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4marO1LqQwQ7bpnayrrQkUf8azoUZisXr-ngAjomzVDyTKMkNQw54seuKVrvv0CeZQQYq2TLcuwAvhAkTItEys_DVLbpzEvDBRbUJgkRcVFWfLW8gT1pNdX9dtaSv9mZkvezt3l1APZ449k-1ppRhh3jy0bzWiF-p_Aoy26YUtdeUvzanMxTcq-ZtNg/w640-h480/Grampians%2011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5puLFO6Af6SfbHMZShAVgcIxL25auMd6KpyYiA7ZEOnxC7MoG73YUFQLAn22oOAP3iy_7WWOGmVmP-Q4jq_4idw1yf9BEEWRrSEHlipE7aq_j3cJ1NSL1GXI85ojk3gTLK14JZ0RHHq4ZU7-1acNJSsV_ULxtdKcsR9KYJSKlAdW5PJHmlAFHQ-fxds/s4032/Grampians%2012%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5puLFO6Af6SfbHMZShAVgcIxL25auMd6KpyYiA7ZEOnxC7MoG73YUFQLAn22oOAP3iy_7WWOGmVmP-Q4jq_4idw1yf9BEEWRrSEHlipE7aq_j3cJ1NSL1GXI85ojk3gTLK14JZ0RHHq4ZU7-1acNJSsV_ULxtdKcsR9KYJSKlAdW5PJHmlAFHQ-fxds/w480-h640/Grampians%2012%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhyphenhyphen3OBSQvWbPeENFU1gT8dzhzTp_0POqbL4Xwg1GSa_wnek8RpqqdfT5zAFDxtaXVKUwiJqUUQzL8VoyKuND-3ul5XsjKfhCzCoNY5JelbDJch_3B6hScx9WOvyeM7SS_0rgJbdANOVCA2rBGpoyM4WMWU40GQsZ9enfdmZnnuzUK5t2aCT5p6mgbWT0/s3024/Grampians%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2658" data-original-width="3024" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhyphenhyphen3OBSQvWbPeENFU1gT8dzhzTp_0POqbL4Xwg1GSa_wnek8RpqqdfT5zAFDxtaXVKUwiJqUUQzL8VoyKuND-3ul5XsjKfhCzCoNY5JelbDJch_3B6hScx9WOvyeM7SS_0rgJbdANOVCA2rBGpoyM4WMWU40GQsZ9enfdmZnnuzUK5t2aCT5p6mgbWT0/w640-h562/Grampians%2012.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WSrLfuz2rNZGlu-pxljsNbn6ubeO5Q0c7IiWMOBPFx41F6RMUNmSowytdoWYDLvowAVp8fAhdNwZhj_WUUeXyR6zNQY0HDCg_ZxxEebp0hftqwxtA2uU6JJPKyeKT2Eck2APB0YTouxxBS83rLvhjUEBmdlC4OLt6LgQIgo1CeGggx62Df_vII79Ggc/s2847/Grampians%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1669" data-original-width="2847" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WSrLfuz2rNZGlu-pxljsNbn6ubeO5Q0c7IiWMOBPFx41F6RMUNmSowytdoWYDLvowAVp8fAhdNwZhj_WUUeXyR6zNQY0HDCg_ZxxEebp0hftqwxtA2uU6JJPKyeKT2Eck2APB0YTouxxBS83rLvhjUEBmdlC4OLt6LgQIgo1CeGggx62Df_vII79Ggc/w640-h376/Grampians%2013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpV9P6jye7KZaNEp807QgWYyXLxHcV2jU1naF_Bdp9K1qc4syXxxDwFMMQC3gNiDnAM8ysH1w1HyOS17YBkDlZf5Tmu9peAVwVS_Ek52-HY0mgeEtKdemt58A4zm_qlCdai4IIDvnTRJjTU5j55LnXen8o6aHHDejhN71_w5R5Kr2VSuSSz1obT-GfQA/s1792/Grampians%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="797" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpV9P6jye7KZaNEp807QgWYyXLxHcV2jU1naF_Bdp9K1qc4syXxxDwFMMQC3gNiDnAM8ysH1w1HyOS17YBkDlZf5Tmu9peAVwVS_Ek52-HY0mgeEtKdemt58A4zm_qlCdai4IIDvnTRJjTU5j55LnXen8o6aHHDejhN71_w5R5Kr2VSuSSz1obT-GfQA/w178-h400/Grampians%2014.jpg" width="178" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pomonal Estate - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnE-31wgb272CszMDfJ1yEipF2MMHikQx10bp1WMgkqcrQHi13jbot6sBsCSQjFXA1IIx9NIEI_4F5oo9Djca_uPMKT1KHEqFPTCRM0b1vSECKbk9GqQ-kWEHMbmf8wQiBu3xSWnmQ8CuIfNXvoCUltMpE52MqOSpFPQzjgDSvTRho3FC1PkNZYXwCcKI/s4032/Grampians%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnE-31wgb272CszMDfJ1yEipF2MMHikQx10bp1WMgkqcrQHi13jbot6sBsCSQjFXA1IIx9NIEI_4F5oo9Djca_uPMKT1KHEqFPTCRM0b1vSECKbk9GqQ-kWEHMbmf8wQiBu3xSWnmQ8CuIfNXvoCUltMpE52MqOSpFPQzjgDSvTRho3FC1PkNZYXwCcKI/w640-h480/Grampians%2015.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Fallen Giants Winery - Halls Gap - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After another lovely afternoon in
the Grampians, we headed back to our tiny abode, had ourselves a great BBQ
feast, accompanied by some fantastic liquid support, and even managed to get an
evening fire going which allowed us to introduce Aiden to the ‘fire toasted’
marshmallow concept. Surprisingly not a hit on the first occasion but I think
he’ll have time to warm up to the idea.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxDTS38QTCWkjaQU1n80tBwqJbclPfiM3hHL30y23YUaRZO166YQUnb-sO0pCoB_Fa3ChKy5q5OzIWtBB7JnYAAMM4hARwDlZ9n54EK0QvyAWsl7_pNA4Udi6nGr6C8tN7zwedM3tRUhAq7qtQCy8xijLcj_HCm4cTHaZOhtuL4kxPMHvLcPeSRx_pmo/s4032/Grampians%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxDTS38QTCWkjaQU1n80tBwqJbclPfiM3hHL30y23YUaRZO166YQUnb-sO0pCoB_Fa3ChKy5q5OzIWtBB7JnYAAMM4hARwDlZ9n54EK0QvyAWsl7_pNA4Udi6nGr6C8tN7zwedM3tRUhAq7qtQCy8xijLcj_HCm4cTHaZOhtuL4kxPMHvLcPeSRx_pmo/w480-h640/Grampians%2016.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tiny Away - Dadswells Bridge - The Grampians - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On our final day we headed out of
Dadswells Bridge just after 10am at started the 250km journey back home, doing
a short drive to Great Western and stopping in at the renowned Seppelt Winery.
Boasting a rich viticulture history dating back to 1851, we once again learned
what this region is famous for, producing some premium cool-climate wines,
highlighted by a few glorious Shiraz and Sparking Shiraz bottles. Once again, a
fabulous place, that has a couple of additional surprising experience in terms
of their underground tunnel tours (which we unfortunately didn’t have time to
do). The tunnels below Seppelt were initially created in about 1868, having
been hand-dug by local gold miners to store their wines in what they considered
to be optimal conditions. Over the proceeding 60+ years, successive owners
expanded the maze-like tunnels to an impressive 3kms, which established an
enormous underground cellaring system, the largest in Australia, having the
capacity to store in the vicinity of 3 million bottles of wine at a constant
temperature of 16 degrees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vIDHl56btoM_xSMy0cVHmQLn737rQVRluS3wjhmbienQK9nZgBR1xXrFgoPyeM7TfOCb61zExyBY19ckhyphenhyphen9pJuxBYlMLxrYunQeJmw8uXBHPtYKTvLxNjcia9CK1O2ZIGFL4VVGz5M_sW7CVAsA_nUvN969Ji22W2gTFZXmeYlSW2w3-EfPvZSsTtOo/s4032/Grampians%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vIDHl56btoM_xSMy0cVHmQLn737rQVRluS3wjhmbienQK9nZgBR1xXrFgoPyeM7TfOCb61zExyBY19ckhyphenhyphen9pJuxBYlMLxrYunQeJmw8uXBHPtYKTvLxNjcia9CK1O2ZIGFL4VVGz5M_sW7CVAsA_nUvN969Ji22W2gTFZXmeYlSW2w3-EfPvZSsTtOo/w480-h640/Grampians%2017.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Seppelt Winery - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6u78mJ0e-5fBdWu4W5WQEj9vbbnuuAG2WRoUtM9j9QZuKfb25TuLqPFgEWiJvSPuwyHE6jOcwBYCTh7kPSmETrBLgygz03HMSac-scdUJDLyxO3sKgd2ADMW6fA11mUjxH8VeL0xMyUjJwgN6JX1j7EHELVpjZhJ7usvb5yivsxBPuaRjnTTBhk2nb8Y/s4032/Grampians%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6u78mJ0e-5fBdWu4W5WQEj9vbbnuuAG2WRoUtM9j9QZuKfb25TuLqPFgEWiJvSPuwyHE6jOcwBYCTh7kPSmETrBLgygz03HMSac-scdUJDLyxO3sKgd2ADMW6fA11mUjxH8VeL0xMyUjJwgN6JX1j7EHELVpjZhJ7usvb5yivsxBPuaRjnTTBhk2nb8Y/w640-h480/Grampians%2018.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Seppelt Winery - Great Western - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After a great tasting session and
a bit of a kick around of the footy with Aiden on Seppelt’s vineyard lawn, we
drove only a short distance to the Great Western hotel for some lunch and a
last glass of Shiraz before heading for home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Whilst we didn’t spend a long
time away, this short vacation was effectively for us the <i>expresso shot of
travelling …</i>compact, intense and guaranteed to leave us both energised and
buzzing for more equally enjoyable experiences, hopefully in the very near
future.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comGrampians National Park, Victoria, Australia-37.2108819 142.3979571-65.521115736178842 107.24170710000001 -8.9006480638211514 177.5542071tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-3170197860635158732023-10-10T10:56:00.012+11:002024-01-02T13:33:50.191+11:00Da Nang (Vietnam) - memories fade into the distant night of time's embrace<p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">Da Nang (Vietnam)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">08 - 10 October 2023</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In 1965, the shores of Da Nang bore witness to an indelible moment etched in history—the landing of American troops, their footprints mingling with the grains of sand on those golden beaches. Yet, as the relentless passage of time marches forward, those echoes have gradually dissipated into the sea breeze. The once-significant presence, a pivotal chapter in the annals of war, now wanes into obscurity. These sands, once imprinted by the weight of valour and conflict, now cradle the foundations of towering hotels, standing as sentinels to a forgotten past. The whispers of those who once walked this shore have been swept away by the tides, leaving behind a landscape where memories lie dormant, buried beneath layers of progress and </span></span><span style="text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">tranquillity.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigljW4K17BDeCPIzlqE_rl5q7d-8cOM2luMG1DZgFc8qjoGdfodwzLtr6_b0yyitCH46rrjMRG4C-da9OCC9Vw-bLD-SKCyuVTXgqjchX4Ow4l8X1nMnbMQZslBmjwi-a2X9ooDmR9B6IhmypctPLCtT225dJJZclkxUB6ypnsl6k4dOGDLvK6crUWqdg/s1920/n_orig_vietnam_1503061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigljW4K17BDeCPIzlqE_rl5q7d-8cOM2luMG1DZgFc8qjoGdfodwzLtr6_b0yyitCH46rrjMRG4C-da9OCC9Vw-bLD-SKCyuVTXgqjchX4Ow4l8X1nMnbMQZslBmjwi-a2X9ooDmR9B6IhmypctPLCtT225dJJZclkxUB6ypnsl6k4dOGDLvK6crUWqdg/w640-h360/n_orig_vietnam_1503061.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">American troops - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam 1965</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Who knows how many faces in that photo are just memories in someone's mind, who knows how many of them made it back home, and how many were unfortunate enough to have their lives cruelly cut short so far from home. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It's nearly 60 yrs since those soldiers set foot on My Khe beach, and certainly for me standing there, looking at the surrounding plumes of tourist-driven capitalism with some knowledge of the events that have occurred here, it seems to be a strange dichotomy. The weight and gravity of war simply washed away with the passing of time, without considering its impact, without a concern. I understand that's probably not entirely the case but it does feel peculiar and a little challenging to simply accept Da Nang (My Khe Beach) for what it now stands for, which is a beautiful and burgeoning tourist destination.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOczH1A8FVP7YWvWyrZbrgU6c-HGNFhTfkyo3GZTW6dFNWZtMr_Nxp_NObnBlnkZgFcA5tJs0GPjp9ziPuPdNZsHEns9gESf4sPBJJLxIaO65NCa1SW2g__tWuWFJghS0VbzeqV1YteWRSMVbsZ61jHJyfj1gmRZIiH74EekBeHR8ijaczcTHebwwBAI/s828/Da%20Nang%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="828" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOczH1A8FVP7YWvWyrZbrgU6c-HGNFhTfkyo3GZTW6dFNWZtMr_Nxp_NObnBlnkZgFcA5tJs0GPjp9ziPuPdNZsHEns9gESf4sPBJJLxIaO65NCa1SW2g__tWuWFJghS0VbzeqV1YteWRSMVbsZ61jHJyfj1gmRZIiH74EekBeHR8ijaczcTHebwwBAI/w640-h486/Da%20Nang%203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Tourane Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam (2007)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AB0DxLSCE_2F38BHFZyfnxM3fa0DaVoPDBwbyCjjiAV_a_Eky_zsCpRRKMMW6lhTwYCr2zXpUErzuF6IDTj6yq6oxbiAbE9W04GBKpmKdWCyxg0DxxQxfoEQcDqTHZxazUqKZC3I6uWvuHAcI9lci7XgkWtD8KDVFzVgP9wzXRzhyphenhyphenK8GGb7ztDdQbjM/s828/Da%20Nang%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="828" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AB0DxLSCE_2F38BHFZyfnxM3fa0DaVoPDBwbyCjjiAV_a_Eky_zsCpRRKMMW6lhTwYCr2zXpUErzuF6IDTj6yq6oxbiAbE9W04GBKpmKdWCyxg0DxxQxfoEQcDqTHZxazUqKZC3I6uWvuHAcI9lci7XgkWtD8KDVFzVgP9wzXRzhyphenhyphenK8GGb7ztDdQbjM/w640-h490/Da%20Nang%204.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Tourane Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam (2007)</span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It had been 16 years since the last time I had stay in Da Nang, which was at the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.vn/Hotel_Review-g298085-d456971-Reviews-Tourane_Hotel-Da_Nang.html">Tourane Hotel </a> on My Khe beach. Now when I had booked in our two night stay at the Sala Da Nang hotel, just off My Khe beach, I really had no idea at the location of my previous stay all those years prior. But as is the case with me, which Inga can certainly attest to, the moment we arrived at our accommodation I was overwhelmed by a sense of the familiar - I even said to Inga, 'I think I've stayed very near to here previously' and pointed at the Tourane Hotel (the back of the hotel being directly across the street from our current location). It's odd how some specific locations have the ability to will you back.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our stay in Da Nang on this occasion was to just allow us to fully immerse ourselves in 'holiday mode', soak up the lovely beach atmosphere and commit to not doing much else other than relaxing, drinking the odd cocktail and admiring the wonderful views.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwDdYF8sHnzTCj2NQtuzI7vEUa11SaqkXyiC5xBoAg8QXh6NERvCB1JeJak-e2SZTJWWz4G0JTaMLuyqKX8usCoyqp1ehErcu2aMMmcgeG-GZSJavJ_rvHHhEE8tHV2egyJqd97809m97yGdc7ykdr5_gLfFbJeFPEts1AoxG9Y5YiSlI86sPlTeL1EQ/s4032/Da%20Nang%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwDdYF8sHnzTCj2NQtuzI7vEUa11SaqkXyiC5xBoAg8QXh6NERvCB1JeJak-e2SZTJWWz4G0JTaMLuyqKX8usCoyqp1ehErcu2aMMmcgeG-GZSJavJ_rvHHhEE8tHV2egyJqd97809m97yGdc7ykdr5_gLfFbJeFPEts1AoxG9Y5YiSlI86sPlTeL1EQ/w480-h640/Da%20Nang%205.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE_7ntSTE5-nujyoxyCkAx5IkzwAJu-tGfzHD9kFEe2uhvGwI5twZArX6G8IdnMRhyQrk1tt1uq69UAUcXZVp15_219aoukAJhyI3U3ENxKAIg9a9CXzKLbflJkaZTTIwJZbX3ToZJjQhz7vbdBb3uVJxREGdNy_yaD8LyZxh9RN46nhJMmes4YWFXIs/s4032/Da%20Nang%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE_7ntSTE5-nujyoxyCkAx5IkzwAJu-tGfzHD9kFEe2uhvGwI5twZArX6G8IdnMRhyQrk1tt1uq69UAUcXZVp15_219aoukAJhyI3U3ENxKAIg9a9CXzKLbflJkaZTTIwJZbX3ToZJjQhz7vbdBb3uVJxREGdNy_yaD8LyZxh9RN46nhJMmes4YWFXIs/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%206.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUk7O-zwa0fLy_6Ao6wiqOuW3LvDbKlVUkP4yJ2dPTFj5CEplCQlekxy8pddbPvBE_r1stHmrTtnvNlvIKcE1_jQt3QokagmpG1sZi9tVjljeKJ5L0fJrxxh-mD5nxWo3jX1ndNIBXyfcgZFQlJo002-w72uI2ruAWzX5UvUBPd8tjStKxnSWQ5A0FhE/s4032/Da%20Nang%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUk7O-zwa0fLy_6Ao6wiqOuW3LvDbKlVUkP4yJ2dPTFj5CEplCQlekxy8pddbPvBE_r1stHmrTtnvNlvIKcE1_jQt3QokagmpG1sZi9tVjljeKJ5L0fJrxxh-mD5nxWo3jX1ndNIBXyfcgZFQlJo002-w72uI2ruAWzX5UvUBPd8tjStKxnSWQ5A0FhE/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%208.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-E04wiGdRZwS0ZCAVcifuUGpfxulyAozMTQQzwmLymKyCsNoz4rc5MZs5a-eaHKBcw4iUEMvKRB0YfK0WnkZv-u9b5J4SaDj0UMNYkbm5Iw81R-qThQ46dwnI2vjfr5HE0DNCaFkNjcFVK5kgYQOpu70vhbtuR4niDE6cKmxKzCD7K4QU-Takl2UpJ4/s4032/Da%20Nang%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-E04wiGdRZwS0ZCAVcifuUGpfxulyAozMTQQzwmLymKyCsNoz4rc5MZs5a-eaHKBcw4iUEMvKRB0YfK0WnkZv-u9b5J4SaDj0UMNYkbm5Iw81R-qThQ46dwnI2vjfr5HE0DNCaFkNjcFVK5kgYQOpu70vhbtuR4niDE6cKmxKzCD7K4QU-Takl2UpJ4/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%2010.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOOsMidkDSbyX4bfEf2_JfrACjp4sZx2iAmlfluH50AVSsD0VWVIQofLdFHjUJg6q5xY21xE5D0Ps1m91Vghhr2fX-AZ58QjXm0Y4prr6RsY7iRmqW7qoChmKfO-_lDHF61AGEPd7c8eqhAggGXZUkutpp4g2JNUTiwbhJi1wadzcZfRQYlyUMF4EMwk/s4032/Da%20Nang%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOOsMidkDSbyX4bfEf2_JfrACjp4sZx2iAmlfluH50AVSsD0VWVIQofLdFHjUJg6q5xY21xE5D0Ps1m91Vghhr2fX-AZ58QjXm0Y4prr6RsY7iRmqW7qoChmKfO-_lDHF61AGEPd7c8eqhAggGXZUkutpp4g2JNUTiwbhJi1wadzcZfRQYlyUMF4EMwk/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%2011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The whole coastline from Da Nang down to Hoi An is being overrun and occupied by every hotel chain you can imagine. Mega resort after mega resort for 10's of kilometres. Certainly the invasion had already commenced prior to my first experience of Da Nang in 2007, and even at that time you were more than aware that the explosion of hotels on this pristine coastline was going to have an incredible impact on the landscape, as well as the economy. </span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What was once an untouched stretch of coastline now stands adorned with a multitude of accommodations, ranging from boutique retreats to towering luxury resorts. The allure of this coastal haven has beckoned developers and tourists alike, resulting in an evolving skyline where each hotel competes for a panoramic view of the cerulean sea. I wonder, if I come back here in another 16 years what exactly will I see? I replica of the Gold Coast, or even Dubai perhaps.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxMQPfmmRWm_6aOpg8m8wB6duhfLv1eoC_n1EJY0Hb1I0q8bS-ciIgrnu5UklsJZDgGFNaghVfzVEf3ootLEKcPt_yizUyTuOwYHiIV7rXSZzmt5zeblaz2MuAbqQvRoE7BKLqzBTi1-USx1k3BxHVXfAzy7jo6r1ID6X9yo_X2A1B58S6YahqSJneb0/s4032/Da%20Nang%2012%20-%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxMQPfmmRWm_6aOpg8m8wB6duhfLv1eoC_n1EJY0Hb1I0q8bS-ciIgrnu5UklsJZDgGFNaghVfzVEf3ootLEKcPt_yizUyTuOwYHiIV7rXSZzmt5zeblaz2MuAbqQvRoE7BKLqzBTi1-USx1k3BxHVXfAzy7jo6r1ID6X9yo_X2A1B58S6YahqSJneb0/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%2012%20-%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Dragon Bridge (Rong Bridge) - Han River - Da Nang - Vietnam</i></span></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien46nuXa2QqJFUZQbUUv-tmieXnZf-O_5l9jrDjXi9AGJCG4B2HOLuKzH20Ewxozv8Ixan2UycCuf0CDvfLaiLDiBqBTM9zjmphuUIGlr_IoX8QgqDNx6279Ig8c8RtHAnpEoH8n99bCit6hLNZDCbUjRi-05L9wYynbXmD_mFmRM_JOmutH3S-BjUiQ/s4032/Da%20Nang%2013%20-%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEien46nuXa2QqJFUZQbUUv-tmieXnZf-O_5l9jrDjXi9AGJCG4B2HOLuKzH20Ewxozv8Ixan2UycCuf0CDvfLaiLDiBqBTM9zjmphuUIGlr_IoX8QgqDNx6279Ig8c8RtHAnpEoH8n99bCit6hLNZDCbUjRi-05L9wYynbXmD_mFmRM_JOmutH3S-BjUiQ/w480-h640/Da%20Nang%2013%20-%20bridge.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></span><span style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: start;">Dragon Bridge (Rong Bridge)</i><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Han River - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25X2Sryl52VlObnQqMa5dJio0OI_j3eMn1DzuHZkYrNnPnwjL1sbUoDSU8wAFGu3ID-iYwEFBn6w7az9wJwqU7m7gOmaxFCxksEqgdfqZrDBO_aMGV1T3wi5m_KNI9mcagvdRxREl7w2D4n3gOYnxUL-GyEl5wRmZDemB9duSTjxVvDiNrsOIbiONpkw/s4032/Da%20Nang%2014%20-%20bridge%20fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25X2Sryl52VlObnQqMa5dJio0OI_j3eMn1DzuHZkYrNnPnwjL1sbUoDSU8wAFGu3ID-iYwEFBn6w7az9wJwqU7m7gOmaxFCxksEqgdfqZrDBO_aMGV1T3wi5m_KNI9mcagvdRxREl7w2D4n3gOYnxUL-GyEl5wRmZDemB9duSTjxVvDiNrsOIbiONpkw/w480-h640/Da%20Nang%2014%20-%20bridge%20fire.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: start;">Dragon Bridge (Rong Bridge)</i><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Han River - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></span></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The most we managed to do outside of lazing around the hotel pool or going to the beach to walk the 2kms was to the famous Dragon Bridge which stretches 665mtrs across the Han River in downtown Da Nang. The bridge is shaped like an undulating golden dragon and on weeknights it comes to life in quite an unusual way: the bridge is closed to traffic, and the massive dragon head on the east end of the bridge releases bursts of flames and water in a spectacular nightly show. I have to say, we were fully expectant of the flames but the bursts of water were a 'refreshing' surprise, and it quickly turned every person standing in its path into a young child once again. It was terrific.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSop7BWjdjZW1RzGGserpgwbZ2vRyaVVXh5sDG6gV69fW6H_Rm4EV4AX9SXUfAQKnMA1olEcOi42lSE9H-UUuMG8rcoArpPthVwXxVskneAdX9nqyhn5Gt0xwd-lve13REfYRtg0BpH0toxF0qp1E8PV18yKTK7KMWnpTLTfV5mRhZ_QxCqJPtNNfo3jo/s1371/Da%20Nang%2015%20-%20Water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSop7BWjdjZW1RzGGserpgwbZ2vRyaVVXh5sDG6gV69fW6H_Rm4EV4AX9SXUfAQKnMA1olEcOi42lSE9H-UUuMG8rcoArpPthVwXxVskneAdX9nqyhn5Gt0xwd-lve13REfYRtg0BpH0toxF0qp1E8PV18yKTK7KMWnpTLTfV5mRhZ_QxCqJPtNNfo3jo/w386-h640/Da%20Nang%2015%20-%20Water.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: start;">Dragon Bridge (Rong Bridge)</i><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Han River - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAqx1C01CFnJQAm25du3tkAhHvFskAoj76c7xs3PZBxnu6LGzm6VZE3z0lPAsuf_MANLV03yJy-oAmEtrQ2lg9xUWagrAwZszouNrczHc9n2j3Es1Laf0Qj01m8hggTgnZbd9rQYYbw53fNYnKrSpLWAIba02QLZWbC4V-BJHbklSctWGQ5ZDhy3PTFQ/s1354/Da%20Nang%2016%20-%20Water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAqx1C01CFnJQAm25du3tkAhHvFskAoj76c7xs3PZBxnu6LGzm6VZE3z0lPAsuf_MANLV03yJy-oAmEtrQ2lg9xUWagrAwZszouNrczHc9n2j3Es1Laf0Qj01m8hggTgnZbd9rQYYbw53fNYnKrSpLWAIba02QLZWbC4V-BJHbklSctWGQ5ZDhy3PTFQ/w392-h640/Da%20Nang%2016%20-%20Water.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: start;">Dragon Bridge (Rong Bridge)</i><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Han River - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKec9cDog59IP9WD4aTEM_loT-1jne606HcPkCUbc22W26uUKSIFlDQIxWET3CsbuMzb3tXeSr2VSRSiBJlbJaLc0uz2KqTzUhQw-zlAg6Cp8_h_DRwz_bhL_64FMnuTsihzBkThszoeX_2Qs0AO_eCKAaa8T7acK3hlnYJkHsO8XsLqu8595uvNTQxKc/s4032/Da%20Nang%2017%20-%20City.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKec9cDog59IP9WD4aTEM_loT-1jne606HcPkCUbc22W26uUKSIFlDQIxWET3CsbuMzb3tXeSr2VSRSiBJlbJaLc0uz2KqTzUhQw-zlAg6Cp8_h_DRwz_bhL_64FMnuTsihzBkThszoeX_2Qs0AO_eCKAaa8T7acK3hlnYJkHsO8XsLqu8595uvNTQxKc/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%2017%20-%20City.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">View of Da Nang from the Sala Da Nang Beach Hotel - My Khe Beach - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MfX69X59jeAAPrl9ITmRBL7WGuymcX9ABO8-1W6DWiALClo7G2Hkek0gY6-GKPKj9An2abiROfIlkXJPcFYNZVmGFJLDs-NBETWXZRsyCVpk885ZuRee4WwX9QRW_PdqcKGKE8oEjU2o_cd-TsckCgmYyA-dDlAxhL1JLtgYE_eGss1ZAMPRMrhK3kw/s4032/Da%20Nang%2018%20-%20beach%20bar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MfX69X59jeAAPrl9ITmRBL7WGuymcX9ABO8-1W6DWiALClo7G2Hkek0gY6-GKPKj9An2abiROfIlkXJPcFYNZVmGFJLDs-NBETWXZRsyCVpk885ZuRee4WwX9QRW_PdqcKGKE8oEjU2o_cd-TsckCgmYyA-dDlAxhL1JLtgYE_eGss1ZAMPRMrhK3kw/w640-h480/Da%20Nang%2018%20-%20beach%20bar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Esco Beach Lounge - My Khe Beach - Da Nang - Vietnam</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iskiVCD39r-W7ykudzWjNhD5Jrf75WrtjM2_QTi087zykIuLBics5y6gXzlcLIa271defhYaflP_CrjGcuIawSQXif03P5ZbLvpgU3EgnWBRBcHtxBoC8-kk4IQJ6rgXcWzp6oiXHSmP9QJGRwGZQmZDOZZgufK9oohBVq_QgPJiMM7YT8mLemDPleg/s3088/going%20home.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iskiVCD39r-W7ykudzWjNhD5Jrf75WrtjM2_QTi087zykIuLBics5y6gXzlcLIa271defhYaflP_CrjGcuIawSQXif03P5ZbLvpgU3EgnWBRBcHtxBoC8-kk4IQJ6rgXcWzp6oiXHSmP9QJGRwGZQmZDOZZgufK9oohBVq_QgPJiMM7YT8mLemDPleg/w480-h640/going%20home.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">On the way home - Vietnam Airlines - Da Nang > Hanoi > Ho Chi Minh > Melbourne</span></i></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">And that my friends was the final brush stroke of our Vietnamese holiday. What a beautiful, well earned, and what I anticipate to be 'a well remembered' holiday it was for all of us. I was slightly concerned at the start that Vietnam might be a little difficult, even arduous for a four-year old, but it was nothing of the sort. Our travels were easy and our experiences were exciting, fun and very enjoyable. I've always found Vietnam to be a very special country for the many things it has to offer, it's people, food, landscapes, history, etc., and now I'd be more than happy to recommend it has a family holiday destination. A truly wonderful experience and hopefully a place that we'll all get to experience together again at some point in the future.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Trip Sans VF", "Trip Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comDa Nang, Hải Châu District, Da Nang, Vietnam16.0544068 108.2021667-12.255827036178847 73.0459167 44.364640636178848 143.35841670000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-28561602801853288212023-10-07T13:15:00.005+11:002023-12-22T14:32:46.446+11:00Ba Na Hills (Vietnam) - bridges of gold<p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">Ba Na Hills (Vietnam)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">07 October 2023</span></b></p><p></p><div style="border: 1pt solid rgb(217, 217, 227); mso-border-alt: solid #D9D9E3 .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm;">
<p style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 15pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The
next destination on our list was a place that I only came across very recently
and it was directly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>due to the myriad of
Instagram posts that devoted shot after shot to monolithic, almost God like
hands of concrete cast against a backdrop of ethereal blue…but more of that in
a moment, let me get to the intro.</span></span></p><p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 15pt; mso-border-alt: solid #D9D9E3 .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Welcome to Sun World in Ba Na Hills, a marvel nestled over 20 kilometres from
downtown Da Nang a part of the whimsical Sun World Amusement Park Group. Picture
this: perched is a place of wonder at a staggering 1,487 meters above sea
level, in Vietnam! Somehow you don’t equate that elevation to anything that
exists relatively close to the coastline, especially when you’ve been spending
a large amount of your time at the beach. But here in the mountains just
outside of Da Nang is a place that many people it's tagged as the "heaven
on earth" for its topography, jaw-dropping views of the surrounding area, its
unique climate and wonderful natural beauty. Certainly as a part of a to-do
list of sightseeing locations in the area of Da Nang & Hoi An it didn’t
immediately stand out as a must-see but the afternoon that we spent in the Ba
Na Hills was more than pleasant, even if the weather wasn’t quite as supportive
of our intentions.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO41DwitgiT65eqIWE7RYulKP1ozD6EYJMUMWps3rWXEeS7x6FFV2cKZzbjiuo6w-KoFnqe0XV-27lGfHzy6DGFdyvnaMhC8IT_lMzkwiFQDr2oMNKYEdopm9ZXoT_6tTJsAIQt24R4jh3RPWllKSc9_UzWDwIlyIlw80gLdh-H1sJ4JFvIUyyhzwocM/s1724/BNH1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1724" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO41DwitgiT65eqIWE7RYulKP1ozD6EYJMUMWps3rWXEeS7x6FFV2cKZzbjiuo6w-KoFnqe0XV-27lGfHzy6DGFdyvnaMhC8IT_lMzkwiFQDr2oMNKYEdopm9ZXoT_6tTJsAIQt24R4jh3RPWllKSc9_UzWDwIlyIlw80gLdh-H1sJ4JFvIUyyhzwocM/w308-h640/BNH1.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Entrance to Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMjY0eX1KEOMZIDfOsBhxBORraVpBLeRWnWBhUcmxV-1BarEHO12GSw0vreFrOEQI7y0SWioOXvk8Kiy0GQO31in_VZdD42mJcEgInRdq83sm_ji6xBOeLZSHzdfLIpzNimjIbtZRc-SCfhUw1RVsP7jMELJg_xpBfZqkCJtnpX3VgJzI61a2WRQGldY/s4032/BNH5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMjY0eX1KEOMZIDfOsBhxBORraVpBLeRWnWBhUcmxV-1BarEHO12GSw0vreFrOEQI7y0SWioOXvk8Kiy0GQO31in_VZdD42mJcEgInRdq83sm_ji6xBOeLZSHzdfLIpzNimjIbtZRc-SCfhUw1RVsP7jMELJg_xpBfZqkCJtnpX3VgJzI61a2WRQGldY/w480-h640/BNH5.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Entrance to Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 15pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-family: arial;">As
a visitor we had been pre-warned, ‘<i>prepare yourselves for a rollercoaster
ride through all four seasons in a single day’</i>. Now, coming from Melbourne,
this the typical line that will greet any travel on their arrival to our city.
In fact, just the other day I was on a ‘Melbourne Facebook page’ where the
comment was to come up with a logo to exemplify and showcase what’s special
about our city. None too surprising that ‘<i>expect four seasons in a day’</i>
was one of most popular lines that us Melburnians wanted to utilise in order to
showcase the city (strange but true). So, we should have paid a little more
attention of what Ba Na Hills was advocating before rolling up at 3pm on a
typical weekday afternoon. Still, you just don’t associate a 15-18 degree drop
in temperature when you’re wearing shorts, experiencing a lovely sunny day, and
only driving about 20kms inland from the coast.</span></p><p style="border: none; margin: 0cm 0cm 15pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceaRLvbRApb2nmNY9ILeSqnWPoIGuRUGCw8MTBwGThjOkWPaZ56eVgxEsPvndPttfL0NganIsH_ze37t2eVvu_MhZoeg059_wg3g1pC9IkKLhYMTi35AzMCez9SwE_2WpiJlvAQTJd1CRwojmrI43Z3EZ2Q5PAiB9CiilgNf3A30n8BicrdrTqxS-MDA/s4032/BNH3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceaRLvbRApb2nmNY9ILeSqnWPoIGuRUGCw8MTBwGThjOkWPaZ56eVgxEsPvndPttfL0NganIsH_ze37t2eVvu_MhZoeg059_wg3g1pC9IkKLhYMTi35AzMCez9SwE_2WpiJlvAQTJd1CRwojmrI43Z3EZ2Q5PAiB9CiilgNf3A30n8BicrdrTqxS-MDA/w480-h640/BNH3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: white;">The Toc Tien-L’Indochine cable line - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhOeP0CUtube1z1eHJGWxPPMhZYQFWyeMyr8yf6cRa9IB8G3294Y5LQNBxJtTE5fT4PdZ0MrpsUqE2Ookh-FpoRZi2u68SbKMX13KfVDS5olrsGkOf8doTqeg_gS-7jjZkdq_7FtIyynxBKYFgncMwtLrOqgbvHlJR5afahLO02US90neM-4BBWupkZk/s4032/BNH4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhOeP0CUtube1z1eHJGWxPPMhZYQFWyeMyr8yf6cRa9IB8G3294Y5LQNBxJtTE5fT4PdZ0MrpsUqE2Ookh-FpoRZi2u68SbKMX13KfVDS5olrsGkOf8doTqeg_gS-7jjZkdq_7FtIyynxBKYFgncMwtLrOqgbvHlJR5afahLO02US90neM-4BBWupkZk/w640-h480/BNH4.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><p></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Ba
Na Hills has been known as the shining star of Vietnam's tourist spots,
especially in Central Vietnam. In fact, it bagged the "Top Tourist Resort
of Vietnam" crown four years in a row from 2015 to 2018. In its 11-year
journey, Sun World Ba Na Hills has become the go-to spot for locals and
globetrotters alike in Danang, and sure, there’s reasonable reasons to support
the local endearment and foreign fascination. First there’s the outlandish
cable car system, it’s incredible and globally recognised. Not that the
plaudits from CNN should have any real bearing on its significance but they did
rank the network as one of the most 10 impressive cable car infrastructure
systems globally. Comprising of 5 different routes, there is an accumulated
capacity of 7000 people an hour that can get moved from the car-park to the
mountain top village. It also holds a number of accolades and records alike,
specifically, the Toc Tien-L’Indochine line which maintains Guiness World
Record status for the longest one-wire sling, the greatest elevation between
stations, the longest unpatched wire and the heaviest cable roll in the world.
All of this you can both experience and witness in the 17 mins ride that will
take you to the mountain top.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For
me, the real highlight was visiting the 150m long <i>Golden Bridge</i> that’s
supported by the ‘hands of God’. As I’ve mentioned earlier, surely this placed
has been Instagrammed to death but that doesn’t mean, to me at least, that the
place isn’t worth the visit. I’ll never understand how a location suddenly
starts to draw attention for being ‘over photographed’ and starts to be spoken
of in lessor terms just for people popular. We arrived on what was a fairly
dreary, cold-ish, mid-week day, with an average crowd, and I still thought it
was spectacular. Certainly, if I was to suggest the best time to be here then
I’d say at sunset – the colours & the mood shift the scene into something
extraordinarily magical, and by that time the foot traffic would have reduced
significantly. My hot-tip, come late afternoon or early evening.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHAoO7W4T5PFT7BNIduVZWF_LqYbodVeXFY-sppG6FNmw_Wan0KTy8Al4awoYoNSfXT7AFJ-YTpHcDVolzNAPTGT9563a-QUtMIZL1N1yEUh9-ndoPI8iEOfYipaJEwmdJZ_RnCOUP1ZaShy2Q2LXY9O8gDILrq3b_MOa4DKsFm-G2UA5inGu3M3oovk/s4032/BNH6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHAoO7W4T5PFT7BNIduVZWF_LqYbodVeXFY-sppG6FNmw_Wan0KTy8Al4awoYoNSfXT7AFJ-YTpHcDVolzNAPTGT9563a-QUtMIZL1N1yEUh9-ndoPI8iEOfYipaJEwmdJZ_RnCOUP1ZaShy2Q2LXY9O8gDILrq3b_MOa4DKsFm-G2UA5inGu3M3oovk/w480-h640/BNH6.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AIk8Vf43MJGuZ4t4STF6yLtTxOWcd80Lgw43WddsFrIFhwPwr064S6LeQ9osB4Wbd45qfZ1pyWAE8Aa79R_8vaL17FhkIPz6LlxeZBc2s-kSs3vqskVHlyxQIdynLOff3injE6fsOQngAueDV55Mdw78Ff8PZ3tNRcwEQjWkdnDGP3BiQGTUijaqQn4/s4032/BNH7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AIk8Vf43MJGuZ4t4STF6yLtTxOWcd80Lgw43WddsFrIFhwPwr064S6LeQ9osB4Wbd45qfZ1pyWAE8Aa79R_8vaL17FhkIPz6LlxeZBc2s-kSs3vqskVHlyxQIdynLOff3injE6fsOQngAueDV55Mdw78Ff8PZ3tNRcwEQjWkdnDGP3BiQGTUijaqQn4/w640-h480/BNH7.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL63r-JW-g_V5CCsILNHMgK-1zxcHHYdAmjhz4fcfPWqXC9k3tSikUkOwQxjquPWTsYI9hU1Q0CBU_rZGH7TiyyfXt6OvTnjGEiMLNwXXL9UUjjG-iFVJ6fGtWBescdps4ypLQ7HRZYAKPb2rQBpdOIIV2MAG2ptU_sjND77Wc05R0aywrbDOT-1wihw/s3088/BNH8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL63r-JW-g_V5CCsILNHMgK-1zxcHHYdAmjhz4fcfPWqXC9k3tSikUkOwQxjquPWTsYI9hU1Q0CBU_rZGH7TiyyfXt6OvTnjGEiMLNwXXL9UUjjG-iFVJ6fGtWBescdps4ypLQ7HRZYAKPb2rQBpdOIIV2MAG2ptU_sjND77Wc05R0aywrbDOT-1wihw/w480-h640/BNH8.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NOnHOTydNCImWby4PhFZn-mpE58LlQNaCo1mX4RBKDAhonD6rcE1lYz6ebXq3t0U_VEDaBX6eNFc0dRiQpqhNqyVSVYMyX4mFXU1D84CvBYOxRJ-aeX0C0YSpYiTx5WPToV0YmejYmcjiSJ1c5uuO8nLL9-2-y26BTzrRYv064myNZlcKRkjbSw2gt8/s4032/BNH9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NOnHOTydNCImWby4PhFZn-mpE58LlQNaCo1mX4RBKDAhonD6rcE1lYz6ebXq3t0U_VEDaBX6eNFc0dRiQpqhNqyVSVYMyX4mFXU1D84CvBYOxRJ-aeX0C0YSpYiTx5WPToV0YmejYmcjiSJ1c5uuO8nLL9-2-y26BTzrRYv064myNZlcKRkjbSw2gt8/w480-h640/BNH9.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Certainly
the <i>Golden Bridge</i> isn’t the only thing to see at Sun World, just a
short-cable car ride up the mountain is a lovely representation of a French Village,
a time machine that drops you smack dab in serene, old-school France, complete
with squares, churches, old villages, and cozy inns. Sure, it’s not ‘<i>authentic’</i>
and yes, ‘its touristy’, but who cares. Experiences can be constructed in a
number of ways. If you’ve travelled Europe and ‘know your real from your
rip-off deal’ and if you think you may feel somewhat ‘offended’ by a European
replica in Vietnam, then don’t come. The thing is, this place isn’t really
built with you in mind, it’s resort and location built for the people of
Vietnam that may never get to experience the true wonders of Europe but can
have access to something in their backyard that provides them with something
unique and enjoyable. Coupled with that, there’s also a plethora of restaurants
scattered across the mountain top, Asia & European food, diverse buffets –
it’s an experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKMODwcwq_l7Eea2lkXnXfFRf8n-wXqZVCeTkOnk_hXYjKF5eGg4pGYAmrg_TB18xkaTSz9Z0uP6V98zmy1_xdJxB_0zf68IXNiqmn1HipfPq8cQBi9WFqnUTX_8daM7uX8G2AtU-w3c6x6uUyJ-p6x0q53qQqgGVsJpA6lr1xTswdbQGbAGzghUBey4/s4032/BNH11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKMODwcwq_l7Eea2lkXnXfFRf8n-wXqZVCeTkOnk_hXYjKF5eGg4pGYAmrg_TB18xkaTSz9Z0uP6V98zmy1_xdJxB_0zf68IXNiqmn1HipfPq8cQBi9WFqnUTX_8daM7uX8G2AtU-w3c6x6uUyJ-p6x0q53qQqgGVsJpA6lr1xTswdbQGbAGzghUBey4/w640-h480/BNH11.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug0isv6RgCGyUBNj7-xtCcNRDBi6ZjSYr9PdwbbM6JzyJxgaciRDGu9AoS0gYnHAUoIe6-yN8hojL0aW-4KwfF8rNNqHP73U7t-AjheIowsvmXY97TbxLkazRcbEdROvgcDLSWiTB4t3SWIZwPMAnBcUOma_Ukh_JkAPz-WOWsBk_m-bFWsrlRlxmHlY/s4032/BNH12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug0isv6RgCGyUBNj7-xtCcNRDBi6ZjSYr9PdwbbM6JzyJxgaciRDGu9AoS0gYnHAUoIe6-yN8hojL0aW-4KwfF8rNNqHP73U7t-AjheIowsvmXY97TbxLkazRcbEdROvgcDLSWiTB4t3SWIZwPMAnBcUOma_Ukh_JkAPz-WOWsBk_m-bFWsrlRlxmHlY/w640-h480/BNH12.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">French Village - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQCrWmFO1RM2hZxXqZeLEWekswWqH57-JXzOdMKoyQbTjoNYxjQcwwYCFf00Q75BLDsRbO5ne7ZxKbiO1d63jdPKLnyk_y7tMsUGwmlpW9lnyRrD01z89Z91_pE-1XK-fDZFG2IK9OiGP6Wt2r1FrUDbMpw5w3zu5ItOdFhNROkOY_veFdD0m4_XxhkM/s4032/BNH13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQCrWmFO1RM2hZxXqZeLEWekswWqH57-JXzOdMKoyQbTjoNYxjQcwwYCFf00Q75BLDsRbO5ne7ZxKbiO1d63jdPKLnyk_y7tMsUGwmlpW9lnyRrD01z89Z91_pE-1XK-fDZFG2IK9OiGP6Wt2r1FrUDbMpw5w3zu5ItOdFhNROkOY_veFdD0m4_XxhkM/w640-h480/BNH13.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzL4wquuymFc1tIse6IaWBLxAlQ5FrCDqK25R3JkjaUKdPrTYj4zWEUjZ1K1nlITMwxto21PZA7sud2cF5LbpAsQQlWIbfKmYhQo9nr-Xuy8W05UtlxmE6jCMRsuAShEM_tn-N7MWIVCe2pN1hmdYZrMjPPlssPBCuaKOU7anQGx-aVA5rjQ__45OFVI/s4032/BNH14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzL4wquuymFc1tIse6IaWBLxAlQ5FrCDqK25R3JkjaUKdPrTYj4zWEUjZ1K1nlITMwxto21PZA7sud2cF5LbpAsQQlWIbfKmYhQo9nr-Xuy8W05UtlxmE6jCMRsuAShEM_tn-N7MWIVCe2pN1hmdYZrMjPPlssPBCuaKOU7anQGx-aVA5rjQ__45OFVI/w640-h480/BNH14.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">View out over Da Nang- Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KBPcLXXeO80XoWLbrgKbA2gTFyzbL-oKEyfBEY7BIGY1SO4NGJm6Q5pSKz39jkWTkP5P0hRKMmWc1NWzc_SSTc0BX2fgBa5OcpU3RJp30l8WHVLdSifSz373UrPYzLQrNKWDsVb0iW07sF-TE_L4IE65cXFKvFo8OX4iWYxOkzxUzyxO4-F_Ko5HxSc/s4032/BNH15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KBPcLXXeO80XoWLbrgKbA2gTFyzbL-oKEyfBEY7BIGY1SO4NGJm6Q5pSKz39jkWTkP5P0hRKMmWc1NWzc_SSTc0BX2fgBa5OcpU3RJp30l8WHVLdSifSz373UrPYzLQrNKWDsVb0iW07sF-TE_L4IE65cXFKvFo8OX4iWYxOkzxUzyxO4-F_Ko5HxSc/w480-h640/BNH15.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Golden Bridge - Sun World - Ba Na Hills - Vietnam</span></i></div><p></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">We
all had fun during our visit and I’m glad that we took a few hours out of our
day in Hoi An to come up here. I’d even say that it would be worth a dedication
of a few more hours on our next visit as we only allowed ourselves 3-3.5hrs in
total and there seemed like much more to see and do here, especially on a nicer
day.</span></span><span style="color: #374151;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</div><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"></span></b><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comThôn An Sơn, Hòa Vang, Da Nang, Vietnam15.9951358 107.9961386-12.315098036178846 72.8398886 44.305369636178845 143.1523886tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-60388043801885536082023-10-04T19:56:00.156+11:002023-12-20T15:42:21.444+11:00Hoi An (Vietnam) - Festival of light - 'Ephemerosy'<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Hoi An (Vietnam)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>04 October - 08 October 2023</b></span></p><div style="border: 1pt solid rgb(217, 217, 227); mso-border-alt: solid #D9D9E3 .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">E</span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">ver
snapped a photo and felt that someday, perhaps years later, you'll have a
photo in hand *ahem*, jpeg on screen,
and be gazing back into that moment, finding yourself immersed in a
blend of nostalgia, anticipation, and the profound realization of time passing?
What do you call that feeling? What is that called? Is there a word to capture
that inevitable feeling, is it "Pronoia"? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There
have been countless instances in my travels, and in my life, where I've
anticipated in the moment how and in what form I'd reminisce about that exact
point in time from a distant future. And even though I fully comprehend that
it's just continuum of events (or moments) that connect what feel like two
distant point <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in my memory, when I actually
get to the ‘other side’, peering through the mists of time, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there’s both a sensation of being linked and also
somewhat detached simultaneously—a liminal sensation, like I’m standing on the
edge of myself, yet knowing I was part of that past moment and knowing that I
had thought in the past about myself inevitably looking back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">"Pronoia,"
itself is belief that the world conspires favourably to put you in a reasonably
good position and so I don’t think that its encapsulate the exact sentiment I’m
going for. So perhaps I’ll create a term, something like
"ephemerosy." <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">EPHEMEROSY
– in case you’re wondering, the sentiment is meant to encompass the fleeting </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">nature of moments (the ephemeral) coalesced with wistfulness and nostalgia, or
the ‘rosy’ view. It’s meant to encapsulate the bittersweet and the somewhat
oddly surreal essence of reminiscing about how you think about and perceive a
past moment in your future.</span></span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Truth
be told, these days I experience this type of feeling almost daily with my son,
knowing that 'this,' his present, will someday be a moment I'd yearn to
revisit—a moment that will only be accessible to me at some point through
photos or videos. Much the same way, I used to take mental pictures of my
father driving away from the station each morning after he’d dropped me off. I
knew that one morning there would be a final drive, the last time when he’d
drive away, after which those visuals would just be a memory of the past,
something that I’d need to retrieve from my internal hard drive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We
humans are dealt a cruel blow when it comes to the concept of time. We <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>perceive its directionality only from current
to future, which can be cruel. Always advancing, never reversing, always
departing. It's that departure that constantly resonates. Certainly we could
argue that we're always arriving, which is true. Yet, arrival lacks foresight,
it lacks certainty and clarity, while departing is constantly marked by
retrospection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I've
always believed in precognition, which for me is not the idea of truly
foreseeing events but more so about sensing the circumstance of future places
and moments. Let me give you an example, for me personally, I'd always
envisioned and inherently felt that at some point I would have a wife and son to
accompany me future travel adventures. Even in during my exceptional tenure of
enigmatic singleness, even when I was getting on in years and nearing my 40th
birthday, it was there. Even when the mechanics of that vision seemed absolutely
unclear, or in fact, impossible, there was always an internal certainty—an
innate understanding of a future truth that felt pre-determined.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">And
I have to say, it’s an odd realization when an anticipated future becomes the
present. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Arriving
at Ga Ha Noi station, the main train station in Hanoi, it felt oddly familiar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Navigating the ticket validation process, the platform
entrances, boarding the right carriage—it felt preordained. Of course, I'd
traversed this exact journey previously, back in 2009, with my good friend Jet
Frichot (which you can read about here <a href="https://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2010/03/escape-from-hanoi-first-few-moments.html">Escape from Hanoi (2009)</a>. But the point is that there was a feeling or certainty in me that
there would be a time in the future when I <i>would </i>do this journey again
and that it <i>would </i>be with my own family. Maybe that’s odd? Or maybe that’s
just life and that’s the way everyone thinks. Who knows?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrUNysYXdToskWC6X_W9h2wBZcSp2K_Renl1-FOdKRXnDdPgVaI98YPjDxeM10DX5zbr6ZQVjzQAQhgENck0nUV_nbVjypUII5fGEu1V4MWFfsQO56cNUldn3vOI3EDWQmu_7fcUon_hmtF4gvzpPW5FldDhTNTEIFyD1dPTQ_c8HznL8ufmAc2KQ_ho/s4032/Vietnam%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrUNysYXdToskWC6X_W9h2wBZcSp2K_Renl1-FOdKRXnDdPgVaI98YPjDxeM10DX5zbr6ZQVjzQAQhgENck0nUV_nbVjypUII5fGEu1V4MWFfsQO56cNUldn3vOI3EDWQmu_7fcUon_hmtF4gvzpPW5FldDhTNTEIFyD1dPTQ_c8HznL8ufmAc2KQ_ho/w640-h480/Vietnam%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">The Reunification Express - SE3 - Violette train - Ha Noi to Da Nang (Vietnam)</i></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The
overnight trip from Ha Noi to Da Nang generally spans about 16-17 hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this evening we were scheduled to take the
SE3, Reunification Express, departing Ha Noi at 19:20 and with an arrival time
in Da Nang of 12:28.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For
all of you that want to know a little more about the Reunification express and luxury
train travel in Vietnam, let me just clarify. The SE3, Violette train, (4)
berth VIP luxury cabin option isn't quite the romantic, cocktail-laced, piano
bar-style journey that one might associated with <i>luxury train travel</i>.
That in itself may be why some travellers tend to criticize Vietnam Rail's
service. Let me be clear however, Vietnam never touts this service as defining
the ‘concept of luxury’. The reality of the service is never overplayed. Certainly
it’s a basic and relatively comfortable overnight trip which traverses Vietnam.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll get some essential amenities,
like a crude toilet and equally crude public wash basin, and yes, you’ll mainly
spend the duration of the journey in your small box of a cabin with any noteworthy
highlights coming into frame within final 90 minutes of the approach to Da Nang….but
so what? The point is that it get you from departure station to arrival station
a minimum of fuss. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For
any of those that are looking for pointers, please see below:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">My
advice for this journey:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</div>
<div style="border: 1pt solid rgb(217, 217, 227); margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid #D9D9E3 .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm 0cm 0cm 5pt;">
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Temper your accommodation expectations;
it's adequate and functional.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bring sufficient food and drinks for the
16-hour trip; onboard options are limited.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If you're a light sleeper, bring earplugs
and an eye mask.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Rest well in the morning; the best
scenery is just 90 minutes from Da Nang.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Expect shared cabins and avoid
anticipating luxury<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 18pt; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bring along back-up toiler paper because
you never know.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="border: 1pt solid rgb(217, 217, 227); mso-border-alt: solid #D9D9E3 .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0cm;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Arriving
at Da Nang station, we were swift in exiting and hopped into our waiting
transfer. In fact we were into our vehicle so fast and speeding southward to
Hoi An before you could say 'Can I have chili on that Bahn Mi?'. For the uninitiated,
be aware that every station, every airport and more than likely every arrivals
hall, anywhere in Vietnam, will be awash with touts baying for your fiscal
lifeblood. My advice is just cut the hassle and cut the unnecessary thought process
of trying to deduce the best deal? There is no best deal when it comes to taxis
and yes, everyone of them is out to price gouge to varying extents – why not
set yourself a ride up in advance? It’s ready on arrival and it completely
negates any anxiety you may feel that negotiating the ‘offside trap’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoi
An<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If
you've never been to Hoi An, let me tell you, it's a marvel. Nestled a couple
of kilometres inland from some wonderful beaches that face out onto the South
China Sea and sidled neatly against the Ton Bon river, this town weaves together
a captivating tapestry of historical richness and timeless charm. Its UNESCO
World Heritage status certainly speaks volumes, and it easily draws in travellers
from all over the world with its maze of ancient streets, lantern-lit alleys, hidden
bars and restaurants, glorious weather and warm, friendly people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA7FoFuhr6zVRKQIzAg5m_RxZpIbHotgTnafzGOxsdOIllX49PyjsLl5N4QyjEBajW9_wuVJaz3i6M0pI2dBgTmlh0IsGr4UpsuZltuIIA0bhR_Y6FyCtrAGFz2vnU9MW4BvGAn6LfSg6JhLA_emX8coajikDm_RvJiAr2ACwOfV1wQzwJavPI3elMJo/s4032/Vietnam%205%20-%20Hoi%20An%20htel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA7FoFuhr6zVRKQIzAg5m_RxZpIbHotgTnafzGOxsdOIllX49PyjsLl5N4QyjEBajW9_wuVJaz3i6M0pI2dBgTmlh0IsGr4UpsuZltuIIA0bhR_Y6FyCtrAGFz2vnU9MW4BvGAn6LfSg6JhLA_emX8coajikDm_RvJiAr2ACwOfV1wQzwJavPI3elMJo/w640-h480/Vietnam%205%20-%20Hoi%20An%20htel.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Hoi An Golden Holiday Hotel & Spa - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf4dTrV5MwFosX-GlREjfdf2d2aMNVpqcFiaothyHP051p7NgITo4wjXnvl3reVOm-nB3lMgRQHvuWdq5qrnH35YXZvTv4-hJxqabbpg8XiJVhxb6WrrY9LHMf4Q0wRgs9BgE-_bHn8-Vjho7XG-UKcwpeIw5pOcg3JrqfVar3qzT6lmm8AyFmzMx2G8/s4032/Vietnam%206%20-%20Hotel%20pool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf4dTrV5MwFosX-GlREjfdf2d2aMNVpqcFiaothyHP051p7NgITo4wjXnvl3reVOm-nB3lMgRQHvuWdq5qrnH35YXZvTv4-hJxqabbpg8XiJVhxb6WrrY9LHMf4Q0wRgs9BgE-_bHn8-Vjho7XG-UKcwpeIw5pOcg3JrqfVar3qzT6lmm8AyFmzMx2G8/w480-h640/Vietnam%206%20-%20Hotel%20pool.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Hoi An Golden Holiday Hotel & Spa - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoi
An is effectively an open-air museum that’s been coloured magnificently a by a
mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese influences. It manages to evoke a
tangible sense of history, which is something you can get to grasp almost
immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After
our approximately 45 min drive south from Da Nang’s major rail station, we arrived
and settled into the fabulous Hoi An Golden Holiday Hotel & Spa. A really
wonderful boutique hotel with magnificent staff, great amenities and excellent
proximity to Hoi An’s old town centre. Not that we gave ourselves any real
amount of time to absorb our immediate surroundings because as soon as we’d finished
lunch we gotten ourselves changed and were exiting the building in earnest to do
some sightseeing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZJXjApiteQhCe9L3MVJZjj7jMRnAVO8cT4gY3GDS0yDGnqRRnfTWD5YvH3KFvKHsRpo0TQHZ5fLEOpwq4dawq4vVGqRk0bOkDfyLX4_s0Y8JSdomgUbYym1H5rG3ZgYLVmt0cPBX_yALhWWRNGDXDRLFN2wdNGJA6s4g_BxaEHj3CSqBR3rCT5SQ1-Q/s4032/Vietnam%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZJXjApiteQhCe9L3MVJZjj7jMRnAVO8cT4gY3GDS0yDGnqRRnfTWD5YvH3KFvKHsRpo0TQHZ5fLEOpwq4dawq4vVGqRk0bOkDfyLX4_s0Y8JSdomgUbYym1H5rG3ZgYLVmt0cPBX_yALhWWRNGDXDRLFN2wdNGJA6s4g_BxaEHj3CSqBR3rCT5SQ1-Q/w480-h640/Vietnam%202.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><h3 class="BK5CCe cS4Vcb-pGL6qe-fwJd0c" style="font-family: "Google Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #444444; font-size: small;"><i><span><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: white;"> </span></span><span style="color: white;"><span> </span><span> Hoi An T/T Cocktail Bar, Coffee & Antiques - </span></span></i><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoi An - Vietnam</span></i></span></h3><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This is truly a lovely spot - located at 58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, in the Old Town. The owners are a really nice couple from Hanoi, AND, they make one hell of an egg-coffee. Definitely go here!</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVmzMfgKcQ8dNFlzcapJi-uNvTYrhVoBtbsMDsZJ-_XjvW2xOM0QEsPGzyVezfLpNCu7Nta91junbMSueCgzv3vBWykRpzuW7YnlxBIpMqXg8Ahen3jjp_jVg4gSqIdneukBuO2N4PXm4USjBl3b3Rg7Kb_dqoljBekT9ZSOPfirkeLJY_jQBoh2ZL4E/s4032/Vietnam%203%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVmzMfgKcQ8dNFlzcapJi-uNvTYrhVoBtbsMDsZJ-_XjvW2xOM0QEsPGzyVezfLpNCu7Nta91junbMSueCgzv3vBWykRpzuW7YnlxBIpMqXg8Ahen3jjp_jVg4gSqIdneukBuO2N4PXm4USjBl3b3Rg7Kb_dqoljBekT9ZSOPfirkeLJY_jQBoh2ZL4E/w640-h480/Vietnam%203%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day.jpg" width="640" /></a><i><span style="font-family: arial;">An Hoi Bridge - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_Qg1PLzCCzlKmxuxI2QZDTHPv3f9c8lcChDP3peqdE_5Mb0Zei2m16OkC7gvhgHt1XWDmMxS7O2tHQkFWvVpUSOztWh8XEzWJXCDmVW124FIwVzOyiW_ZAzMx4GXUuJUbT4_M7dQM-yuXFOGWHCGxvoRYzHBuHF2E0hJZOq3xxeKh-9fD6_Ex_x3__U/s4032/Vietnam%204%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day%20street.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_Qg1PLzCCzlKmxuxI2QZDTHPv3f9c8lcChDP3peqdE_5Mb0Zei2m16OkC7gvhgHt1XWDmMxS7O2tHQkFWvVpUSOztWh8XEzWJXCDmVW124FIwVzOyiW_ZAzMx4GXUuJUbT4_M7dQM-yuXFOGWHCGxvoRYzHBuHF2E0hJZOq3xxeKh-9fD6_Ex_x3__U/w640-h480/Vietnam%204%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day%20street.jpg" width="640" /></a><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Hoi An - Vietnam</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeVDNylLgAr7DubLGYYDnhwHc0VWkjFDiyvVnp9EZCII89jkflv6EUMANsptPxgbIex857CTr6nOFubr6zIw3DEHTJqY3UfcgYZC3Gx54kXKieBapCCxcgjS2oiQ2nDFInIrD0PqzA2JQe5X2xctsCk1NCruHPlz4Z6frSFzPbRYwrMyq84EHdQ40IEE/s4032/Vietnam%207%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day%20alley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeVDNylLgAr7DubLGYYDnhwHc0VWkjFDiyvVnp9EZCII89jkflv6EUMANsptPxgbIex857CTr6nOFubr6zIw3DEHTJqY3UfcgYZC3Gx54kXKieBapCCxcgjS2oiQ2nDFInIrD0PqzA2JQe5X2xctsCk1NCruHPlz4Z6frSFzPbRYwrMyq84EHdQ40IEE/w480-h640/Vietnam%207%20-%20Hoi%20An%20day%20alley.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> The hidden laneways of Hoi An - Vietnam</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hopping
on the gratis rental bikes that our hotel kindly provide to all guests, we got
to pedalling the short 1.5kms towards into the town centre, in the process
riding past many typically framed Hoi An style buildings characterised by their
ochre-yellow colours adornments of intricate wood carvings. There’s just an immediate
sense of stepping back in time once you enter the old town. As a one time
bustling trading point you get to see the remnants of a bygone era, with wooden
Chinese shopfronts standing side by side with colourful French colonial
buildings and ornate Vietnamese tube houses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">One
of many great things about the old town of Hoi An is that its pedestrian privileged
as there’s a strict ‘no car policy’. You can spend your time leisurely
strolling through its quaint streets without the havoc that you associate with
other major Vietnamese cities. This in itself adds to entire experience,
allowing you to easily absorb, observe and experience with a frenetic
manufactured pace being imposed on you. Inga, Aiden and I strolled through the
cobble stone streets, taking in the surrounds and stopping pointedly to have one
of the famous Vietnamese egg coffees (which in actual fact a translated
creations from Hanoi).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitYhPWh0SIdhDasmAjqTpie4rQQ0eyQ9N0j3IZxlKSR_m0mch_AWPDQYEJlqztAFyqLcQXxG4KPJ1TkR66T3UfiVsv1HPy1Xj_Q12akNzCH47FwkJ6UopNdBR-wqi9TYzkjhG_tr5nFsuIzcIT4GOXPqFQUmCt493oIaDZ-XY8AG2LZMi5xgvnMDcqN0/s966/Vietnam%209%20-%20Hoi%20An%20evening.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="966" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitYhPWh0SIdhDasmAjqTpie4rQQ0eyQ9N0j3IZxlKSR_m0mch_AWPDQYEJlqztAFyqLcQXxG4KPJ1TkR66T3UfiVsv1HPy1Xj_Q12akNzCH47FwkJ6UopNdBR-wqi9TYzkjhG_tr5nFsuIzcIT4GOXPqFQUmCt493oIaDZ-XY8AG2LZMi5xgvnMDcqN0/w640-h482/Vietnam%209%20-%20Hoi%20An%20evening.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> As night descends Hoi An quickly transforms into something quite special</span></i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2EqDP6Vp-xWi4imJ1lkKCTvD53CDKEDWTlpsmg2k_N7J4YJjV7W2hlDq9DXf-D17_bzaB_bEmIeFvuHtfgs3s1rxG47Sfw-JI0rAcEogla5yFjG32R7wqSPh_Yc6e4nzLAOJNJxsntZov5dK2hyphenhyphenfOWX91_RJTry6js9NLAfHUo1LzWB6hHM5JuduK80/s4032/Vietnam%208%20-%20Lantern%20boat%20ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2EqDP6Vp-xWi4imJ1lkKCTvD53CDKEDWTlpsmg2k_N7J4YJjV7W2hlDq9DXf-D17_bzaB_bEmIeFvuHtfgs3s1rxG47Sfw-JI0rAcEogla5yFjG32R7wqSPh_Yc6e4nzLAOJNJxsntZov5dK2hyphenhyphenfOWX91_RJTry6js9NLAfHUo1LzWB6hHM5JuduK80/w640-h480/Vietnam%208%20-%20Lantern%20boat%20ride.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Lantern boat rides - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKeFYcuyGf06IDS14HyEgryQ88r_fq0oFqW0L7ZwrWdxgQ8dfhqyduj0COX5safNHSpTpUcqFNQc1MCRzxI-cpBeB9OUES3vR4I2yU8ZJr6n7mhzerMDDXNLBBzX1Kg9pgld3qtnIZMNLDt8aZ-XOIWyD2UBfqb5uEgNFOOhGAZ9lU3ZjcCcq9pPu46s/s965/Vietnam%2010%20-%20Lantern%20boat%20night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="965" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKeFYcuyGf06IDS14HyEgryQ88r_fq0oFqW0L7ZwrWdxgQ8dfhqyduj0COX5safNHSpTpUcqFNQc1MCRzxI-cpBeB9OUES3vR4I2yU8ZJr6n7mhzerMDDXNLBBzX1Kg9pgld3qtnIZMNLDt8aZ-XOIWyD2UBfqb5uEgNFOOhGAZ9lU3ZjcCcq9pPu46s/w640-h478/Vietnam%2010%20-%20Lantern%20boat%20night.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> Lantern boat rides - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLEGahX6qio9y-ASWkMFQ2-t2IEyvleJNUa2TNHxKDOXUueRlT2eyLTzT890XizVaDcjneRWUFZdxqoVrHNC87W3r44GYeYlyvXaUGfDkoTZDM2Nj7AVX0rcmmIgYj1EtLpV1hvdk9tQ_uvsYXa7u0pTdFRAKiliWyghIiJjBVdytqVXxOmHCYgVF0_s/s962/Vietnam%2011%20-%20Aiden%20&%20Inga%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="962" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLEGahX6qio9y-ASWkMFQ2-t2IEyvleJNUa2TNHxKDOXUueRlT2eyLTzT890XizVaDcjneRWUFZdxqoVrHNC87W3r44GYeYlyvXaUGfDkoTZDM2Nj7AVX0rcmmIgYj1EtLpV1hvdk9tQ_uvsYXa7u0pTdFRAKiliWyghIiJjBVdytqVXxOmHCYgVF0_s/w640-h478/Vietnam%2011%20-%20Aiden%20&%20Inga%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> Inga & Aiden loving the lantern boat rides- Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span>However
you may perceive Hoi An during the day, as twilight descends the town
metamorphoses into a realm of magic and enchantment, allowing itself to become awash
with colourful lanterns that adorn the streets, the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>waterways and all sorts of boating craft on
the river. Glowing plums of colour paint vibrant rainbows of light on an ever-darkening
canvas. The transformation if both enchanting and captivating. I’ve always had fond
memories of Hoi An, especially in the way that it transformed from its daytime
personality of ancient daytime trading hub into a nocturnal wonderland. But was
once ‘just’ some of beauty has now become ever so grand and majestic. Hoi An’s
night expose is now on steroids, it has elevated its evening allure to be
facilitated with gorgeous lantern boat rides and a number of light-infused
experiences. To me however the true highlight was simply witnessing Inga and
Aiden reaction to their first time experience of Hoi An's enchantment. Neither
of them had any sort of benchmark, nothing to compare it to, so all of this was
a first, and you could see the impact that it had just from noting their facial
expressions and reactions. This is now the part of travelling that I truly love
the most. For me, their excitement stands as the true essence of this journey. </span><span>Their
joy now becomes the true price of admission. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzTtm6s77TXE9oTbZkQhu8bKDQ_5a8FoBHBIZwJh8dMfc7HAm82-WH51ciuJK-wt_fGB1OTfJ9CBCqGFuezIOVFkJ-2EWST8dR0zFqIrbtBWOXyslztjTy5hJfxho1eqIJEKnBPxOhalgBVRg7nX9f0KO0KH5mT2ZLx094c32hKwXVR5_ub4rAqbJ9RI/s728/Vietnam%2012%20-%20Aiden%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="502" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzTtm6s77TXE9oTbZkQhu8bKDQ_5a8FoBHBIZwJh8dMfc7HAm82-WH51ciuJK-wt_fGB1OTfJ9CBCqGFuezIOVFkJ-2EWST8dR0zFqIrbtBWOXyslztjTy5hJfxho1eqIJEKnBPxOhalgBVRg7nX9f0KO0KH5mT2ZLx094c32hKwXVR5_ub4rAqbJ9RI/w442-h640/Vietnam%2012%20-%20Aiden%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" width="442" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLT_KMo7SYWH8x_KpPTCiyG3Uvf-zeE1MLPIre1vTeUnSj5Kou_arsiV_9RKJfKfRbRfyciGSpPnX3bsaMO6hWm6zQ71AVn6UbCDYeuUt-Ur4tnvSSh2VEbfh3sR_nd7YSs5qTWx60GVfMj2ObnT3OAr4IDa1FjjYak3W7b___ncXTYjw3KNAnwetB16I/s975/Vietnam%2019%20-%20Hoi%20an%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="975" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLT_KMo7SYWH8x_KpPTCiyG3Uvf-zeE1MLPIre1vTeUnSj5Kou_arsiV_9RKJfKfRbRfyciGSpPnX3bsaMO6hWm6zQ71AVn6UbCDYeuUt-Ur4tnvSSh2VEbfh3sR_nd7YSs5qTWx60GVfMj2ObnT3OAr4IDa1FjjYak3W7b___ncXTYjw3KNAnwetB16I/w640-h472/Vietnam%2019%20-%20Hoi%20an%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> An Hoi Bridge - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWBh7WWUR9MnWHjhl2TllWZeYdf5aJJw-5KVtfZ7gmjpTdMRCKLnMQiMjP_pKwal0KlrTY8Va-7ZUNuYlluAZ6jrO6N9G3lyKsflSJdqEATp8rqA8lisOS8QFJI3a637CnrY3AEBx9zcWaHMcFA5FrN7D3faGc2uCa4EC8vGMXkSqxUpYLKABV_dodWE/s723/Vietnam%2013%20-%20Pink%20lantern%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWBh7WWUR9MnWHjhl2TllWZeYdf5aJJw-5KVtfZ7gmjpTdMRCKLnMQiMjP_pKwal0KlrTY8Va-7ZUNuYlluAZ6jrO6N9G3lyKsflSJdqEATp8rqA8lisOS8QFJI3a637CnrY3AEBx9zcWaHMcFA5FrN7D3faGc2uCa4EC8vGMXkSqxUpYLKABV_dodWE/w436-h640/Vietnam%2013%20-%20Pink%20lantern%20-%20lantern%20boat.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfcLG7flLtbz8oC_N9W27Z5UO-_lBJbplR5B8rwX-QjWBshz1pjNyK3G1F6UoDkdFdAOTJxEPCxQfnbADZ-wDrrKyfU_OQO6e4p6vm011SP6Mv_p27A2sUfHYfaAS889_wqc5rzrd5_voii2EoN2Rr1ZXcj1ivFrYHHV8FY8dlT-ZVvvWyalYkXxdQv0/s956/Vietnam%2015%20-%20BETTER%20lanterns%20on%20river.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="956" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfcLG7flLtbz8oC_N9W27Z5UO-_lBJbplR5B8rwX-QjWBshz1pjNyK3G1F6UoDkdFdAOTJxEPCxQfnbADZ-wDrrKyfU_OQO6e4p6vm011SP6Mv_p27A2sUfHYfaAS889_wqc5rzrd5_voii2EoN2Rr1ZXcj1ivFrYHHV8FY8dlT-ZVvvWyalYkXxdQv0/w640-h484/Vietnam%2015%20-%20BETTER%20lanterns%20on%20river.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The magic of Hoi An at night</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouHL0F8rp4vKSGj3Kp7w5kNi9QWQYqGQoFroqk0UrsZIgVspZJODdXbPFO4VelyI1dE_ANg1jC0HWC1H1ZWyQXgvN_bw4ZX3cDsGTV2_nfa6RWEui0D76LfQTuNWB19Hp6c4NratDs9Pu9Spl4fzsxt61HvXNGZr24jAtbyPuMihdS2WgVxZad1oWiZA/s968/Vietnam%2016%20-%20Inga%20and%20Aiden%20on%20lantern%20boat%20(better).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="968" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouHL0F8rp4vKSGj3Kp7w5kNi9QWQYqGQoFroqk0UrsZIgVspZJODdXbPFO4VelyI1dE_ANg1jC0HWC1H1ZWyQXgvN_bw4ZX3cDsGTV2_nfa6RWEui0D76LfQTuNWB19Hp6c4NratDs9Pu9Spl4fzsxt61HvXNGZr24jAtbyPuMihdS2WgVxZad1oWiZA/w640-h478/Vietnam%2016%20-%20Inga%20and%20Aiden%20on%20lantern%20boat%20(better).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6Mpk36Brg31s63tuoTBlmq59bJhjBfymK3dgQK8KYpLKzqMebCNKCvgagpTm68mc4vyXm3PoTYqILsQBvAumK_XAzhngcg9tuiursnTi6RzIlRL6Sn_pjGVMZIG0gBQxFYwyrNjzEPbvketpTZEFKQBdDcJR6RXJWo2mygXikc2JUZhifAenEwuodZ4/s970/Vietnam%2017%20-%20Hoi%20an%20lantern%20boats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="970" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6Mpk36Brg31s63tuoTBlmq59bJhjBfymK3dgQK8KYpLKzqMebCNKCvgagpTm68mc4vyXm3PoTYqILsQBvAumK_XAzhngcg9tuiursnTi6RzIlRL6Sn_pjGVMZIG0gBQxFYwyrNjzEPbvketpTZEFKQBdDcJR6RXJWo2mygXikc2JUZhifAenEwuodZ4/w640-h392/Vietnam%2017%20-%20Hoi%20an%20lantern%20boats.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoi An is a very different beast to when I was last here </span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Some of the other highlights we
had in Hoi An over the next few days included riding out to An Bang beach, another
slice of paradise. Palms tree, cocktails, crashing waves, breezy days and the
quintessential beach scene. Quaint beach bars amplifying its attraction, allowing
you to casually while away hours under a bright sun and soundtrack of waves riding
up the shoreline.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwTuu3FAEqNh7cdjScwSBo8UxQB3yU_Guh79W3_9U66lmAo9-u-wSO4yzk0sejyDjuTvCoNzWFzrZak3mpl2uEFsa5PvQhw6o5tcoILLO_CmXFAaY-9fNbywMuQP1do_UnrkILjN5MHL9dyaqBANUFpcWIe5MTfgR-cilKw8IWYh_uPj9NEb-lLznYG8/s722/Vietnam%2025%20-%20Aiden%20-%20An%20Bang.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwTuu3FAEqNh7cdjScwSBo8UxQB3yU_Guh79W3_9U66lmAo9-u-wSO4yzk0sejyDjuTvCoNzWFzrZak3mpl2uEFsa5PvQhw6o5tcoILLO_CmXFAaY-9fNbywMuQP1do_UnrkILjN5MHL9dyaqBANUFpcWIe5MTfgR-cilKw8IWYh_uPj9NEb-lLznYG8/w476-h640/Vietnam%2025%20-%20Aiden%20-%20An%20Bang.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy6GW5peFo72hkJkdJT1U4aYUtDCS_1XzKdbDaG9I6GrRSNBVJNJSdAIjVu4r96Rwjsd4sYow7CH5ZLigISnqBFJzxHCDU4S6HGw7TRKNncDeQxwNKj7CPCnxpmpW5Bu-IbKlTMGlZE2OwPyfHCxOfl8rkVs-clgEM7ietFT1esY_rWc6lUHxtgd8zQs/s715/Vietnam%2020%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="542" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy6GW5peFo72hkJkdJT1U4aYUtDCS_1XzKdbDaG9I6GrRSNBVJNJSdAIjVu4r96Rwjsd4sYow7CH5ZLigISnqBFJzxHCDU4S6HGw7TRKNncDeQxwNKj7CPCnxpmpW5Bu-IbKlTMGlZE2OwPyfHCxOfl8rkVs-clgEM7ietFT1esY_rWc6lUHxtgd8zQs/w486-h640/Vietnam%2020%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s4vuIbgPoRWoKAKg-jNSuYvrqEv60w6Kisplh-u2EAipA3giyqJNBjBH70sJExQfiRjvg1am8y2q82Qc9pefCppjF5BdIZuRdd-hucq15FZsWyeRfHo-Ntp_KfkLQQp13AE87Z60ID6xdCrY9h8s-d1scTH1RbE7i54HnUKM12Ypb9LuDCfhKe6RjN4/s963/Vietnam%2021%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="963" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9s4vuIbgPoRWoKAKg-jNSuYvrqEv60w6Kisplh-u2EAipA3giyqJNBjBH70sJExQfiRjvg1am8y2q82Qc9pefCppjF5BdIZuRdd-hucq15FZsWyeRfHo-Ntp_KfkLQQp13AE87Z60ID6xdCrY9h8s-d1scTH1RbE7i54HnUKM12Ypb9LuDCfhKe6RjN4/w640-h478/Vietnam%2021%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKZy2hPInYuD2yJgdjt-MbwhbpsjxTaNVdtqqrA_ON8iaPoQYirQn2xVYyct799CNRkvdD8V2M5Ekhp2XRaFEYEFjyePATG18hlwnvH_hXL06Q0Eygp6KHZYru1bq75YMMnVccYbTDqH73U3JlMiwNZqHhwePJpkBTQ_LEPcMSHrEfBvUDR0NYyirn-Q/s967/Vietnam%2022%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="967" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKZy2hPInYuD2yJgdjt-MbwhbpsjxTaNVdtqqrA_ON8iaPoQYirQn2xVYyct799CNRkvdD8V2M5Ekhp2XRaFEYEFjyePATG18hlwnvH_hXL06Q0Eygp6KHZYru1bq75YMMnVccYbTDqH73U3JlMiwNZqHhwePJpkBTQ_LEPcMSHrEfBvUDR0NYyirn-Q/w640-h474/Vietnam%2022%20-%20An%20Bang%20beach%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7PUBcqYzHnJbM2I1mQXvkbDebgL5589HBcVpfW8gIW_U9v2OUZp_dv1Qwou0jt0ISVmu7J0i39WTY9OBN5HnOMvkbFoqVvaXwk0ALsL4pTNFq40xlbHokjcrijetwiXPlnnBgYjspxlFBZM_nlq6hOwevbqIn5scS0N6aRxpC2BCfLuUlyfoR8arxiE/s718/Vietnam%2024%20-%20Henry%20&%20Aiden%20pool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="538" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7PUBcqYzHnJbM2I1mQXvkbDebgL5589HBcVpfW8gIW_U9v2OUZp_dv1Qwou0jt0ISVmu7J0i39WTY9OBN5HnOMvkbFoqVvaXwk0ALsL4pTNFq40xlbHokjcrijetwiXPlnnBgYjspxlFBZM_nlq6hOwevbqIn5scS0N6aRxpC2BCfLuUlyfoR8arxiE/w480-h640/Vietnam%2024%20-%20Henry%20&%20Aiden%20pool.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"> The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span>On another day we took a round
boat basket ride on the Ton Bon River. From what we found out, the round basket
boat in Hoi An dates back over 2000 years to the Cham people who settled in the
area. Originally designed for fishing in shallow waters, the circular shape of
these boats allowed for fisherman to easily move around and collect fish from
their nets. These days of course the round boats are still part of Vietnamese
culture but these days, perhaps more significantly, it’s become a way for tourists
to have a different sort of experience and its both exciting and unique for
this part of the world.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2qPRj_s5O3Ki3fr1GrE16uBfxtQ1uSJbUmZSP5O8a5mpe0JfPPbpWB1uevrn8cU6tCkAvNbRq-99BMXxPh64o6O_zdlenoUfXAGdmG74pCXNeuGDVncU8W_I-JFQz3e0SF1KXEc0_PqvqIYd_b3i2sBwRl81Cro7QtUGcnRwIDbV2Pnz9tf-e71UQKo/s726/Vietnam%2026%20-%20Henry%20Hoi%20An.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="726" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2qPRj_s5O3Ki3fr1GrE16uBfxtQ1uSJbUmZSP5O8a5mpe0JfPPbpWB1uevrn8cU6tCkAvNbRq-99BMXxPh64o6O_zdlenoUfXAGdmG74pCXNeuGDVncU8W_I-JFQz3e0SF1KXEc0_PqvqIYd_b3i2sBwRl81Cro7QtUGcnRwIDbV2Pnz9tf-e71UQKo/w640-h632/Vietnam%2026%20-%20Henry%20Hoi%20An.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Chu An cafe - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ogSbu2sdf3NUwQgZRjBOkO-vrmcPFDZvqY9i3ycx6bW6q26_DZVGFsaDtGN2FtJn8prQvPQoCIlRl6vg8A2N3Yi5FHFKZnF1dSRDONCKK73vGliKLGKJWP656Qaw3UYCFcpvAVsMTdkrbImGlic8vQ6sTSX1l5OjsW5ufaisk09CYtKO3i9Aja3sAzU/s705/Vietnam%2027%20-%20Henry%20&%20Aiden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ogSbu2sdf3NUwQgZRjBOkO-vrmcPFDZvqY9i3ycx6bW6q26_DZVGFsaDtGN2FtJn8prQvPQoCIlRl6vg8A2N3Yi5FHFKZnF1dSRDONCKK73vGliKLGKJWP656Qaw3UYCFcpvAVsMTdkrbImGlic8vQ6sTSX1l5OjsW5ufaisk09CYtKO3i9Aja3sAzU/w488-h640/Vietnam%2027%20-%20Henry%20&%20Aiden.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><i style="text-align: center;"> The Deckhouse - An Bang Beach - near Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSa9dxpfNg6ohF6K_V4-abyty8GCYN2Bh7HH8sjqImO-HjoKs2CheBPFaQT8jwSPVSQWT2Twn3g2tQ4HCNIJKU58W7q-hH-oTC78jALBFswsx4VuJt4ZVCIV019ARR8BDbsUCA7sGElDAEE3cy580T1idrbBsPeqeOMosmCkifsNi8QC2unbyL-IFo_mk/s957/Vietnam%2028%20-%20Bamboo%20ride%20all.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="957" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSa9dxpfNg6ohF6K_V4-abyty8GCYN2Bh7HH8sjqImO-HjoKs2CheBPFaQT8jwSPVSQWT2Twn3g2tQ4HCNIJKU58W7q-hH-oTC78jALBFswsx4VuJt4ZVCIV019ARR8BDbsUCA7sGElDAEE3cy580T1idrbBsPeqeOMosmCkifsNi8QC2unbyL-IFo_mk/w640-h482/Vietnam%2028%20-%20Bamboo%20ride%20all.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i> Bamboo boat ride - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin: 15pt 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetypmPmDQ3LqNq2mEAoa8d8wUP-PwE6rItt47um8f1XxzcNznDlXrVrh9FMXO_qawHbVYgjGA5WBKKuEQa0Ic32AnYb3yOkd3zN-Zmzx_QpFAr937hkI628D2pcQPybk4Y3LQsgjtBlqNUXm95-dVbKYKSTEYRgbcmIPIvuw6JMokBoEid9JDosefe20/s718/Vietnam%2029%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetypmPmDQ3LqNq2mEAoa8d8wUP-PwE6rItt47um8f1XxzcNznDlXrVrh9FMXO_qawHbVYgjGA5WBKKuEQa0Ic32AnYb3yOkd3zN-Zmzx_QpFAr937hkI628D2pcQPybk4Y3LQsgjtBlqNUXm95-dVbKYKSTEYRgbcmIPIvuw6JMokBoEid9JDosefe20/w486-h640/Vietnam%2029%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%202.jpg" width="486" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i style="text-align: justify;">Bamboo boat ride - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6iE1rXEmL2ljjiEmzXam7IBOlCHSk_hdGpkJg969xe11UtjOGtGMT6d2XO2X1O7MKDhgc7HNACHKDacKO_MJs0hZuxLN61_MQCIgRfPeAnE-1ffkDH2xSLNkaFkmqiyZx_HnXI0do_tfdLeJRTdoHsNP2_S4URDZFxIqr6BTPBY7uXLs9vlJcHWVDdE/s956/Vietnam%2030%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="956" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6iE1rXEmL2ljjiEmzXam7IBOlCHSk_hdGpkJg969xe11UtjOGtGMT6d2XO2X1O7MKDhgc7HNACHKDacKO_MJs0hZuxLN61_MQCIgRfPeAnE-1ffkDH2xSLNkaFkmqiyZx_HnXI0do_tfdLeJRTdoHsNP2_S4URDZFxIqr6BTPBY7uXLs9vlJcHWVDdE/w640-h414/Vietnam%2030%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: justify;">Bamboo boat ride - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78Y-Ny-djgi2nEyY5splopXwtJy2W4K3dm8xa1-3N_AK3aGqlkx77IvrxxspJM8bvU79jzNhwzdOEOwfOmLgpaiT1tOt5BA1MPvg3TcT3uIaBWDf1aV8F3SNZ9mvA7cjv2Q_HabbDEVhov8EBl2vk_Wg39Mh7EQtytUn7o7KSd8mWe0GSCXNxopF_b70/s960/Vietnam%2032%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%20view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="960" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78Y-Ny-djgi2nEyY5splopXwtJy2W4K3dm8xa1-3N_AK3aGqlkx77IvrxxspJM8bvU79jzNhwzdOEOwfOmLgpaiT1tOt5BA1MPvg3TcT3uIaBWDf1aV8F3SNZ9mvA7cjv2Q_HabbDEVhov8EBl2vk_Wg39Mh7EQtytUn7o7KSd8mWe0GSCXNxopF_b70/w640-h484/Vietnam%2032%20-%20Bamboo%20boat%20view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i> Bamboo boat ride - Thu Bon River - Hoi An - Vietnam</i><br /></span><p></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoi An, it’s a place of culinary delights, tailor shops, Full Moon
festivals — but also so much more. It's also a symphony of history, culture,
and flavours that will forever linger in our memories. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin: 15pt 0cm 0cm; padding: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I'm so glad that we all got to experience Hoi An's magic and I
know it'll leave an indelible mark on Inga & Aiden. Whilst this was just
their first encounter, somewhere in their thoughts, I know that they sense that
Hoi promise of wonder and magic is not just a one time experience.</span><span face=""Segoe UI", sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
</div>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com0Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam15.8800584 108.3380469-12.430175436178846 73.1817969 44.190292236178848 143.4942969tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-775318143024795212023-10-03T22:01:00.018+11:002023-11-01T00:19:09.120+11:00Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) - Where nature paints the landscape<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>02 October - 03 October </b></span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Every single time, every time that I think of this place I'm accosted by a set of Matchbox 20 lyrics:</span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'<i>It's sitting by the over overcoat, the second shelf the note she wrote, that I can't bring myself to throw away ....reach down your hand in your pocket, pull out some hope for me, it's been <b>Ha Long Bay, </b>always ain't that right'</i></span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For over 15 years, there it's resided, just hanging out in my brain, always linked. A tenuous relationship between Rob Thomas & this glorious UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the new 7 world wonders of the world. I can't be the only one in this world that's associated those lyrics with this place of magnificence, right? </span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After going back in time and reading some of my earlier musings, here's an OMG moment that I'm slightly ashamed to admit. Going back through the <i>Life full of Saturdays</i> archive I've managed to pull up the following:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-been-ha-long-day-its-sitting-by.html">Ha Long Day</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I<span style="color: white;">t would appear that 15 years doesn't change a hell of a lot in terms of my internal processing unit. I'm either remarkably consistent or desperately short when it comes to creativity. Either way, it doesn't bode well for me establishing a burgeoning career within the arts - which when all things are said and done, was never going to be my point of difference in any case.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Travelling as much as I've allowed myself to do in the last 20 years quite often means that my current travels are punctuated by points that allow me to relive highlights from years gone by. To steal a very average quote on the concept of reminiscing;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="color: #ffa400;">'<i>Whatever I like, even after a long time, I still like it. And I reminisce about the moment that I first heard it. That's what I love, just remembering those moments'</i></span></span></p><p><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It's times like these that I also think of random physics papers that I've read on having <i>memories of the future </i>and how on occasion scientific literature broaches the topic as to whether memories of the future actually exist, and if so, how we perceive them. I'm not so well versed in the topic to extend upon any real discussion but some of the elements of future memories relate to recording the information, accessing the information and making sense of the information. Many a time have I stood in a location, either months or years after an initial event and realised that I had had thoughts and intense feelings about a place, location or point in time prior to a significant event occurring. I understand that many people would dismiss it as pure coincidence or at best, some odd type of romanticism, but I often feel that when you stand in an exact place, at a totally different point in time, within a different set of circumstance, you can't help but feel that deep intrinsic connection to that place in time at which you left that spot. The linear connectivity of time in the single direction of past to future is constantly debated in theoretical papers which attempt to challenge the notion that we can only access memories from an earlier time, i.e., the past. I often associate intuition or situations of automatic warmth or familiarity with me accessing future memories and associating future feelings to the present, which manifests itself in a feeling of some type of certainty. So, with that said, let me quote from my own memories of my last trip to Ha Long Bay that have nothing to do with my discussion but everything to do with my initial thoughts of the surrounding beauty:</span></p><p><span><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #666666; font-family: arial;">'</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: #444444;">Ha Long Bay is about a 3-4 hour run south-east of Hanoi. Personally the scenery outside of the minivan window for me was the occasional mental snapshot taken between sleeping most of the way out there, from that perspective however it was a pleasant run and one that mentally took only a third of the time in my mind than was actually the case. Now, to fill in those that may not know much about Ha Long Bay, it goes a little something like this, this place is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is basically a vast area (1550kms squared) that features thousands of limestone karts and isles (1960 approx) in various shapes and sizes. It features a dense cluster of monolithic islands, each topped with jungle vegetation, rising spectacularly and quite haphazardly from the ocean. The formation of the area, geologists’ state, was derived from a combination of orogeny (huge tectonic plate shifts), marine regression and marine transgression over a period of nearly 500 million years. In short, the place is visually spectacular and it’s absolutely no surprise that this place was pushing hard to be recognised as one of the seven natural wonders of the world'</i></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leaving the hotel in Hanoi about 8:30am, we headed east towards the coast line. Not a particularly inspiring drive witch activities mimicking much of what had occurred years earlier, mostly sleep punctuated by moments of attentiveness.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmariGpysdGVu2Euw_7NhmP71K2zZtrO_TiAUX-ExrQI-XZORFAUF59Wj_7Nu5gbuJuC2OSihbDtMA71DTu5he1g0o5REm-WYh_a4zxd5NeoVYsgNKoQmXLPEQ46lvjTxNrhMukyvNr0SF8R7ewpkzsS3r-s-zxcuFE14zAh608zjlL47IjY8r8sBIFc/s4032/Ha%20Long%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmariGpysdGVu2Euw_7NhmP71K2zZtrO_TiAUX-ExrQI-XZORFAUF59Wj_7Nu5gbuJuC2OSihbDtMA71DTu5he1g0o5REm-WYh_a4zxd5NeoVYsgNKoQmXLPEQ46lvjTxNrhMukyvNr0SF8R7ewpkzsS3r-s-zxcuFE14zAh608zjlL47IjY8r8sBIFc/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%201.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU2vxjHFhoIVKm0iExILXULBGo1Jy32tzKyEj4EHiEXiW9lG6ictm5KCJY99Xi45wcgTUx3iOgyGasCKuC4qmu1MSyxLShOGgitBvWo-COP6aOxE0Cmg8Tpo3qSgE7jrdOjgFEjgW5Q-5GSYfny4WgN_COSQhxiG3w1cEAgpLVfvajhlMIQnTpHgOwyM/s4032/Ha%20Long%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU2vxjHFhoIVKm0iExILXULBGo1Jy32tzKyEj4EHiEXiW9lG6ictm5KCJY99Xi45wcgTUx3iOgyGasCKuC4qmu1MSyxLShOGgitBvWo-COP6aOxE0Cmg8Tpo3qSgE7jrdOjgFEjgW5Q-5GSYfny4WgN_COSQhxiG3w1cEAgpLVfvajhlMIQnTpHgOwyM/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%202.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYe-HvgJGwpBZnfu_VQ-vAXzjMmPhG-sLA_3sJ-gSzzd4sQF1DZwue9mP8Gxn3MoGjCTDDoM_7RXJKW_6fU8yR_60NHRc1KmWGNFwc4Y_1Yby8OKs3kWpAw-dV7pwuJ_SJ6AWoRbgmjCbWvaiigGEGhXz37H4viRbxOx8fBwhpXy8n0-nNtP5CyYaXpSU/s4032/Ha%20Long%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYe-HvgJGwpBZnfu_VQ-vAXzjMmPhG-sLA_3sJ-gSzzd4sQF1DZwue9mP8Gxn3MoGjCTDDoM_7RXJKW_6fU8yR_60NHRc1KmWGNFwc4Y_1Yby8OKs3kWpAw-dV7pwuJ_SJ6AWoRbgmjCbWvaiigGEGhXz37H4viRbxOx8fBwhpXy8n0-nNtP5CyYaXpSU/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pUuu7WQfhK6MxkU7MdYZpWoX8lrJvzE6YGhryvdkTxd9k8ws3wzzysiuo-bNzE6zA85GGv0fP0DHm19UH4mI_7QAw5fCxTCkKlWWtsUgUnnugkNZKrS-wH8AkdHd9Tk_qvdsV9eoEfc1sp8IkJmt2betu3tcsLKJEqDvWGBxeInRbipFWRB_FAGAGss/s4032/Ha%20Long%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pUuu7WQfhK6MxkU7MdYZpWoX8lrJvzE6YGhryvdkTxd9k8ws3wzzysiuo-bNzE6zA85GGv0fP0DHm19UH4mI_7QAw5fCxTCkKlWWtsUgUnnugkNZKrS-wH8AkdHd9Tk_qvdsV9eoEfc1sp8IkJmt2betu3tcsLKJEqDvWGBxeInRbipFWRB_FAGAGss/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%204.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89fbsXUnRl1f63jLBhY3183VGTUX0NdLnN8cmuAj0V4y29r8SS8XFZiGKnmc7W1UlIiT6WHt0VB5S8St-I0b9PK3pv3g414QK0KOa21eLRZa58Zzogu7tcocAWB5ByBbPtJ90IG6sSAyKWGQS5xinOzjbYAXqftCl8C_Eua7LwFM2_-fIx3r1OQw_r_8/s4032/Ha%20Long%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89fbsXUnRl1f63jLBhY3183VGTUX0NdLnN8cmuAj0V4y29r8SS8XFZiGKnmc7W1UlIiT6WHt0VB5S8St-I0b9PK3pv3g414QK0KOa21eLRZa58Zzogu7tcocAWB5ByBbPtJ90IG6sSAyKWGQS5xinOzjbYAXqftCl8C_Eua7LwFM2_-fIx3r1OQw_r_8/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%205.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"> Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We arrived at our the Ambassador Cruise terminal somewhere about 12:00pm. So for those that haven't been on this sort of cruise the process involves attending a check-in, receiving some sort of cruise identification, waiting around for an amount of time and then being ushered to the boat. Obviously this part of the experience is tedious and boring but it's necessary and not at all problematic, just that its cumbersome.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There are MANY cruise boats running the gauntlet in Ha Long Bay these days. If you're doing a search online you'll succumb to 'analysis paralysis' in your attempt to identify the perfect boat with the best itinerary for situation. My simple advice to you is this. If you're a couple, then a smaller, intimate experience is the go for you. As a single or a family, perhaps the larger, more brash and more overtly boastful options might suit your situation nicely. This is the reason that I selected the Ambassador cruise options. It's one of the larger boats cruising Ha Long Bay, it has plenty of space, fairly luxurious cabins and plenty of different elements of interest to keep each individual occupied during the 2 days & 1 night of seafaring.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OBc07Miv8o3JqLUWByJZ-J5BhtV7lHBIPIdjgFgWklpYrZMNeBPt7Yt8YMSMZdkrreAIlaxqaGgwFFVgAgkmtzl4xBjXUpyQA-wZrXAOLxJx1unk_cTjfyF7oIY1gcfZbVclv8vbttCSnaGDGK40zSwED2OMhoypvXRw4s9m72jRgi1x0IRlhSJ50h8/s4032/Ha%20Long%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OBc07Miv8o3JqLUWByJZ-J5BhtV7lHBIPIdjgFgWklpYrZMNeBPt7Yt8YMSMZdkrreAIlaxqaGgwFFVgAgkmtzl4xBjXUpyQA-wZrXAOLxJx1unk_cTjfyF7oIY1gcfZbVclv8vbttCSnaGDGK40zSwED2OMhoypvXRw4s9m72jRgi1x0IRlhSJ50h8/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%206.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Our bathroom - Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchBc63tdmTSJ3X63BGsO1WsRtplk-WOP895DWpEo972p287d_Bz4BZJJn7m5C1tSrde-ciWZlq-duyddmATrHgodgQvlJUiK28J3-Bh7Bnwo2weBMeF81-xWbTBJokpwVm8ZabAwKwcWTgYSCRKfc_9OINOaqv0jVTKoWmhJNZFpT49XoaAHHiTHYVXM/s4032/Ha%20Long%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchBc63tdmTSJ3X63BGsO1WsRtplk-WOP895DWpEo972p287d_Bz4BZJJn7m5C1tSrde-ciWZlq-duyddmATrHgodgQvlJUiK28J3-Bh7Bnwo2weBMeF81-xWbTBJokpwVm8ZabAwKwcWTgYSCRKfc_9OINOaqv0jVTKoWmhJNZFpT49XoaAHHiTHYVXM/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%207.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0zwNlM1xkcJdKmzYhb9DAQajHwZ-cGF9LDEIqGbGZMLDGoTknVYUi2bCZMivON30706cCNVP0lcmyfUMXQgpFpTFaR5D7FwC9ZBhrvEbK9D9IkExxqofVwU6A5Qpze9fPyjGrm1EG4j9Z_Ru8kLrMsWFR8Bih5A-9ZmGCCEB4-4z5PTxKT2xQ-TI4H4/s1409/Ha%20Long%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0zwNlM1xkcJdKmzYhb9DAQajHwZ-cGF9LDEIqGbGZMLDGoTknVYUi2bCZMivON30706cCNVP0lcmyfUMXQgpFpTFaR5D7FwC9ZBhrvEbK9D9IkExxqofVwU6A5Qpze9fPyjGrm1EG4j9Z_Ru8kLrMsWFR8Bih5A-9ZmGCCEB4-4z5PTxKT2xQ-TI4H4/w376-h640/Ha%20Long%208.jpg" width="376" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Captain's Suite - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlneqPhIgddtvW2y0H_zfNv1N34YsIcOcI14lt1giaSolJNHkMu8TX0UMjK0J9qToe2XFg50BNHChlH12A6RBe0bwfboU3d2BWrnyClUamY3C-CuozC4ihSbeBCwDyk4Fl8y6e08aX_G7xeVtNSsh5gK-W94kiZiIiyOSdspGJhEr8buVra56JEeLi-Oo/s3088/Ha%20Long%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlneqPhIgddtvW2y0H_zfNv1N34YsIcOcI14lt1giaSolJNHkMu8TX0UMjK0J9qToe2XFg50BNHChlH12A6RBe0bwfboU3d2BWrnyClUamY3C-CuozC4ihSbeBCwDyk4Fl8y6e08aX_G7xeVtNSsh5gK-W94kiZiIiyOSdspGJhEr8buVra56JEeLi-Oo/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%2010.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxMtPCCgEPG4vnwCr0yiZLb38u6j6GQiRBk7Rc4Qn3hu164LPrQCbXHEFPWOlO0Jxtsk7OFFbuTeMxXvKOyFnA_hXupjjZeJOblt3lHoubCZgSN53hn8E4UyaVsIMAC5Ts018bo-cBJRnw0Pei8wgdK5V0teTGdGf6-XZ1S6DIOOJgkR0Gzjvr3YFj40/s4032/Ha%20Long%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxMtPCCgEPG4vnwCr0yiZLb38u6j6GQiRBk7Rc4Qn3hu164LPrQCbXHEFPWOlO0Jxtsk7OFFbuTeMxXvKOyFnA_hXupjjZeJOblt3lHoubCZgSN53hn8E4UyaVsIMAC5Ts018bo-cBJRnw0Pei8wgdK5V0teTGdGf6-XZ1S6DIOOJgkR0Gzjvr3YFj40/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%2011.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For those that want to know, Ha Long Bay is worth the price of admission. The <i>'monolithic islands', </i>the subtle mists of mystery, the waters of tranquillity, the stillness & calm, it's simply a wonderful experience. Coupled with an exquisite cabin and no demands, it makes the journey blissful ... which of course I KNEW. I KNEW as I had been here before. Not on this line of cruise and not with a family, but I knew that what makes this a glorious experience , just letting the vista wash over you rather than hunting it down through a range of frivolously run activities. To me this was the problem. This Ambassador cruise had its own activity agenda, to which they encouraged, cajoled and eagerly thrust their guests onto in an overly produced and not well thought out schedule. From what I remember it went something like this:</span></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">10:00 - 12:00 - check in at the Ambassador lounge</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">12:00 - 12:30 - Passengers transferred from lounge to the cruise ship</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">12:45 - 14:00 - Buffet lunch</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">14:30 - 15:30 - Luon cave - kayaking / bamboo boat ride</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">16:00 - 17:00 - Titov island visit</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">17:30 - 18:30 - Happy hour</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">19:00 - Dinner</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">20:30 - 22:30 Poor music and karaoke or squid fishing in your undies</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">My recommendation to Ambassador cruises - please, just slow it the hell down. The pace is unnecessary.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOT_joEKgPW71PZnREGY_7VyEhlS95b8Zd3mvmtqqJbOYuBktqDQgKW9w5GqXsc24OxcN2CUQjUaEm0r5CPBTGqNdASkMZoxvjhbfxGRD167dZnjp9MnxUnk8azKdqyYUC8ZfOzhN00E1zFBjascczz-1zt2i3a3rLwm_Ld6e-iRoYbbAtkA1e5gvgF0/s4032/Ha%20Long%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOT_joEKgPW71PZnREGY_7VyEhlS95b8Zd3mvmtqqJbOYuBktqDQgKW9w5GqXsc24OxcN2CUQjUaEm0r5CPBTGqNdASkMZoxvjhbfxGRD167dZnjp9MnxUnk8azKdqyYUC8ZfOzhN00E1zFBjascczz-1zt2i3a3rLwm_Ld6e-iRoYbbAtkA1e5gvgF0/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%209.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bWB-BCr9YPR3sC5iX3Kz1vyiO-6u3PcsI2jbTHUPAuXLj0SvC4LKxr-sC2IMPYngv6ySdET_spduTZD8XQUoMsiF2qiX6LIu-orx3DumfJdtAzevB4wKzWUd6DxAYjtjbPvIEAcKI1lavRd6aEiwf_AuA4ZtSc-x1HbVSR3Nb0HfwAXRL9TtQbDY2VQ/s1484/Ha%20Long%2012%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1057" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bWB-BCr9YPR3sC5iX3Kz1vyiO-6u3PcsI2jbTHUPAuXLj0SvC4LKxr-sC2IMPYngv6ySdET_spduTZD8XQUoMsiF2qiX6LIu-orx3DumfJdtAzevB4wKzWUd6DxAYjtjbPvIEAcKI1lavRd6aEiwf_AuA4ZtSc-x1HbVSR3Nb0HfwAXRL9TtQbDY2VQ/w456-h640/Ha%20Long%2012%201.JPG" width="456" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Titov island - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir05UaeZqRhSadJy_LqcITRtD6HO8-Kqq1_pdOWehrmfXqRk6BiUit56NV7UtlsRO-pXO3tqJctZLzzMhB8GM791p-7IUqP8c0J4sXJ0s5xIdO4nn-alwq-_KDAfDG5BAWiTkC9wlmGJm4RcVHJM1gBeKXaSlSQ8ylOhjTPBigin1PrzbkjfGQVh2Q30Y/s4032/Ha%20Long%2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir05UaeZqRhSadJy_LqcITRtD6HO8-Kqq1_pdOWehrmfXqRk6BiUit56NV7UtlsRO-pXO3tqJctZLzzMhB8GM791p-7IUqP8c0J4sXJ0s5xIdO4nn-alwq-_KDAfDG5BAWiTkC9wlmGJm4RcVHJM1gBeKXaSlSQ8ylOhjTPBigin1PrzbkjfGQVh2Q30Y/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2012.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqh5-q7gzBXjvufxvU66KowDKWbyGssZHtCDTyRjV5jdnfUA83xxHvAkPHycyNKSXHpUuyhRcvrmfRfkN2rEqJHLalCb76j9ZPFnQ2ZoJcwdf6u24HgfnnuIk1_GR05OK4K0SHDmTJtXKb6rY8Smbyv2rmfxmdmF8PYjSgNF7GFDDMbMNtVnCW5azHBQ/s2048/Ha%20Long%2013%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqh5-q7gzBXjvufxvU66KowDKWbyGssZHtCDTyRjV5jdnfUA83xxHvAkPHycyNKSXHpUuyhRcvrmfRfkN2rEqJHLalCb76j9ZPFnQ2ZoJcwdf6u24HgfnnuIk1_GR05OK4K0SHDmTJtXKb6rY8Smbyv2rmfxmdmF8PYjSgNF7GFDDMbMNtVnCW5azHBQ/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2013%202.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Inga's photo from the summit of Titov island - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBMtVPhKdsfMnCK3dJIFDM2EyRjAuHD-WTXflYTtRpjm_Z6CMIncTx84emYaH6kmaB1DPIQ167f1dmOJ5ilzMSzORWZyAhqXYvmxN5IjokfQCoQUKoRSkhm46vMSyt4biWkHrZhc0qlv5WKoDiIIqcs8dB4DufAy7SnbF2VRZNn6PY487PT9WWuooWi4/s4032/Ha%20Long%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBMtVPhKdsfMnCK3dJIFDM2EyRjAuHD-WTXflYTtRpjm_Z6CMIncTx84emYaH6kmaB1DPIQ167f1dmOJ5ilzMSzORWZyAhqXYvmxN5IjokfQCoQUKoRSkhm46vMSyt4biWkHrZhc0qlv5WKoDiIIqcs8dB4DufAy7SnbF2VRZNn6PY487PT9WWuooWi4/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"> Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We all go so swept up in the whirlwind of activity calls, boat departures, the need to 'experience' and meeting departure deadlines that we truly forgot about what was around us. There's no need for that much 'stuff' to occupy your time when your in a place like this. What we really should have done is occupied a space in the sun outside our cabin or on the top deck and simply enjoyed how peaceful it was. We didn't need to add any more than that. I'm not complaining mind you, our experience was great, I just know that we may have gotten more our of it with a pace that was much more leisurely and comfortable.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I have to say that my absolutely favourite part was the happy hour cocktails at sunset and the 30 min massage I had before heading off to bed. Just a great addition to the experience and something that I need to learn to take advantage of when next the opportunity presents itself.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvXAct_IshS61FhD0U66vzIeBvgMwcmRNRKDFw2_ZNqac0HVSLl4ba-pYJeegtUxDpGoQHsJBb17DMdkeStDd3cD5Lqbr3lyE66JBkKKwJDocBSNwdGUN_FTsJ-0k1G2I936pnenw6Y_4mlJ1M31exN3TXnkdB_TirKJqRXqkILMdhwD13dHJAg040-c/s4032/Ha%20Long%2014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvXAct_IshS61FhD0U66vzIeBvgMwcmRNRKDFw2_ZNqac0HVSLl4ba-pYJeegtUxDpGoQHsJBb17DMdkeStDd3cD5Lqbr3lyE66JBkKKwJDocBSNwdGUN_FTsJ-0k1G2I936pnenw6Y_4mlJ1M31exN3TXnkdB_TirKJqRXqkILMdhwD13dHJAg040-c/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Inga & Aiden playing the footy - Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-2cJA5O0HhrjPTC6wQPh6jUREIbqqdwGDhb8-6GautVjj0KEmQ1NNfResi6yhVOIXhJTsVur0WqQQQFDPKUZcqbnW-H8b93AnrL5vgOvTgZ4bu2NV_yHDPL4-HIH9r4qvF9IIPIEyb2CuF_YwieoA2LtU9qjuhFKU1og_thb1iWzH0Oc9BNHwReLE7k/s4032/Ha%20Long%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-2cJA5O0HhrjPTC6wQPh6jUREIbqqdwGDhb8-6GautVjj0KEmQ1NNfResi6yhVOIXhJTsVur0WqQQQFDPKUZcqbnW-H8b93AnrL5vgOvTgZ4bu2NV_yHDPL4-HIH9r4qvF9IIPIEyb2CuF_YwieoA2LtU9qjuhFKU1og_thb1iWzH0Oc9BNHwReLE7k/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%2015.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcB7nJWmG21PGHUCYjAZvtvRH4AcvF8YbneLfX_aLO2SfGzHQMK9-MzdqtOzZNbu_UU5sK8_ejOjtuR1qREM6QG0mdH7rX_a_j0kRPFekkG7MODVAeeFbihIzwKIZXzfVOXlBq5WdzF4gyz65fxdh_lUbdJKRku4gij_I6DzzIoRqH2PpL8hOeZYmaWlQ/s3088/Ha%20Long%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcB7nJWmG21PGHUCYjAZvtvRH4AcvF8YbneLfX_aLO2SfGzHQMK9-MzdqtOzZNbu_UU5sK8_ejOjtuR1qREM6QG0mdH7rX_a_j0kRPFekkG7MODVAeeFbihIzwKIZXzfVOXlBq5WdzF4gyz65fxdh_lUbdJKRku4gij_I6DzzIoRqH2PpL8hOeZYmaWlQ/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%2016.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTajrRfuyKxJCOJukfB6F0fXzWVtKxoVE3ExQX9mz0z-mpVmZXlRnPlJyaNivbCK8gr4hHg8OBB3wJlUDlWCTJ6RUKu38lRXVT-4ej5k79_gvqbNW-j6mhpBMZnyAbyGyokBMgJaV6hlH2zstuwOAuAHqDnBegcwSWYSoUow99aDR6ZxCC4xAqYwe1Sk/s4032/Ha%20Long%2017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTajrRfuyKxJCOJukfB6F0fXzWVtKxoVE3ExQX9mz0z-mpVmZXlRnPlJyaNivbCK8gr4hHg8OBB3wJlUDlWCTJ6RUKu38lRXVT-4ej5k79_gvqbNW-j6mhpBMZnyAbyGyokBMgJaV6hlH2zstuwOAuAHqDnBegcwSWYSoUow99aDR6ZxCC4xAqYwe1Sk/w640-h360/Ha%20Long%2017.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MGZiAYkY6fweZkPg9Vc1PSYtm6_1J5nSWhOZEsVYJGHXaQsiJSSHEsq7Gou64UFhD4DP4k6MI20rHElxe9qfaU8elXAviPB-wG_4Vi8hyU7VxZz7aPk7roJDpcV6XjbrbRk35Z0xIuwEm07W4S1gT2FPLwVcCSYGXzrMdp-SpH8b9c6CUKTg-VvqKCc/s4032/Ha%20Long%2018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MGZiAYkY6fweZkPg9Vc1PSYtm6_1J5nSWhOZEsVYJGHXaQsiJSSHEsq7Gou64UFhD4DP4k6MI20rHElxe9qfaU8elXAviPB-wG_4Vi8hyU7VxZz7aPk7roJDpcV6XjbrbRk35Z0xIuwEm07W4S1gT2FPLwVcCSYGXzrMdp-SpH8b9c6CUKTg-VvqKCc/w640-h360/Ha%20Long%2018.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC6VcBsCBjT_ok-pQ9EYTpvEf_LEhAe2Y1i9QV4H6rb0oXiAWrKrqxM_nLUc32NGi1d4cCoNZvg-UL3o7hv318y37Og_kTMC_1wLzHGGh-JjZxvaYEyyUW6d7AB3phSq5sSkXDDpoZcibaQAdnKgemMntcbzlkwLWK_gxYEuyC0hbaqkodwk3FCRsNjg/s4032/Ha%20Long%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC6VcBsCBjT_ok-pQ9EYTpvEf_LEhAe2Y1i9QV4H6rb0oXiAWrKrqxM_nLUc32NGi1d4cCoNZvg-UL3o7hv318y37Og_kTMC_1wLzHGGh-JjZxvaYEyyUW6d7AB3phSq5sSkXDDpoZcibaQAdnKgemMntcbzlkwLWK_gxYEuyC0hbaqkodwk3FCRsNjg/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2019.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Ambassador Cruises - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">As for Inga & Aiden, both were first time adventurers to this part of the world and I think they both came away richer for the experience. For Inga this part of the world still very much remains a mystery. Seeing and experience sights such as these that are world renowned but had never made her radar is always a joy from my perspective. Sharing that 'first time' experience quite often reminds me of my own feelings of wonder and awe. As for Aiden, well I hope that there are memories burnt into his own timeline that he'll take with him for the rest of his life - I anticipate that there may be one or two. When I think to my own early memories I do recall travels to Hawaii with my parents when I was both 4 and 5 years of age. Whilst these memories aren't crystal there's still vivid enough and they remain the very earliest of memories that I can retrieve from travels at that age. Here's hoping that he'll have a few of the same style.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRMntEXNAXqhArhyphenhyphen2cDxhZvaWGdmh2J50aTt391-hzTnnBPzs-uEqbvzea3JlA14woNdertIzvQpz7b-uSfsI-GMhXJ0VqZZjFGMaTrI7KAjGCYPdDEL1-ALMJW3r0ZGXDaLE1wix86fAGjjnXcEpmhRNt8p06Yzgzr0kGgCmzAYSZo46nFQa-ZN4Q9U/s4032/Ha%20Long%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRMntEXNAXqhArhyphenhyphen2cDxhZvaWGdmh2J50aTt391-hzTnnBPzs-uEqbvzea3JlA14woNdertIzvQpz7b-uSfsI-GMhXJ0VqZZjFGMaTrI7KAjGCYPdDEL1-ALMJW3r0ZGXDaLE1wix86fAGjjnXcEpmhRNt8p06Yzgzr0kGgCmzAYSZo46nFQa-ZN4Q9U/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2020.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">The stillness of the evening - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbj_v1bHgVv_qLRK4mF8ODlKwRiT9exrxlIvqGvFNT5P_g0UqnV94q7UMsKVvfGBKTvIML8Oy4SR8YTWF8xE4mVcaIPKY_X2zTOVsUz2Qo-c8kmWTnbXeWgLL4Nr5rpAvTk_EetQJsLC8iFBiAkXQOU4AcgpusmdAYyowGgQ-JLHFE9J-wdvlYBFQAz0/s4032/Ha%20Long%2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbj_v1bHgVv_qLRK4mF8ODlKwRiT9exrxlIvqGvFNT5P_g0UqnV94q7UMsKVvfGBKTvIML8Oy4SR8YTWF8xE4mVcaIPKY_X2zTOVsUz2Qo-c8kmWTnbXeWgLL4Nr5rpAvTk_EetQJsLC8iFBiAkXQOU4AcgpusmdAYyowGgQ-JLHFE9J-wdvlYBFQAz0/w640-h480/Ha%20Long%2021.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Sung Sot Cave - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47HMvuVBCXQwhUcm_ITThOoYWjOJRCOfAgdQLNW7Z70y6DOeN-Ghy7n5dQ9ycwPLvtlPCemvtY5JhQQmbREAWdyviDg1MTtnrYBftdAIR6mGFJEU5RROJCGadzBFycPG-W8kpFiDJeKAkSk0hJrttzUmEI0P36_uXqqTZPuE2q0UWjTuL6r2NA-aogXA/s4032/Ha%20Long%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47HMvuVBCXQwhUcm_ITThOoYWjOJRCOfAgdQLNW7Z70y6DOeN-Ghy7n5dQ9ycwPLvtlPCemvtY5JhQQmbREAWdyviDg1MTtnrYBftdAIR6mGFJEU5RROJCGadzBFycPG-W8kpFiDJeKAkSk0hJrttzUmEI0P36_uXqqTZPuE2q0UWjTuL6r2NA-aogXA/w480-h640/Ha%20Long%2022.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Sung Sot Cave - Ha Long Bay - Vietnam </span></i></div><br /><p><br /></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com0Hạ Long Bay, Thành phố Hạ Long, Quảng Ninh, Vietnam20.9100512 107.1839024-7.4001826361788439 72.0276524 49.220285036178851 142.3401524tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-51884404322631010702023-09-29T01:18:00.006+10:002023-10-30T22:36:25.978+11:00Hanoi (Vietnam) - Banh Mi? Banh You!<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Melbourne (Australia) - Hanoi (Vietnam)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>29 September - 02 October</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It's been over a year since our lives had allowed us the luxury of prolonged travel. Those rare breaks that we had managed to squeeze into long weekends or the occasional day of annual leave were like temporary life-support systems, brief respites from daily life that in itself was the the gap that filled in the time between the current state and the next destination.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I've always felt that travel was like our personal battery charger, something that we carried which allowed us to bridge the chasm between being our languid, weary and burnt-out selves to being the refreshed and re-charged specimens. And whilst I know this to be true, somehow, to my chagrin, there's always an element of frustration when someone asks, 'do you feel refreshed after your break'? It's almost as if they're saying, 'has your time away given you the opportunity to refocus your efforts to work harder'? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Certainly if you're reading this you may think that all I'm really doing is wishing away my time in order to get from one block of travel to the next but really, when you think about it, isn't that something that we do on a micro-level each and every day? Consider our internal monologues, '<i>I can't wait for my first coffee this morning', 'If only I can make it to the weekend', 'All I need is that first drink at the end of the day'. </i>It's that constant train of thought projecting us forward to a future that we perceive will be more palatable than the moment in which a forward projecting thought exists. And of course, there's an answer to this seemingly relentless desire for release or for escapism, and it lies at the centre of how individually we go about identifying our own purpose and discovering inspiration in each day. Whatever that magical formula is, how we construct a manner in order to conjure up joy and fulfilment from the ordinary and to ensure we're present in the moment, well, that has to be the key, right?. And sure, identifying daily events as 'ordinary' might be the starting point. Or perhaps the starting point is just admitting that whatever it is that I've written is something that warrants a deeper level of thought and consideration? Well either way, what's written is here and it exists, so my momentary existential crises has been averted....right?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Hanoi</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Travel for me now is different from when I was single. Back then I both anticipated and expected 'hard travel'.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If you don't know what mean by the term 'hard travel' its what I refer to when I reference such things as 'extended layovers', 'long duration uncomfortable journeys/commutes between destinations', 'hostels', 'questionable decision making', 'sleeping on cold floors' et al.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Certainly 'hard travel' inevitably finds its way into your best stories and greatest memories but when you have a four year old that has his own demands and needs, soft travel becomes the imperative, i.e., short transits, comfortable point to point travel, accommodation with reasonable amenities. It's all part of the 'Daddy travel service'.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">So, by the the time flight Vietnam Airlines flight VN780 was thundering down the runway at Melbourne Tullamarine airport we had already been picked up from our North Melbourne abode and been seamlessly delivered to the international terminal, had been ushered to the front of queues with the aid of our golden 'toddler pass' which identifies us as high priority travellers and were already a couple of champagnes to the good - soft holiday mode had been well and truly activated.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvd7qkxRSdn7QXSrRGL6nwygIdr7N5_GyEBjaNfoYNyDlf5yJPUxnSpknbDmNZJbRjZwJF2GWLiOrDkWlosMK0Sb21ZZwL_DzLZki1G0QHbwLLJdEQPyrj61x2UYJZ5iog_5Q9Drhzw1MwWAioJvTDj_QyRBKdxyBTnzDry7J2INy4w5E6b_sT5yGrKE/s4032/Hanoi_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvd7qkxRSdn7QXSrRGL6nwygIdr7N5_GyEBjaNfoYNyDlf5yJPUxnSpknbDmNZJbRjZwJF2GWLiOrDkWlosMK0Sb21ZZwL_DzLZki1G0QHbwLLJdEQPyrj61x2UYJZ5iog_5Q9Drhzw1MwWAioJvTDj_QyRBKdxyBTnzDry7J2INy4w5E6b_sT5yGrKE/w480-h640/Hanoi_1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden - Melbourne Tullamarine Airport - Melbourne - waiting for Vietnam Airways flight VN780 to Ho Chi Minh to board</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7B2lDqV2N1c4zWSVtjZKgTmAVBEBJfFcbPZpU-QFLoo4LKUvsnyOZJi1w9nA-xiet_E6xXG3be-vmrOKKXmTc8YdQhkkManqVXg7qea5ESjiDpDnQ88jQX6slEDCy3UI8urG_QnqRcZjh93rdOVYMIk3X-x0Dd6Rj6onC3fJWeG0BVMVzrZNLaUX1BY/s3088/Hanoi%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7B2lDqV2N1c4zWSVtjZKgTmAVBEBJfFcbPZpU-QFLoo4LKUvsnyOZJi1w9nA-xiet_E6xXG3be-vmrOKKXmTc8YdQhkkManqVXg7qea5ESjiDpDnQ88jQX6slEDCy3UI8urG_QnqRcZjh93rdOVYMIk3X-x0Dd6Rj6onC3fJWeG0BVMVzrZNLaUX1BY/w480-h640/Hanoi%202.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Vietnam Airways flight VN780 to Ho Chi Minh - somewhere over Australia</span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Most of our journey to Hanoi was relatively painless, except for the excruciating 1hr wait that we endured in the mindlessly tedious, wearisome and desperately painful experience at border control in Ho Chi Minh, which unfortunately served as our introduction to Vietnam. Certainly I understand the need for due process but man, there's a pace of processing that is relatively standard on a global scale and there there was this which certainly felt like it was taking piss. FYI, this is the only complaint that will come to pass in my blog posts about Vietnam on this trip, so in no way does it or should it reflect on this magnificent country. But you know, if you want to step up your 'first impression game', well boys, give me a call for some ideas and we'll run a few workshops.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Arriving in Hanoi</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Reflecting back on the first time I arrived in Hanoi, some 16 yrs ago now, which you can read about in the blog below, I kind of knew what we might encounter and hence there were things that I was hoping we didn't:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">http://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2007/12/hanoi-rocks-phoc-yew-long-time.html</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">During the course of my 16+ yrs of blog writing I've also discussed my feelings about evening/late night arrivals in foreign locations. Personally, I think that any part of the world that is unknown to you, which is first witnessed through that initial veil of darkness, is magnificent way to have a first experience. Driving down unknown roads that are punctuated by yellow or orange hues of artificial light, with strange people entering your frame of reference going about their lives, witnessing oddities of the new, it all comes together to mix with your internal energy to create what I call a '<i>weight of mystery'.</i> There's a mood and sense of gravity that's both simultaneously alluring and apprising, which in and of itself encapsulates the essence of travel addiction.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The centre of Hanoi is hectic. Your first impressions are those of chaos, tumult, high energy and impending carnage. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Now, with 'soft travel' in play may have already guessed that I'd booked a car to get us to our hotel in Hanoi's old quarter but what I didn't know is that this was the evening of the Full Moon. Traffic chaos gets powered up by a factor of 'insane' and it felt like our SUV was merely floating in a turbulent torrent of motorised mayhem. The sounds of horns, engines, foreign voices - our vehicle was trapped. We were blocks from our hotel and we were locked into by a swathe of humans occupied with their motorised intent.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga & Aiden were sitting in the back seat and both were amazed at what they were witnessing. The only thing I could like it to was the arrival that I experienced with my parents in Marrakech some 13 years prior:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">http://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2010/07/crash-tackled-by-marrakechi-madness.html</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We weren't exactly stranded but as the minutes ticked by and our driver conversed with our hotel...and the conversations continued...and driver frustration grew, it started to become obvious that somehow we were going to have to carve through the motorised madness our own degree of purpose, and whilst Inga & Aiden were excited to witness what was going on, it was me that was getting a surge of anxiety driven adrenalin. The 'dad' part of Henry was thinking about 'logistics', 'maintenance of safety' and really, just preserving life. Thankfully, after about 20 mins a small team from May de Ville hotel came to our rescue and absconded with our luggage, leaving us with a mild mannered porter that 'appeared' to have logistical knowledge...so we went with it. Thankfully our oasis of calm in the Old Quarter was only 800mtrs away.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXNoDIVEBnxhPA_xM1sxNOZVv35JKpc8xcJJV3hziJo1qvLed9bscXENoFICYZUIjfNStVOAbdNMsTD-E_2OT9BjkwTEhG36U-g6qW8s9OOtwF2CgJszm9ImllVBjnM7qbInKz0Uwzv0KaBq-IJY7fxvDwpS_mvZVX1oYIUlom5D9f1KOr4ALIpL2RTY/s4032/Hanoi%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXNoDIVEBnxhPA_xM1sxNOZVv35JKpc8xcJJV3hziJo1qvLed9bscXENoFICYZUIjfNStVOAbdNMsTD-E_2OT9BjkwTEhG36U-g6qW8s9OOtwF2CgJszm9ImllVBjnM7qbInKz0Uwzv0KaBq-IJY7fxvDwpS_mvZVX1oYIUlom5D9f1KOr4ALIpL2RTY/w480-h640/Hanoi%203.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>May de Ville - Luxury Hotel & Spa - Old Quarter - Hanoi - Vietnam</i></div></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Hoan Kiem Lake & Train Street</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Walking in central Hanoi is a dichotomy of self-preservation and calming tranquility. There's certainly a method to encountering waves of mopeds and a level of bravery, assuredness & relinquishment in handing over the reigns of your lives to the organic movement of vehicles around your body. You need to trust in their capability and also trust that your moment aligns to their expectation. Surprisingly, Inga & Aiden were naturals. Unperturbed and revelling in the experience they accepted the challenge without concern, which in itself drove my level of anxiety for them down immensely.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hoan Kiem lake on the other hand, nestled in the heart of Hanoi, is a captivating oasis of serenity and calm amidst the bursting bustle of life in the capital. Somehow life seems to slow down and the '<i>Lake of the returned sword'</i> is the perfect foil from the vibrant chaos, offering scenic beauty from its lush greenery and soothing waters.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGODbqFcI2JJQtt3oI_zvqkeqJuYAZep7VsT57_QMXJE3ga0lzN0XBPDa9DO65zJRpoOe_JIN5qtuM9H_UYHT7O94qw_jktbTkIEi3gY6ckJZkG1IyH1mxOYZO4rQN_OKEZjNah5AkAXfaqhUPB7sotsPyEG6e3GkM1tO3OlxdVb2Hq52Cpd5xTJql514/s4032/Hanoi%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGODbqFcI2JJQtt3oI_zvqkeqJuYAZep7VsT57_QMXJE3ga0lzN0XBPDa9DO65zJRpoOe_JIN5qtuM9H_UYHT7O94qw_jktbTkIEi3gY6ckJZkG1IyH1mxOYZO4rQN_OKEZjNah5AkAXfaqhUPB7sotsPyEG6e3GkM1tO3OlxdVb2Hq52Cpd5xTJql514/w640-h480/Hanoi%204.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>The 'Red Bridge' or the Huc Bridge, which spans across the Ho Guam, linking Hoan Kiem and the Jade Mountain Temple - Hanoi - Vietnam</i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiyyVXs-e2XfQr6fnkTaJfj3ZnGJkxkcUcrvBZjaC6gUgkqjiaTbeilXXLZ5qlOc9XLKQzmsA0yqYiTiEWjxy757j0tQiWujjrGKu1GK3l35lDFj7vPSi13lztKqWNQq_wy095MgrtrmAcgGxFQRxo9WNrFPcOtmPlJL-OuxvPeRAW16CBr8eclVqrC8/s640/Hanoi%205.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiyyVXs-e2XfQr6fnkTaJfj3ZnGJkxkcUcrvBZjaC6gUgkqjiaTbeilXXLZ5qlOc9XLKQzmsA0yqYiTiEWjxy757j0tQiWujjrGKu1GK3l35lDFj7vPSi13lztKqWNQq_wy095MgrtrmAcgGxFQRxo9WNrFPcOtmPlJL-OuxvPeRAW16CBr8eclVqrC8/w482-h640/Hanoi%205.GIF" width="482" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga & Aiden - near Dinh Tien Hoang - Hang Tong - Hoan Kiem - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirszFemQ81WmzwKC06kYy0KNys1jrt6EvthyPboW0nCahrAB8tkyB1bIsYRZpmk_QkE25NHT8YqNovFVRhPBUo4Om9PMYVvWycEDLR9RYy1M_rP7mlxqg7hqxsmmZIVa2sCh-GUugq58umc10sIKWirIhsGaZpiPd2yKTuUNH2T61qw2QModqgyKebaaM/s640/Hanoi%2055.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirszFemQ81WmzwKC06kYy0KNys1jrt6EvthyPboW0nCahrAB8tkyB1bIsYRZpmk_QkE25NHT8YqNovFVRhPBUo4Om9PMYVvWycEDLR9RYy1M_rP7mlxqg7hqxsmmZIVa2sCh-GUugq58umc10sIKWirIhsGaZpiPd2yKTuUNH2T61qw2QModqgyKebaaM/w482-h640/Hanoi%2055.GIF" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aiden - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DOmLVejc7-GHrja2iy85weCTgK9E4z-t5MudH9IuVVye3aBR3i81g-HoUQVorBjLYvWXv68HHl5pZXeJEP_ox_YTUNOfSu1RPGBC_u6qJunIYG7ah7wtHTrrVxc8ANpKS9d7XvXMWE25y0DyHYpXu8YVNcc6f2B_-LdBkZSlX6F5koWLZUkHyEdrpJ0/s4032/Hanoi%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DOmLVejc7-GHrja2iy85weCTgK9E4z-t5MudH9IuVVye3aBR3i81g-HoUQVorBjLYvWXv68HHl5pZXeJEP_ox_YTUNOfSu1RPGBC_u6qJunIYG7ah7wtHTrrVxc8ANpKS9d7XvXMWE25y0DyHYpXu8YVNcc6f2B_-LdBkZSlX6F5koWLZUkHyEdrpJ0/w480-h640/Hanoi%206.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Ngoc Son Temple - Hoan Kiem Lake - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Walking in the heat and humidity of the midday sun, we made our way around the lake, observing the ordinary movement of life on an average Saturday afternoon. At some point Aiden asked that we take his 'footy' out and we started kicking his North Melbourne ball around to the bemusement of some locals, who from the looks of things may not have encountered Australian Rules football at any time in their lives.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">At some point we collectively made the decision to head down to train street. Now, for those that you that don't know, Train Street is both a unique and popular tourist attraction, located in the middle of the Old Quarter. It's drawcard is a an extremely narrow street that runs directly through the middle of an inner city neighbourhood. And when I say 'directly through', I mean that if you take two steps from your back door then you're standing in the middle of the rail line. Officially the street name is known as Duong Le Duan, but due to its 'distinctive' features, Train Street seems to be far more apt.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi223HhzD0U-GWD04hqX-rdw0ApzgwGzCT83X55CVbMEvXbQjgtfBjDzgo-xRWTf9V-8Xygr62HxQCsqjg6BkTI-wuYf9tyJLYLBngNBOWSQSJbogNRqUHu0X__3MrelZg12xdH2Tx7qj5oe4AF4axrveGD0hxVe0uXELeOPojm3hyphenhyphenP9udXtsyWP3QcdzI/s2921/Hanoi%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2921" data-original-width="1494" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi223HhzD0U-GWD04hqX-rdw0ApzgwGzCT83X55CVbMEvXbQjgtfBjDzgo-xRWTf9V-8Xygr62HxQCsqjg6BkTI-wuYf9tyJLYLBngNBOWSQSJbogNRqUHu0X__3MrelZg12xdH2Tx7qj5oe4AF4axrveGD0hxVe0uXELeOPojm3hyphenhyphenP9udXtsyWP3QcdzI/w328-h640/Hanoi%207.jpg" width="328" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Rickshaw ride - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ylai2B3p5Zft-9KhpSU84EeAOyMXDjX3UZThldnOcfLfB41nYEVhzJWpPeLchCxyv8B5JaugBH-WDF_HSq2CO-qJOQmqCirD7bsZoGqa8iC5_ztL0djyClKRmlDjnjN72fGNfadGagsNAY8cq99tBJ5Y_WtwfOgqWLs2U-ExoOeMMnQ6T-9eJzJsIX8/s3088/Hanoi%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ylai2B3p5Zft-9KhpSU84EeAOyMXDjX3UZThldnOcfLfB41nYEVhzJWpPeLchCxyv8B5JaugBH-WDF_HSq2CO-qJOQmqCirD7bsZoGqa8iC5_ztL0djyClKRmlDjnjN72fGNfadGagsNAY8cq99tBJ5Y_WtwfOgqWLs2U-ExoOeMMnQ6T-9eJzJsIX8/w480-h640/Hanoi%208.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Rickshaw ride - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjpEprKRZxXITJCJL64nHqJdmkagvxjLpgyLzIc_7cSnlDJEvQEhsbGtEPa1N79ULpZAK4mLW_innTKZFSp92pv9UHgfYtYoYGEfmYHyVeG2VXsjJB9tLz5jnhBAY63uSeE5jhFcWiowKIxpASmowVfXrv5IT4jOe5GhqBRF8vWUOGbTMPH91D0Ypl5s/s4032/Hanoi%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjpEprKRZxXITJCJL64nHqJdmkagvxjLpgyLzIc_7cSnlDJEvQEhsbGtEPa1N79ULpZAK4mLW_innTKZFSp92pv9UHgfYtYoYGEfmYHyVeG2VXsjJB9tLz5jnhBAY63uSeE5jhFcWiowKIxpASmowVfXrv5IT4jOe5GhqBRF8vWUOGbTMPH91D0Ypl5s/w480-h640/Hanoi%209.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Cruising Hanoi on a rickshaw</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">So all three of us jumped into a rickshaw and we slowly made our way from Hoan Kiem lake to the rail line. This was cool. In the travel experiences that I've been fortunate to have, I know that sometimes it can actually take a few days to get into the swing of travelling and being in a new place, also, there are moments when it just clicks and you feel the change. For me it was this simple cycle down to Train Street.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">When we arrived on the street there were already people sitting outside the small cafes and restaurants that line both sides of the tracks, and what automatically catches your attention is just the proximity of the line to the houses. I mean its obvious, that's what you're there to see but watching YouTube videos doesn't do it justice. You can literally step from the back door of one of these residence, stick your hand out and run it down the outside of a carriage.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUAAsjYihmZjYMGJPMDR9uFP-l72rV-pibFB5I7iZrxrWMc5yRNveXzjYsjhIRkBBszCo2MxkdEXW6ey5RvIZkrJ1QWIDboS6EvYTRV9-zZTAMkmtTCjugVJfRQzscd-KNsnra9oAWGRJm6B_L2FTK7yqe-pdIm6pK5CqbeM_vnW144x3S7ORmJ5p4kI/s1601/Hanoi%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUAAsjYihmZjYMGJPMDR9uFP-l72rV-pibFB5I7iZrxrWMc5yRNveXzjYsjhIRkBBszCo2MxkdEXW6ey5RvIZkrJ1QWIDboS6EvYTRV9-zZTAMkmtTCjugVJfRQzscd-KNsnra9oAWGRJm6B_L2FTK7yqe-pdIm6pK5CqbeM_vnW144x3S7ORmJ5p4kI/w330-h640/Hanoi%2010.jpg" width="330" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden on 'Train Street' - <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Duong Le Duan - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Vzwwqp5u2pzb5yraj0R1Y9PHvKd64ANIF4R-la7G6Kginpec_x4wkx6R-SSVhwOalA079QYrE8Mt9o2MOO0aY9I2VfgqC-o4bq7DNM14KFcVD3GuuYtPkJJQ3dEEP_mWbdeLgwppMRuipoKW2Zq_TSy2KKEuKKkOfCWJSVCMN8XXYTZbzbKplx4rlBY/s4032/Hanoi%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Vzwwqp5u2pzb5yraj0R1Y9PHvKd64ANIF4R-la7G6Kginpec_x4wkx6R-SSVhwOalA079QYrE8Mt9o2MOO0aY9I2VfgqC-o4bq7DNM14KFcVD3GuuYtPkJJQ3dEEP_mWbdeLgwppMRuipoKW2Zq_TSy2KKEuKKkOfCWJSVCMN8XXYTZbzbKplx4rlBY/w480-h640/Hanoi%2011.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'Train Street' - <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Duong Le Duan - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Also, for anyone that might be reading this because they're interested in Train Street, lets go with some basics. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">[1] As of 01 October 2023, it was open for tourists. I had read on many sites that the circumstance on Train Street was subject to change when the safety concerns became 'prevalent', which means, 'who knows'. Thankfully when we turned up it was 'all systems go'.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">[2] Before you're even on the street you'll have random individuals grabbing you're hand and guiding you to 'spots' on the street. These of course are cafe/restaurant owners and they're more than invested in having all arrivals occupy spaces in front of the space that they have available. It's a little bit of a guessing game regarding prime spots and the best seating which in all honesty, looks fairly much the same to me. Anywhere you sit will have about the same view and perspective as anywhere else.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">[3] Apparently the trains run on time, so you're fairly safe in waiting according to the train schedule. Asking locals 'when will the train arrive' seems like a guessing game as you get a multitude of answers but the range of responses was within 30 mins of each other</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">[4] The final question - is it worth it? Sure it is. It's an experience. From the build up to the train passing within inches of you, the experience is more than worthwhile and you can experience all of it for the cost of a couple of drinks. Why the hell wouldn't you do it?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wlq5Sj6ZI3CzxTN031uh3njbWRcNbPysOVSLGx34EZ96jhuLNnFMEVmbv4igs-sy2qiOOOtBQZEzpDRs1v0fujYOGU19NrxkqnaNc_0-YRL-3ImVVCCHuCgG9xfz9_PI0wWyeV-5JntrcgxQPuZYafqT3IF1HwQ5kyIEBXimgN0kN5_LRbZxqWbwZJU/s4032/Hanoi%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wlq5Sj6ZI3CzxTN031uh3njbWRcNbPysOVSLGx34EZ96jhuLNnFMEVmbv4igs-sy2qiOOOtBQZEzpDRs1v0fujYOGU19NrxkqnaNc_0-YRL-3ImVVCCHuCgG9xfz9_PI0wWyeV-5JntrcgxQPuZYafqT3IF1HwQ5kyIEBXimgN0kN5_LRbZxqWbwZJU/w480-h640/Hanoi%2012.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'Train Street' - <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Duong Le Duan - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vVpP6z4tgDn9myjbgsJ-ZQXmeb38L7vUEM2Si0sSkQhNglkW6zA6Hr-KpaO3vbonbFN7HHGDXEh4PTFamycCd1q0dDQbeADNIuEAHr0V1zzf9DeL3DNzpR1tl63IJRbeYZOrws8m2tUNNLj5IqEYpXysDL-6lD8DmFAb_UJataxjzyjhlUkfYAtPeiU/s4032/Hanoi%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vVpP6z4tgDn9myjbgsJ-ZQXmeb38L7vUEM2Si0sSkQhNglkW6zA6Hr-KpaO3vbonbFN7HHGDXEh4PTFamycCd1q0dDQbeADNIuEAHr0V1zzf9DeL3DNzpR1tl63IJRbeYZOrws8m2tUNNLj5IqEYpXysDL-6lD8DmFAb_UJataxjzyjhlUkfYAtPeiU/w480-h640/Hanoi%2013.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'Train Street' - <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Duong Le Duan - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwL2Xa4XBfcbZmxLzJwLTY7grlx0yu5aP-kwHwhg6pjlFUPA56djRvx5R6MZwDwhs8wIf79rcHy6_xcHLp-MZZAnSwJG9UKMDdTrRZY2dkd2tqpsowepG69JF6eph64a8xXl9xpnGuLMj-KkfmlKyS2QGG00fNb6gBc9Cn7TkLFFEnpGiWtYJ8d5HrEc/s1354/Hanoi%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwL2Xa4XBfcbZmxLzJwLTY7grlx0yu5aP-kwHwhg6pjlFUPA56djRvx5R6MZwDwhs8wIf79rcHy6_xcHLp-MZZAnSwJG9UKMDdTrRZY2dkd2tqpsowepG69JF6eph64a8xXl9xpnGuLMj-KkfmlKyS2QGG00fNb6gBc9Cn7TkLFFEnpGiWtYJ8d5HrEc/w392-h640/Hanoi%2014.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The 11:50 am train arrives 0 'Train Street' - <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Duong Le Duan - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Old Quarter - Hanoi</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There's something that I've always enjoyed about the Old Quarter in Hanoi. This part of the city is vibrant, constantly in operation and always engaging. Architecturally its characterised by its narrow, winding streets, traditional Vietnamese architecture, i.e., meaning 'tube houses', which are long and narrow, with small frontages that extend into deep blocks. But what's engaging about it it is that there's no real rhyme or reason, there's a massage location, and then a tourist agency, a place that sells banh mi's and then a random cafe. There's a multitude of sights, sounds & smells, which all come together to make this place unique.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On our first night we ended up at Ta Hien Beer Street, which typifies exactly what the Old Quarter of Hanoi is about. Of course it's a little different these days with the little guy in tow but my previous experiences tell me what if you're looking for some decent nightlife in Hanoi, then this is probably where you should make an appearance.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">http://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2010/02/rock-star-and-invisible-man-air-asia.html</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3UkJqyc-ChuYzsI66L85SjXxyIP2qdA_9shTsGjSAgsP_fLccLjZuDj6k781vRP_UUUperinP-y-9u_ugTSIXhVlbi6fTE_upgPNlNpXq-8_mt0LN6dLEJ31-sHl0tlTec7j_gSBTgJwlcsHVVsKIlvsecENpAYPOR__dH7pcO3hcZNGAVg4pi9DXlk/s1035/Hanoi%20after%20train%20street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3UkJqyc-ChuYzsI66L85SjXxyIP2qdA_9shTsGjSAgsP_fLccLjZuDj6k781vRP_UUUperinP-y-9u_ugTSIXhVlbi6fTE_upgPNlNpXq-8_mt0LN6dLEJ31-sHl0tlTec7j_gSBTgJwlcsHVVsKIlvsecENpAYPOR__dH7pcO3hcZNGAVg4pi9DXlk/w512-h640/Hanoi%20after%20train%20street.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Beer street - Ta Hien - Old Quarter - Hanoi</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our second day in Hanoi was just as relaxed. Around mid-afternoon Inga headed off for a massage whilst Aiden and I hung out at the outdoor pool on Level 10, which also happened to have a mighty fin view of the city.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAjUCXKEZRwIeufTGezFDJIISVfi06OKwU92R_XPIQpe8HBVm0I-KBkhYxaOf3K1GcLzjGc395prEvINMld9hjbAzmcGzwaVeWy5Wo28NXGnYbxti9qwUhTLZxqd0OAwXu_nmqcL2jbTAOmoxaG4NfF9qWubMRDrWnaKg_y7g6CmbYyw34GVNgjU7xIk/s4032/Hanoi%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAjUCXKEZRwIeufTGezFDJIISVfi06OKwU92R_XPIQpe8HBVm0I-KBkhYxaOf3K1GcLzjGc395prEvINMld9hjbAzmcGzwaVeWy5Wo28NXGnYbxti9qwUhTLZxqd0OAwXu_nmqcL2jbTAOmoxaG4NfF9qWubMRDrWnaKg_y7g6CmbYyw34GVNgjU7xIk/w480-h640/Hanoi%2015.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">View of the centre of Hanoi from May de Ville Luxury Hotel & Spa</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDoMosgRdPUq3-nAi88h4HfyRK2NcY6Jy5cSqkF4n_oT7yczTiNo94-CZFf4wOIE0WV1lhNw-TnyoKa_gJactAb_y3YXBbB1LhMI2YqXEJWDWswAMyzuvdN2APNj_vjhcWEXJmbEjoOI6Hk2O4_-4nb2JaHxh7r4-7dPCYMeKkD6Z8TUBq-qHuYJ_X9M/s4032/Hanoi%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDoMosgRdPUq3-nAi88h4HfyRK2NcY6Jy5cSqkF4n_oT7yczTiNo94-CZFf4wOIE0WV1lhNw-TnyoKa_gJactAb_y3YXBbB1LhMI2YqXEJWDWswAMyzuvdN2APNj_vjhcWEXJmbEjoOI6Hk2O4_-4nb2JaHxh7r4-7dPCYMeKkD6Z8TUBq-qHuYJ_X9M/w480-h640/Hanoi%2016.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">May de Ville - Luxury Hotel & Spa - Old Quarter - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChxWiBpJUEZEnR7LbOphSvJpXP6nIjk_ayFhKViXBaXovSjejHio1yJPYC5R_MY5jPuJPIDQU8mqg2gGYlsO6wgy0zxhD7nvPrSmWq-8PbYD7BTevy2VrEY2Ph4e8b4QBqoxaXfQIiRMEHt47Cs25Qn2AQF_ylorq6F_W0igUALB9fKD7JegSbsz3yfk/s4032/Hanoi%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChxWiBpJUEZEnR7LbOphSvJpXP6nIjk_ayFhKViXBaXovSjejHio1yJPYC5R_MY5jPuJPIDQU8mqg2gGYlsO6wgy0zxhD7nvPrSmWq-8PbYD7BTevy2VrEY2Ph4e8b4QBqoxaXfQIiRMEHt47Cs25Qn2AQF_ylorq6F_W0igUALB9fKD7JegSbsz3yfk/w640-h480/Hanoi%2017.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I think this was Aiden displaying his mastery of hopping on one leg for a prolonged period of time</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7ihTlJ3DXlViuZPZtmlCJ9l802vtb6puMyazUqLWqU7p0n3Pk9nlK8lu4dndc9QmjC1s1Wr47tWUfrs1NJOPNRKrwokbOKiok5jZJeIdWZOmqH4KJCoz75b44mbETI4QyuckGhPLOwDsBSBnjuMDcQjzMoMV8D4S9Qo1k8BlJRDkhAmFqdd26L3D9Z4/s4032/Hanoi%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7ihTlJ3DXlViuZPZtmlCJ9l802vtb6puMyazUqLWqU7p0n3Pk9nlK8lu4dndc9QmjC1s1Wr47tWUfrs1NJOPNRKrwokbOKiok5jZJeIdWZOmqH4KJCoz75b44mbETI4QyuckGhPLOwDsBSBnjuMDcQjzMoMV8D4S9Qo1k8BlJRDkhAmFqdd26L3D9Z4/w640-h480/Hanoi%2018.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> May de Ville - Luxury Hotel & Spa - Old Quarter - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We rounded out our second evening by going to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. It's a famous cultural attraction in Hanoi and the puppetry represents a traditional form of Vietnamese art that dates back to the 11th century in the Red River delta of Northern Vietnam. In terms of the performance, the water puppetry involves puppeteers manipulating wooden puppets on a water stage, which of itself creates both a magical and stunning visual effect.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The theatre itself is world renowned, having been established in 1969, the group have travelled the globe and it has become a significant cultural institution in Vietnam, both due to the fact that it is preserving and promoting a traditional artform. A truly engaging experience.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LYgZafXH_ceDR69JYqh3rYI3dopM5xMHrkNLIDhoSyfNJU4ZMN1ZtbIl5C06hsiauAoRC2a1ML0MZa3HiO2mx9H9cJAZ6lHYDlnwi2diMt8-jnjJzbhdwXICmExncsz-tvQlfoKKHNpMHEkEoDhyudpPoazVLf5Xl7EE7ToBH73eEXLKbuUN4voxphU/s4032/WP%20theatre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LYgZafXH_ceDR69JYqh3rYI3dopM5xMHrkNLIDhoSyfNJU4ZMN1ZtbIl5C06hsiauAoRC2a1ML0MZa3HiO2mx9H9cJAZ6lHYDlnwi2diMt8-jnjJzbhdwXICmExncsz-tvQlfoKKHNpMHEkEoDhyudpPoazVLf5Xl7EE7ToBH73eEXLKbuUN4voxphU/w640-h480/WP%20theatre.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre (Thang Long Water Pupper Theatre) - 578 Dinh Tien Hoan Street - Hoan Kiem Lake - Hanoi - Vietnam</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkU5mVBkaTjFzjklUDIdZvcn9hxetfnLtEUj1KDFT8fXRQ0zYL1uHL7nM4yqy9rnPMgmnAqZ7u_KzbNmYYnnlgLd0zB2IT11oV8qI8_fq37RDKkrN1Wo7lbNIsQCwlpLeLV33z1a5e354SnI_JmYVIz8Dm20l-uzUzpiox0-whddmj1-_MFqareFb7-l0/s4032/Hanoi%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkU5mVBkaTjFzjklUDIdZvcn9hxetfnLtEUj1KDFT8fXRQ0zYL1uHL7nM4yqy9rnPMgmnAqZ7u_KzbNmYYnnlgLd0zB2IT11oV8qI8_fq37RDKkrN1Wo7lbNIsQCwlpLeLV33z1a5e354SnI_JmYVIz8Dm20l-uzUzpiox0-whddmj1-_MFqareFb7-l0/w480-h640/Hanoi%2020.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Banh Mi!? Sitting outside Banh Mi Hoi An - P.Hang Bac - Hanoi Vietnam</span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">And there you have it. My third time in Hanoi. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">You know, Hanoi was never a placed that I dreamed of visiting and it was never high on my list of priorities. Within the pre-written book of 'Henry Elisher' there's certainly a number of locations that my future self will have locked in his memory. I certainly never expected Hanoi to appear on that list three times but I am forever blessed that it has. This place is engaging, its alive and surprisingly inviting. I loved coming here as a single person but I have to say, I've enjoyed it just as much with a family. To share these experience, to appreciate the 'art of movement' and meld yourself into the organic nature of life on the streets. There's something inviting and charming about this city which I hope, somewhere in the pages of my life, is written another on my experiences in Hanoi. For now, I say thank you for accepting me once again, and I hope to see you once again in the not too distant future.</span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com0Hanoi, Vietnam21.0277644 105.8341598-7.2824694361788467 70.6779098 49.337998236178848 140.9904098tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-74663592682309957672022-07-25T10:10:00.009+10:002024-01-03T11:37:30.226+11:00Dubai (United Arab Emirates) - Atlantis, The Palm (Dubai) - 'they sank Atlantis out at sea'<p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">Dubai (United Arab Emirates)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">23 July - 25 July 2022</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We keep finding a way to return to Dubai and on each occasion there is something more enticing, more engaging and just more damn exhilarating about it. Previously I've likened Dubai visually to those dark, moody, almost foreboding visuals from the movie Bladerunner, which is not meant to be derisive, just that the impression that it gives is of a time and place that feel so far advanced from the rest of the world. With that said, there is an allure and lustre to Dubai, it's ostentatious certainly, dazzling and almost irreverent in that way that it approaches all things. At some point I use to think of it as being overtly pretentious but there's simply too much going on here and too much to enjoy that the tags that you feel you want to apply for reasons of false appropriateness just seem to be no longer pertinent. I love what Dubai has to offer, and I admit, its taken me a few goes to get to the place where I can readily admit that. Certainly knowing that Inga enjoys Dubai and understanding what she loves about it, slowly convinced me to find the things that I like about it also. These days we'll find any reason to break up our trip home from Europe just to spend a bit of time here.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We took the relatively short flight from Amsterdam with Etihad, arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport around 8pm in the evening. The distance between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is relatively short, only about 100kms, which you can comfortably drive in just over and hour. Knowing the types of roads that the U.A.E has and also the the common makes and models of cars out on the roads I stepped up our rental option and elected to take a Dodge Charger for the few days that we had planned. A great choice if I must say so myself.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For our few days stayed we'd booked ourselves into the Palm Atlantis. For those that are unaware, this building is as iconic as the Burj al Arab, the Burj Khalifa. Certainly an unparalleled destination in terms of hotels and it's nestled on the equally as iconic Palm Jumeirah archipelago. A fabulous location certainly but also one where you can very easily get entrapped by the bubble of the Atlantis world which makes escaping the recursive island of the Palm a test of your will power. This nested island of entertainment within the larger world of Dubai has more than you need to save you from venturing further afield. Indeed as we drove onto Palm island that evening I said to Inga '<i>I think it's going to be very unlikely that we drive off this island until we need to go back to the airport'...</i>no truer words were spoken on that trip. We didn't leave the Atlantis complex until 7:00am on the 25th of July, the morning of our flight back to Melbourne from Abu Dhabu.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioc6IFRFf3VPB9QjY7_d1IjXIJh80RPA0_a1JYXmubOkRCCX3sXR9cGv1E01HKLP4OKqo7WkPlcsyglQ-dXVXYkBvcTekBXbPe5a0cLTdtdy3-nKUMAQ5rcRYQfE13AGqRG-jOHl3q5gDueO_PPbrgH_t5wqSc8rACSrDudmFjhqerPoXPGtCWFYwS-cI/s1600/Atlantis%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioc6IFRFf3VPB9QjY7_d1IjXIJh80RPA0_a1JYXmubOkRCCX3sXR9cGv1E01HKLP4OKqo7WkPlcsyglQ-dXVXYkBvcTekBXbPe5a0cLTdtdy3-nKUMAQ5rcRYQfE13AGqRG-jOHl3q5gDueO_PPbrgH_t5wqSc8rACSrDudmFjhqerPoXPGtCWFYwS-cI/w480-h640/Atlantis%201.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Lost Chambers Aquarium - Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q35eZLynGdJyP86a6sQAW0eowhmzpwXnNtMBIfTSLRvVosF0hSkEiNqSO2LxpLsaU6fENrTvyaKepQeMWr3-IkD51ejt5c1kiLQSL_S5aKmzgwycYSnsOOU-rUDIk9c6HtSlzhicaNj-EGSuhGFUCL8sT6OyBIm7mkuYAVG3LgYSiaGHaOq2flT25HM/s4032/Atlantis%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q35eZLynGdJyP86a6sQAW0eowhmzpwXnNtMBIfTSLRvVosF0hSkEiNqSO2LxpLsaU6fENrTvyaKepQeMWr3-IkD51ejt5c1kiLQSL_S5aKmzgwycYSnsOOU-rUDIk9c6HtSlzhicaNj-EGSuhGFUCL8sT6OyBIm7mkuYAVG3LgYSiaGHaOq2flT25HM/w480-h640/Atlantis%202.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdHyxCcIt-sCRGXWrEKQuGKHG_E5ABBx-rtVp1nw_JutgCTRDhk7AX98qcODAHNHisFZ4ip6w-VhOe7GhJK38yHezSnXXsznyOVfR0qLyXJ3x-GBk8_AfEhEuOdRZGsYS5QLf9SdO2u4KReRZpmMOV2vwvcDAWfzPcdmOBbH7UqwylVkCpt2h7XsW0AM/s8096/Atlantis%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3844" data-original-width="8096" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdHyxCcIt-sCRGXWrEKQuGKHG_E5ABBx-rtVp1nw_JutgCTRDhk7AX98qcODAHNHisFZ4ip6w-VhOe7GhJK38yHezSnXXsznyOVfR0qLyXJ3x-GBk8_AfEhEuOdRZGsYS5QLf9SdO2u4KReRZpmMOV2vwvcDAWfzPcdmOBbH7UqwylVkCpt2h7XsW0AM/w640-h304/Atlantis%203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuYmr9pOIJ3CeSCitOq7b5uhZsABpEPVoUIU6htTI_HWNaRgB_nNUH22r0MN7ky9E4zrmAnR-h-UeM7Yn48OP8gArwc4xFHD2q1IQo7hmmiZFyj_zKiwAELTkeSmuddN6Sl5iqRY1insH0-fZLvjfgMusQZ0jpV962RivvpYAnjxS7lBP26MtzsBN6H0/s1795/Atlantis%204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuYmr9pOIJ3CeSCitOq7b5uhZsABpEPVoUIU6htTI_HWNaRgB_nNUH22r0MN7ky9E4zrmAnR-h-UeM7Yn48OP8gArwc4xFHD2q1IQo7hmmiZFyj_zKiwAELTkeSmuddN6Sl5iqRY1insH0-fZLvjfgMusQZ0jpV962RivvpYAnjxS7lBP26MtzsBN6H0/w514-h640/Atlantis%204.JPG" width="514" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Lost Chambers Aquarium - Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoHPt8I7ERJGxg5v_XuzygEThPPMwLBCQpfO0JjBBhbSiCupCojSVl0JwYOYgpYjtLkFHItH5_5xwYpsPkrj8KHpbieTSXh-kjnxppvWB_TJO3dhn0nH9S27yWINf_BPZNuypT-6VQiDk9G6n_Jkex-GPs8xFZAuE2DmM3tpcK-VgOvw1fCoENgKX2JI/s4032/Atlantis%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoHPt8I7ERJGxg5v_XuzygEThPPMwLBCQpfO0JjBBhbSiCupCojSVl0JwYOYgpYjtLkFHItH5_5xwYpsPkrj8KHpbieTSXh-kjnxppvWB_TJO3dhn0nH9S27yWINf_BPZNuypT-6VQiDk9G6n_Jkex-GPs8xFZAuE2DmM3tpcK-VgOvw1fCoENgKX2JI/w480-h640/Atlantis%205.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Lost Chambers Aquarium - Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The breath-taking location of Atlantis sets it apart from all other locations, offering guests a surreal experience in the heart of this man-made marvel. This luxury resort boasts an unrivalled position, perched majestically at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah, offering panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai's impressive skyline. The place is a testament to architectural ingenuity, combining innovative design with opulent amenities that redefine luxury hospitality. There are attractions aplenty ranging from the magnificent Aquaventure Park, the internal (Lost Chambers )aquarium, the plethora of restaurants and bars, shopping options and the views of the Dubai skyline. It's spectacular, without question and even though the temperatures in Dubai soar into the high 40's during the month of July, the access that you have to a vast array of attractions and the manner in which Dubai understands that it needs to counter act the oppressive heat through a vast array of cooling mechanisms just means that the experience is exactly what you want it to be - a pleasure.</span></span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6Dxo5n5Sj_JmyIUsEyBoF7GXx-A-FqNWmfOD3D0vUZvRDDmCST-H_vNSOkIjbNnUMe_Brh3DLfIoZlX2sB9Pu17YLRAJGwzMZ5BtrnZUEkyiAVcWyn0FKIYSJ9_DOb0MxYBAnxNsUVg54pdSc20KVQ1J2N-Gs6ONKPQnANsbLE2esYihsVTYaauVFvY/s4032/Atlantis%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6Dxo5n5Sj_JmyIUsEyBoF7GXx-A-FqNWmfOD3D0vUZvRDDmCST-H_vNSOkIjbNnUMe_Brh3DLfIoZlX2sB9Pu17YLRAJGwzMZ5BtrnZUEkyiAVcWyn0FKIYSJ9_DOb0MxYBAnxNsUVg54pdSc20KVQ1J2N-Gs6ONKPQnANsbLE2esYihsVTYaauVFvY/w640-h480/Atlantis%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVDs1Fpjt87nMmjIXqD_JAtdxRW9kWYS9V3Agt6Bek_MdS3_YWpI4N6JgfjHuZNW7Kr8JX8YNpqcH-f8VNYut1X-vbnOl59R1hq6Gq0dJenyKNYR8LzknnOcP1NR2CjRJ6fKUwKxG57d6pqi5PGqSuzLIKww7bOWXAJlFYnDa8CA9txABSBl2mV1lz0Q/s4032/Atlantis%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVDs1Fpjt87nMmjIXqD_JAtdxRW9kWYS9V3Agt6Bek_MdS3_YWpI4N6JgfjHuZNW7Kr8JX8YNpqcH-f8VNYut1X-vbnOl59R1hq6Gq0dJenyKNYR8LzknnOcP1NR2CjRJ6fKUwKxG57d6pqi5PGqSuzLIKww7bOWXAJlFYnDa8CA9txABSBl2mV1lz0Q/w640-h480/Atlantis%207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeqoLq-ZjN8CSaTze9NtLEDjiTp06GVw9Zo-oM5TsrM32fQC0pxIU40cXDXMD2v2FLz1CEqyjL87iY0OllH-5jk7AYgG9mYD-6FMexkeQoZzbsu8vnQee4dBR35jo01XQaGuKv9XsBtajmpQ1fHj-pdzd92qOaiVEbHetqEx9p0lwjTSn-hj9Xh48-eA/s4032/Atlantis%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeqoLq-ZjN8CSaTze9NtLEDjiTp06GVw9Zo-oM5TsrM32fQC0pxIU40cXDXMD2v2FLz1CEqyjL87iY0OllH-5jk7AYgG9mYD-6FMexkeQoZzbsu8vnQee4dBR35jo01XQaGuKv9XsBtajmpQ1fHj-pdzd92qOaiVEbHetqEx9p0lwjTSn-hj9Xh48-eA/w640-h480/Atlantis%209.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Lost Chambers Aquarium - Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKJsiApiJY8twNYH6GYvqsVbeblzSHieXVfCc3PMJtOKzV6vGTjvC5O2JZI_iLEEom9U93L2bI8eTdC5om7Bv9zyBP5e-6AGPJLpr5LlKpxUTr7lEXG7Uuc9YRZIOB5fdkgDwFo-9RESyi_q2UxEDkaEr2tyR9209iZJwI4GUImE259rDiGL-e0HQRys/s1440/Atlantis%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKJsiApiJY8twNYH6GYvqsVbeblzSHieXVfCc3PMJtOKzV6vGTjvC5O2JZI_iLEEom9U93L2bI8eTdC5om7Bv9zyBP5e-6AGPJLpr5LlKpxUTr7lEXG7Uuc9YRZIOB5fdkgDwFo-9RESyi_q2UxEDkaEr2tyR9209iZJwI4GUImE259rDiGL-e0HQRys/w640-h482/Atlantis%2010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Lost Chambers Aquarium - Atlantis, The Palm - Palm Island Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Iconic in every sense, the Palm Atlantis stands as a symbol of Dubai's ambition and grandeur. With its distinctive silhouette against the Dubai skyline it captures the imagination of all that see it or those that desire to see it. Whilst we certainly enjoyed our time here the only issue that we found was that we became so entrenched in the 'Atlantis World' that we didn't find the energy to head out into Dubai and do other things. Part of that was travelling with Aiden and having the comfort of not needing to move very far to do an array of activities, which in itself would speak to families as a location of convenience.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DX7TTIkRlXHNZncGa0IQoyTlXAyTn5cPZTrsq_b4jM4-wsuEHmaENo1ScjPIBQnzmPTNICP8-vuK5QLqwOwS1q1_0Sbw_crzoCfb5I_RtI18bGkd5196ktzvGFa_BV83i7xr4hnFY345s69UzqoHQY61b-_h7G6rXA5Hf7kDmtfbxwmYqva591E5Spo/s4032/Maldives%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DX7TTIkRlXHNZncGa0IQoyTlXAyTn5cPZTrsq_b4jM4-wsuEHmaENo1ScjPIBQnzmPTNICP8-vuK5QLqwOwS1q1_0Sbw_crzoCfb5I_RtI18bGkd5196ktzvGFa_BV83i7xr4hnFY345s69UzqoHQY61b-_h7G6rXA5Hf7kDmtfbxwmYqva591E5Spo/w640-h480/Maldives%202.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">High over the Indian Ocean - The Maldives</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBNi6n4uN4wIsHf0tHkY_XDx1DnMK6RUbGprdtFVg-2n70XIOut1uda4NunU8L_6i835Fs0RZ0POWahwUcnyT2or29VO5I3NFGb0A37nr1NQvTJPsdSBlVOMz0u3J9IBr-Ui-edbqL52SqkZswfMDO-EL_oBOm_pzvAkXWlPYgYHpjeCCOEGl6foKNHM/s4032/Maldives.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBNi6n4uN4wIsHf0tHkY_XDx1DnMK6RUbGprdtFVg-2n70XIOut1uda4NunU8L_6i835Fs0RZ0POWahwUcnyT2or29VO5I3NFGb0A37nr1NQvTJPsdSBlVOMz0u3J9IBr-Ui-edbqL52SqkZswfMDO-EL_oBOm_pzvAkXWlPYgYHpjeCCOEGl6foKNHM/w640-h480/Maldives.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">High over the Indian Ocean - The Maldives</span></i></div><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dubai is a Las Vegas on steroids. It may take you a bit of time to just accept it for what it is but once you immerse yourself into its world then you'll quickly be amazed by their achievements and also what it can offer you. </span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comCrescent Rd - The Palm Jumeirah - Dubai - United Arab Emirates25.1304426 55.1171498-3.179791236178847 19.9608998 53.440676436178848 90.273399799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-81482948400626205062022-07-24T17:41:00.000+10:002024-02-29T18:32:17.325+11:00Amsterdam (Netherlands) - 'Amsterdam: The city Venice sees when it dreams'<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Amsterdam (Netherlands)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>21 July 2022</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There's a hell of a lot to like about Amsterdam, it's as simple as that. I'd only ever been to the city once before where Inga a & I spent 5 days in a lovely canal on the equally as charming Singel canal in the centre of the city. Unfortunately for me, on this occasion we only had the opportunity to spend one overcast and drizzly afternoon, moving at the beck and call of a tempestuous city that inherently knows how endearing and attractive it is, but still walks on with that 'ugly duckling' syndrome.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Having been based in Leiden for the past few days, a mere 50kms away from this urban marvel, it would have been a sin not to have allowed ourselves the opportunity to spend some time immersed in its allure.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Amsterdam presents itself as dynamic, progressive, historic, charming, vibrant, cosmopolitan, quaint, eclectic and a raft of other adjectives....and it lives up to all of it. In my first few steps from departing Amsterdam Centraal station I recalled saying to Inga on a number of occasions, '<i> I forgot how great this place is'.</i> Even in the rain, even with such a limited time constraint, the canals, the houses and the environment is just intoxicating. It's certainly a special place.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Unfortunately we only had a long afternoon to enjoy our time here but we know its going to be a place that we'll return to at least a few more times in this lifetime - lets go to the photos.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA7VF0zi3sPZ-vzNmWfo0rmdYIJ0DyVKqX19hLamNa4IV8RiBgSekMkyCxIloqbxGsU_Kr8D1nQN76tTuyVwum9urIS9gKDQoVfghLNHfp6AB1oowvfpIA3HktLmTSda1_DcB_G_Q_z9iMv3M4VOIiFRpPD2E2RnKgsjtfkoiuOl2d8lATQ5nZEBbxrM/s4032/AM5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA7VF0zi3sPZ-vzNmWfo0rmdYIJ0DyVKqX19hLamNa4IV8RiBgSekMkyCxIloqbxGsU_Kr8D1nQN76tTuyVwum9urIS9gKDQoVfghLNHfp6AB1oowvfpIA3HktLmTSda1_DcB_G_Q_z9iMv3M4VOIiFRpPD2E2RnKgsjtfkoiuOl2d8lATQ5nZEBbxrM/w480-h640/AM5.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Amsterdam - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTiPqFaNtAr4iGeR5JDWqogaCJdyJusg8JeFfTKKkiVXRTii3EX3X0i85ql7RDkEZpVh8XPc2Ls4_R-s5omAxKeDWkF4OcxiPEv1viEnp-2HRKjpiRBzdilCwIDaBd9SJmx7Mqli27g0pGyJKcBsrh4y12YRGttu7MqMWjcGLF2lN_xfyrEAuh8EbNEM/s3618/AM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2312" data-original-width="3618" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTiPqFaNtAr4iGeR5JDWqogaCJdyJusg8JeFfTKKkiVXRTii3EX3X0i85ql7RDkEZpVh8XPc2Ls4_R-s5omAxKeDWkF4OcxiPEv1viEnp-2HRKjpiRBzdilCwIDaBd9SJmx7Mqli27g0pGyJKcBsrh4y12YRGttu7MqMWjcGLF2lN_xfyrEAuh8EbNEM/w640-h408/AM2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Amsterdam - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgIN-KTEBgBMSvLeTGMkeJ8JzQozULmTsyjDP1tkY354PZJSixzkhgujTQFSjxN7kiS1ULlvt2WAIrRlOfgo2_Li7hfloioulhrYwPc_AyCHHv9RkE8NVZGv5IXcHoVxEIilysW9msLTgz74QRj7q2nS0nK3SeZmCSGlULE6poBRyv8vMNcJ-jkcwTVI/s4032/AM3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgIN-KTEBgBMSvLeTGMkeJ8JzQozULmTsyjDP1tkY354PZJSixzkhgujTQFSjxN7kiS1ULlvt2WAIrRlOfgo2_Li7hfloioulhrYwPc_AyCHHv9RkE8NVZGv5IXcHoVxEIilysW9msLTgz74QRj7q2nS0nK3SeZmCSGlULE6poBRyv8vMNcJ-jkcwTVI/w480-h640/AM3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Amsterdam - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG72mmTaLU6BT3KZz1l9It_z3SNTSrRtVJlkMtwj6shnUEXdDE0o_FLRg3Cl8e7OaiUUOqJZP837cx0YhgM9mqmYN0mI-iPSXfEyNQEqXQGa04r3-CYov5V_fJPMeAOee8B-7Cau-P612fXKRNPzv3DX8hs04Q1g_nOi7qSbrTr0Xj9fmdTSHRbJn6T0/s4032/AM7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG72mmTaLU6BT3KZz1l9It_z3SNTSrRtVJlkMtwj6shnUEXdDE0o_FLRg3Cl8e7OaiUUOqJZP837cx0YhgM9mqmYN0mI-iPSXfEyNQEqXQGa04r3-CYov5V_fJPMeAOee8B-7Cau-P612fXKRNPzv3DX8hs04Q1g_nOi7qSbrTr0Xj9fmdTSHRbJn6T0/w480-h640/AM7.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Amsterdam - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLOlJuVdqPdRua7zrH5MSRR6dl3sORVjCZ4kWqUw3WLvAWptLjUDk2k90tS_3ygGdHGaIVXUAmKqAiiHVjLXRSUdTvtCPqpVodYjjUZhkc2d6FDKQql2G8vwVkN6dwH0KPg74ZQeY8jFEaoomA3sIorKA23g8num7HsKZ6LUroJxiAXI8RXeT8EFByWw/s4032/AM13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLOlJuVdqPdRua7zrH5MSRR6dl3sORVjCZ4kWqUw3WLvAWptLjUDk2k90tS_3ygGdHGaIVXUAmKqAiiHVjLXRSUdTvtCPqpVodYjjUZhkc2d6FDKQql2G8vwVkN6dwH0KPg74ZQeY8jFEaoomA3sIorKA23g8num7HsKZ6LUroJxiAXI8RXeT8EFByWw/w480-h640/AM13.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-d6sCtNZAoVVgSy4r4rK0vzMdC7ozn1d73SB2nfBrNfrdiuOqoLG5ABJvi3Ns9t67E5kw6jcno-06oai1WEIYctzpkk_cxrTUPZPxi7zk4aIbwA8NiJG-3ni-Eb5YJqr68FseBw9c0Hw-ZQz4MgxaqcrZSa58rYrd2M0vwS1UWYklMDvv2AW8balPEjs/s1416/AM14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="811" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-d6sCtNZAoVVgSy4r4rK0vzMdC7ozn1d73SB2nfBrNfrdiuOqoLG5ABJvi3Ns9t67E5kw6jcno-06oai1WEIYctzpkk_cxrTUPZPxi7zk4aIbwA8NiJG-3ni-Eb5YJqr68FseBw9c0Hw-ZQz4MgxaqcrZSa58rYrd2M0vwS1UWYklMDvv2AW8balPEjs/w366-h640/AM14.jpg" width="366" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comAmsterdam, Netherlands52.3675734 4.904138924.057339563821152 -30.2521111 80.677807236178836 40.0603889tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-21771052661951618662022-07-23T09:54:00.008+10:002024-01-04T11:19:56.772+11:00Leiden (the Netherlands) - Quintessentially Dutch<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Leiden (the Netherlands)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>20 July - 23 July 2022</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This part is always hard. I remember leaving Belgrade as a kid, there was always that inherent sadness from my mother who knew that it was going to be another long year before she'd see her family once more, there was me that felt emotional for leaving my cousins behind, and then there was my dad who had to deal with the tears. There's a degree of the emotional upheaval or turmoil when you come to that realisation that your time is up and you have to leave, for Inga, its the inevitable sadness of walking away from her family and an old life and moving forward once again to the new life that she has created in Australia. This part never gets easier but the small saving grace was that we were heading now heading to Leiden, a town situated approximately 35kms south-west of Amsterdam, where her sister lived, and where we would be kindly hosted for the next 3 nights.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokFrWz5xu23cRUjqY9r-3GY_lFhcKGLxP3_XGE2G14oQSeOf9SV2fdxokd4HSVwJDOTxzy702ucep02RbFQH9_6yCzLfIC3pBrwyNq_yVL7bnVhF7gbPVBVo9gwGN1NR41yCUEfMeAtXk-r2LtgRl0AjwkjsjaSP_I8TjlsWaWSfkrItjmDDHItrrOZ4/s4032/Leiden%201%20-%20Leaving%20Riga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokFrWz5xu23cRUjqY9r-3GY_lFhcKGLxP3_XGE2G14oQSeOf9SV2fdxokd4HSVwJDOTxzy702ucep02RbFQH9_6yCzLfIC3pBrwyNq_yVL7bnVhF7gbPVBVo9gwGN1NR41yCUEfMeAtXk-r2LtgRl0AjwkjsjaSP_I8TjlsWaWSfkrItjmDDHItrrOZ4/w640-h480/Leiden%201%20-%20Leaving%20Riga.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Air Baltic flight for Amsterdam - Latvia flag livery - Riga International Airport - Riga - Latvia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLFpvPMTfre3hzO-lengwcqEaeOe71Z6A8XouSdC8hXa-36YNQ-nO5MfOPcOuLYJpECOlGicAyrJcDeMfFH4ty7hXsxd7vr3dCr1ugGX8621Hayp0DhYC2r_JPEu3wCkN6JOf2W1YthY1-In0Busb-mMNE0_QzWcT6x9oJG-j0v1sJS9P23VGjuoatGs/s1569/Leiden%202%20-%20Leaving%20Riga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLFpvPMTfre3hzO-lengwcqEaeOe71Z6A8XouSdC8hXa-36YNQ-nO5MfOPcOuLYJpECOlGicAyrJcDeMfFH4ty7hXsxd7vr3dCr1ugGX8621Hayp0DhYC2r_JPEu3wCkN6JOf2W1YthY1-In0Busb-mMNE0_QzWcT6x9oJG-j0v1sJS9P23VGjuoatGs/w338-h640/Leiden%202%20-%20Leaving%20Riga.jpg" width="338" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Aiden rolling on his JetKids Bed Box by Stokke - Riga International Airport - Riga - Latvia</span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Walking the halls of Amsterdam's Schipol international airport was like entering purgatory for suitcases. Rooms and halls were piled high with these temporary mobile storage units from the sea of travellers who had past through the airport in one way or another, but whose luggage had not been adequately tethered to their owners for ongoing legs of the journey. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">In this new post-covid world where we were all trying to return to some sort of sense or normalcy, the misidentified, misplaced or simply lost luggage of thousands of travellers was simple testament to the impact that covid had had on all facets of our lives, and also, how far we needed to go before we actually arrived at 'normal', or in fact, the 'new normal'. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The stories that we had heard of the carnage at Schipol was all very true. Lost luggage overflowing through its corridors and extraordinarily long queues snaking their way both without and outside of all terminals. It was a scene.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Thankfully we managed to move relatively swiftly through the arrival / luggage pick-up process and was meant by the partner of Inga's sister, Wouter, who was kind enough to pick us up from the airport.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEtwZ0-8C4-NEtZIsXqmR-8YJobgFBAh5UrxAxY79a2il5Hh5FM5JZ_YVRewji1NJEGKelqGhZyBIXgknIbiW8DM0sY1vWrj_u8ym6g2zuzTXG4RAzdv60PfuLMeSNYnvLe9-BDaWpTv1ynsnu3LNN_ghoERAbI9dunJmvonUbq_RjgoQTgTq3ml4NIQ/s4032/Leiden%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEtwZ0-8C4-NEtZIsXqmR-8YJobgFBAh5UrxAxY79a2il5Hh5FM5JZ_YVRewji1NJEGKelqGhZyBIXgknIbiW8DM0sY1vWrj_u8ym6g2zuzTXG4RAzdv60PfuLMeSNYnvLe9-BDaWpTv1ynsnu3LNN_ghoERAbI9dunJmvonUbq_RjgoQTgTq3ml4NIQ/w640-h480/Leiden%203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2r-T8mxgXhbPplvtv_lkHx8z7S6szfKSSZIejgl-s82z7DtEVuBjYUDOQ9Xl70vUpvXM8NLCM6LhETRcXAGYhVK1XiH3mPVMO1upF4GTz6gZLH5rgelujfs6Kmu1EidBbELjvYw3UclsxoZ4HX2Q-pQgSCqzSfprPQabZQvwrWOYSYSry33TdBWVbZI/s4032/Leiden%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2r-T8mxgXhbPplvtv_lkHx8z7S6szfKSSZIejgl-s82z7DtEVuBjYUDOQ9Xl70vUpvXM8NLCM6LhETRcXAGYhVK1XiH3mPVMO1upF4GTz6gZLH5rgelujfs6Kmu1EidBbELjvYw3UclsxoZ4HX2Q-pQgSCqzSfprPQabZQvwrWOYSYSry33TdBWVbZI/w640-h480/Leiden%204.jpg" width="640" /></a><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9I_FvxBBzH-fb79tDeR5HKsyKkJ8jX3kvA9eB28wn3bNn2pEagMCxbM7-sw1YZSmixb4wSPgTM6s0elCDed8tFHWg2P5s2b0v6JgsMdoWOTKQA6dnW9HZzatxtEpOr7KZMD7S7WNQWn4gdyhTWlh0RbZ2X8vihAUvCZ2oJGTycIj1XHO68UUcjPOmr8/s4032/Leiden%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9I_FvxBBzH-fb79tDeR5HKsyKkJ8jX3kvA9eB28wn3bNn2pEagMCxbM7-sw1YZSmixb4wSPgTM6s0elCDed8tFHWg2P5s2b0v6JgsMdoWOTKQA6dnW9HZzatxtEpOr7KZMD7S7WNQWn4gdyhTWlh0RbZ2X8vihAUvCZ2oJGTycIj1XHO68UUcjPOmr8/w640-h480/Leiden%206.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6aik5KmH7QRiVxXADc35pHHk9RSIflZzO1CsqcXNC4t7pD9sgjP1WVT2cFnuzr3afkKlFUAPf7gN3xNYWHrDIsAwLFDPhEddCxC7priAbZ3AcpIficAFWJgKpLCHHbsVZzx1rbr-YaqpJY1edtAp4ycLzY9dFKuhyphenhyphenA6KSnDHqttyzVWt-_N9VvwocAk/s4032/Leiden%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6aik5KmH7QRiVxXADc35pHHk9RSIflZzO1CsqcXNC4t7pD9sgjP1WVT2cFnuzr3afkKlFUAPf7gN3xNYWHrDIsAwLFDPhEddCxC7priAbZ3AcpIficAFWJgKpLCHHbsVZzx1rbr-YaqpJY1edtAp4ycLzY9dFKuhyphenhyphenA6KSnDHqttyzVWt-_N9VvwocAk/w640-h480/Leiden%207.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden playing with his cousin - Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfcn4DWRXqiVj2QehF3lxc2UKZZAce_KVq8CDuDQ9jHasexRE9icYFwYsZv68Qj1BzBQZkR6sNamqM-f6yzYbug4L-vMMgnmxEl8RTD9mvvuyRgg10B3Bogx6pdbLZ63Ugeb5r5GlXL0VCUsDkf_uf6O31T15TEYED8-2AcqGHeFZgCC5WP6vGCrY_W0/s4032/Leiden%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfcn4DWRXqiVj2QehF3lxc2UKZZAce_KVq8CDuDQ9jHasexRE9icYFwYsZv68Qj1BzBQZkR6sNamqM-f6yzYbug4L-vMMgnmxEl8RTD9mvvuyRgg10B3Bogx6pdbLZ63Ugeb5r5GlXL0VCUsDkf_uf6O31T15TEYED8-2AcqGHeFZgCC5WP6vGCrY_W0/w640-h480/Leiden%208.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The next few days were spent predominantly in Leiden. Quite a picturesque, attractive and in some ways spellbinding town. A place that seems to effortlessly blend <span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">blends history, culture, and natural beauty. Known as the birthplace of the renowned painter Rembrandt van Rijn, Leiden easily captivates visitors with its enchanting canals, cobblestone streets, and stunning architecture. In many ways it is the quintessential Dutch city, offering a serene escape from the bustling pace of nearby Amsterdam. Certainly the allure of Leiden lies in its serene canal networks adorned with graceful bridges, flanked by rows of elegant 17th-century buildings that boast an array of vibrant hues, reflecting the city's rich heritage. When the sun is shining and the weather is moderately warm, its hard not to find a more affable and relaxing setting than grabbing a drink or a meal on the canals in the centre of town, simply watching life move on by whilst occupying a place on the waters' edge.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ctnfRTl1ssyL-YcXCh803otxYxk-wmziTFMCoE_ajj0XJ-2UzOLLDvGSDoM_M9oHjfzb2Iha76LG6yNQorOl_TUkQ4yRpMUtNmC4JQjW3Qk7kxCQrUkz-2yfHRQhhM8bVETw0i4OZDU1iy1YYVwx4MiYnm87KLydopLQR_5-jo_zL5sl1fY8QDegwdA/s4032/Leiden%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ctnfRTl1ssyL-YcXCh803otxYxk-wmziTFMCoE_ajj0XJ-2UzOLLDvGSDoM_M9oHjfzb2Iha76LG6yNQorOl_TUkQ4yRpMUtNmC4JQjW3Qk7kxCQrUkz-2yfHRQhhM8bVETw0i4OZDU1iy1YYVwx4MiYnm87KLydopLQR_5-jo_zL5sl1fY8QDegwdA/w480-h640/Leiden%2011.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIy6GDqIyzzVgO0LQZx_CkMqAn7qausMKHwTVhbfCJI41TFBgW3tKUnzE6NJk0gJhoPCjZEGjafYJd52LcXQK4wmAd8ru5D4ip95aZ73mRgacg-bDqgYEaK7Cw7UJal7wsPz54KB28ZBCWEnZDFm9ioU0iiUmewZhS0ZUdqzb3BRwDBZ_1YVP8W8Pe1w/s4032/Leiden%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIy6GDqIyzzVgO0LQZx_CkMqAn7qausMKHwTVhbfCJI41TFBgW3tKUnzE6NJk0gJhoPCjZEGjafYJd52LcXQK4wmAd8ru5D4ip95aZ73mRgacg-bDqgYEaK7Cw7UJal7wsPz54KB28ZBCWEnZDFm9ioU0iiUmewZhS0ZUdqzb3BRwDBZ_1YVP8W8Pe1w/w640-h480/Leiden%2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydbIgprxqXmnTtuDPNv3-JXxDNl3zY-2bmLGnUOYIqMqKi2DBWd08R4t8U0qhsE1hfn8LxuOAfAz3FDOv2x0ZG1BqNU-sKXApqv4dfx8VftNqNWVk8hZusXVHq5TT-KtOW-b5xKAhDUQgfe7Ig-2tfH6WXOUL52MSlGzJ6RXxdr_b5E2B0sN3fSIMvng/s4032/Leiden%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydbIgprxqXmnTtuDPNv3-JXxDNl3zY-2bmLGnUOYIqMqKi2DBWd08R4t8U0qhsE1hfn8LxuOAfAz3FDOv2x0ZG1BqNU-sKXApqv4dfx8VftNqNWVk8hZusXVHq5TT-KtOW-b5xKAhDUQgfe7Ig-2tfH6WXOUL52MSlGzJ6RXxdr_b5E2B0sN3fSIMvng/w480-h640/Leiden%2013.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7OEBU3iZZ9djDZosfCdN2oeMfL4XqC14n0Y8x7-OuDAxFumb3AnIvqw4TzujFQCU7XSn_6cZjMMXvBcGxME2j1T3pxIOuZgR_Xn-Jb5wq0lUGjZDbY2h4DAMX989fstfKoQSaBzdurh8W6PEJfoRKbIOQgZtTm9G19C0MIovazyFwwfYksbU6MEqMn4/s4032/Leiden%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7OEBU3iZZ9djDZosfCdN2oeMfL4XqC14n0Y8x7-OuDAxFumb3AnIvqw4TzujFQCU7XSn_6cZjMMXvBcGxME2j1T3pxIOuZgR_Xn-Jb5wq0lUGjZDbY2h4DAMX989fstfKoQSaBzdurh8W6PEJfoRKbIOQgZtTm9G19C0MIovazyFwwfYksbU6MEqMn4/w640-h480/Leiden%2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="945" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciORsgLkWsR3k51Gj0MKbAuJ42ZDFxwEK5U2zoaDULr4zNiOayhtfzZLljy12OPObOQ53lYXuDvYOOP1fAcg6esUEyHc8h1LTFiTxTM4MlJRME3_zClM4NXSavG2hOolj-8-MqOCOeMAAPMd4FMkojboF1ZQLKces_hxVx61C_Qj2c8KEWGF_mXM-c-k/w360-h640/Leiden%2020.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMJfZy2y7F0aruI7dI2f5_kpg2xFuwh3gCyTjVNpOVF8rw0BsKygNwbqeo9CtFCJs7O9KiRnn2bYy9pZq3H0FQfvPkd6TfP6ndkSfmDdJsFmLvlQ4VcurvY1y2mpp_nTWJp9NA0XH1NvfUgaFBI7bQd_LH0X8soWnSj6S6cNVaJ8KOezph2NPNmD8VT8/s3825/Leiden%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3825" data-original-width="2399" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMJfZy2y7F0aruI7dI2f5_kpg2xFuwh3gCyTjVNpOVF8rw0BsKygNwbqeo9CtFCJs7O9KiRnn2bYy9pZq3H0FQfvPkd6TfP6ndkSfmDdJsFmLvlQ4VcurvY1y2mpp_nTWJp9NA0XH1NvfUgaFBI7bQd_LH0X8soWnSj6S6cNVaJ8KOezph2NPNmD8VT8/w402-h640/Leiden%2022.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Steeped in history, Leiden's past is a tapestry of significant events. It's famed as the site where the Pilgrims found refuge before sailing to the New World on the Mayflower. The city's prestigious Leiden University, one of the oldest in Europe, stands as a testament to its intellectual legacy. It's cobbled streets act as the perfect introduction to the imposing Hooglandse Kerk, a majestic church that dates back to the 15th century, which is both a prominent and much loved landmark of the won.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The essence of Leiden emerges not only from its iconic landmarks but also from its vibrant cultural scene. The city hosts a myriad of festivals, art exhibitions, and events throughout the year, infusing the streets with an infectious energy. </span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlSfbSaI8H-n9QO3IKY35LDB0d7fwzrxIKU7wNeYeKMop_pygdSKS7v1uPUPAPc_NLFJmRpRK-6_ZeTtXIDJPO8ZNqkyQgp5CZcrHy_4FFA9tdkMMlyAvjS1U2BoM3W1Sx2k73zxGhLvopucTGGuoaVuwLvCKJwmTT6lykMbZNlGSW0loqBq9oGGwfWw/s1984/Leiden%2019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1984" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlSfbSaI8H-n9QO3IKY35LDB0d7fwzrxIKU7wNeYeKMop_pygdSKS7v1uPUPAPc_NLFJmRpRK-6_ZeTtXIDJPO8ZNqkyQgp5CZcrHy_4FFA9tdkMMlyAvjS1U2BoM3W1Sx2k73zxGhLvopucTGGuoaVuwLvCKJwmTT6lykMbZNlGSW0loqBq9oGGwfWw/w640-h288/Leiden%2019.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Family dinner - from left to right - Henry, Inga, Aiden, Anastasia, Veronika & Wouter</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3I33zoLp9Yi_mQRMusf7dit4z4y-7r6nAF7ye8aFSSzNabrsKyaKr1QH9sF8ZIxgTHefvfdo1DKC5W8_FPYnbVHGSyNeYx78ts7seInSYy_v6UmXs1bnyVOIP8D_RvWqbc57-V1iwjwiR8WgZ5z2MRr5jzwF6lQsj-Y2flZCJaZDlcDqdZA4nkjWL8k/s1498/Leiden%2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1498" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3I33zoLp9Yi_mQRMusf7dit4z4y-7r6nAF7ye8aFSSzNabrsKyaKr1QH9sF8ZIxgTHefvfdo1DKC5W8_FPYnbVHGSyNeYx78ts7seInSYy_v6UmXs1bnyVOIP8D_RvWqbc57-V1iwjwiR8WgZ5z2MRr5jzwF6lQsj-Y2flZCJaZDlcDqdZA4nkjWL8k/w640-h350/Leiden%2021.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden Centraal station - Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpb_NYCRuZpp3pjd07gEgRWNLBEtHGebyF2onsVy5Ly1dGCWxF_rWiBt0csZxUwxCH8NgFvM_pljZucXRjWjBBYfEnSaRCrouGMXnTzOIyG0nt30ziMq2f9Vo5Z8uF9-ZcfW8OsF47XpBKN8jot19518d9A4L0DPvAhIm5sj4Rr9gnesmr5JRlKb00JQ/s4032/Leiden%2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpb_NYCRuZpp3pjd07gEgRWNLBEtHGebyF2onsVy5Ly1dGCWxF_rWiBt0csZxUwxCH8NgFvM_pljZucXRjWjBBYfEnSaRCrouGMXnTzOIyG0nt30ziMq2f9Vo5Z8uF9-ZcfW8OsF47XpBKN8jot19518d9A4L0DPvAhIm5sj4Rr9gnesmr5JRlKb00JQ/w480-h640/Leiden%2024.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXM3c3GlrjcVD57bAwDR2okMD7njfMHJJfOztWjNdLbybyTXPgU1W5tBbhYIQQ5Qhhop3D60VACb3irXP91MCfWzhbrrwRdl2QZK06MsLUMciyLeEM5StTk_RVw5PqTJIcaVrpFyvE19GEBig06GHqaPgjCvJTRitVTwUq-NDNtun43OA6xx8INfn0lIk/s4032/Leiden%2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXM3c3GlrjcVD57bAwDR2okMD7njfMHJJfOztWjNdLbybyTXPgU1W5tBbhYIQQ5Qhhop3D60VACb3irXP91MCfWzhbrrwRdl2QZK06MsLUMciyLeEM5StTk_RVw5PqTJIcaVrpFyvE19GEBig06GHqaPgjCvJTRitVTwUq-NDNtun43OA6xx8INfn0lIk/w480-h640/Leiden%2025.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Leiden - the Netherlands</span></i></div><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our time there was really very pleasant, and once again, we have to say a big thank you to our hosts, Veronika & Wouter, who saw it to make our stay both comfortable and thoroughly enriching.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi41xqgfL08DLKv9YUklsVnAv-AW1m3rk1gRk7RftnJByCaoXoUCIyh3nUYNLPSq7B9FgccePTGOqfJ1by3sAgr3dXFCrW9gzFml6OblpYN-OeftHs9qr92Qqc-F8f2HhteI-m61cW-EA9wt1LmvoXqrYO6MEZfRkNh5xZdytTv8APRllYRC082k2ZeN8/s4032/Leiden%2023%20-%20Aiden%20at%20Schipol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi41xqgfL08DLKv9YUklsVnAv-AW1m3rk1gRk7RftnJByCaoXoUCIyh3nUYNLPSq7B9FgccePTGOqfJ1by3sAgr3dXFCrW9gzFml6OblpYN-OeftHs9qr92Qqc-F8f2HhteI-m61cW-EA9wt1LmvoXqrYO6MEZfRkNh5xZdytTv8APRllYRC082k2ZeN8/w480-h640/Leiden%2023%20-%20Aiden%20at%20Schipol.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden at Amsterdam Schipol airport - he already knows 'what's what'</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDskiepxlYaHotAelIdYotKmBP4sj_XGu2f0CZYUhc5kf0-XUSxDt_EOF-ktrPqVa0wL6xee3qrUqj_P61dPA0HaAea-IAPJAO5AX1vxfHOJlds9HEvwrGsOl1r5sKTDKakavwJ_wMVsGn9enBpwzjnGFjCaMr_tvrFkSYJ1e7ON2_ZRdnJtW6IzcB81Q/s4032/Leiden%2027%20-%20Schipol%20queue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDskiepxlYaHotAelIdYotKmBP4sj_XGu2f0CZYUhc5kf0-XUSxDt_EOF-ktrPqVa0wL6xee3qrUqj_P61dPA0HaAea-IAPJAO5AX1vxfHOJlds9HEvwrGsOl1r5sKTDKakavwJ_wMVsGn9enBpwzjnGFjCaMr_tvrFkSYJ1e7ON2_ZRdnJtW6IzcB81Q/w640-h480/Leiden%2027%20-%20Schipol%20queue.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">All queues at Amsterdam Schipol airport were mind-boggling - there were warnings that the expected wait time from entry (in queues outside the airport) to past security were (4) hours.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GfAvP2mG-gKE0Aeh5NEe-rRLAj2EjRU3Fw-WZg6RBfksXFd8cyuDC8IqO-c8oKbU2v83QIjZQAqKwAcH1IU0apHluU8Ln-REJIt7NzW2Z4ZEiwwL8vPM1R1mn_Yd2c-011EeRS3sJZigu0rADbJnlm7WlwqkE5jVOUG6ynvFdH9JcJHv0RPC6xUZ7Os/s4032/Leiden%2028%20-%20another%20plane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GfAvP2mG-gKE0Aeh5NEe-rRLAj2EjRU3Fw-WZg6RBfksXFd8cyuDC8IqO-c8oKbU2v83QIjZQAqKwAcH1IU0apHluU8Ln-REJIt7NzW2Z4ZEiwwL8vPM1R1mn_Yd2c-011EeRS3sJZigu0rADbJnlm7WlwqkE5jVOUG6ynvFdH9JcJHv0RPC6xUZ7Os/w480-h640/Leiden%2028%20-%20another%20plane.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Amsterdam Schipol airport - Amsterdam - the Netherlands</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB7csT2OJifKEBk4_1oC0bKE-c9X-EVGnAbmq9d_mMJRQlnllaOeRgR4XcYpF7L2wEFUQmzeVuy5QrV1MaJ2UP7kBZleUYTiEZrdM6WC1aoWkVH7i1eB-6JMgGxhpT5bZd_hvbANXsakU2kOixa4bSBNiYNGboc9iJU6E5TUsHPCjW5-DqNxn-gvALf0/s3572/Leiden%2026%20-%20Flight%20map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1745" data-original-width="3572" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB7csT2OJifKEBk4_1oC0bKE-c9X-EVGnAbmq9d_mMJRQlnllaOeRgR4XcYpF7L2wEFUQmzeVuy5QrV1MaJ2UP7kBZleUYTiEZrdM6WC1aoWkVH7i1eB-6JMgGxhpT5bZd_hvbANXsakU2kOixa4bSBNiYNGboc9iJU6E5TUsHPCjW5-DqNxn-gvALf0/w640-h312/Leiden%2026%20-%20Flight%20map.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi - splitting Riga & Serbia - about 10kms about Eastern Austria or Western Romania</span></i></div></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlh9iIqEjX78iAz6nN42glgBbXqo-VV0i0ZVGPvpYu7b32Yy7dC_n9lhajSLNLOhlBEs_Pd8DhF88fGlekLJeoYX8Vi5kXNdkOHYNJyGvLywKaI_ulvPrdtgy4oJBaMEu8_wQ4GJAncyLZMdjuyhiMRgN8t5E1J_mp-od_LiqlxQz6CLNS5T19MkVO4I/s4032/Leiden%2029%20-%20Aiden%20on%20plane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlh9iIqEjX78iAz6nN42glgBbXqo-VV0i0ZVGPvpYu7b32Yy7dC_n9lhajSLNLOhlBEs_Pd8DhF88fGlekLJeoYX8Vi5kXNdkOHYNJyGvLywKaI_ulvPrdtgy4oJBaMEu8_wQ4GJAncyLZMdjuyhiMRgN8t5E1J_mp-od_LiqlxQz6CLNS5T19MkVO4I/w480-h640/Leiden%2029%20-%20Aiden%20on%20plane.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBCxSgmWEo8Y3unXurRpqTxLNohk837RU0BPUbH9KzQHRBAts_AnsIdO2fG5bHAjOvOL3cE1yOweYmy5ZcPXe3WYJXL_dBnthNfcXIC47MqXUUPRLPIuxdRQOuHJYhaODUY57btTQbdw0O5XAkswMFexTdNeXZaMFaZaYFjT35sEBuqyEOy1ZiwndKqY/s4032/Leiden%2030%20-%20window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBCxSgmWEo8Y3unXurRpqTxLNohk837RU0BPUbH9KzQHRBAts_AnsIdO2fG5bHAjOvOL3cE1yOweYmy5ZcPXe3WYJXL_dBnthNfcXIC47MqXUUPRLPIuxdRQOuHJYhaODUY57btTQbdw0O5XAkswMFexTdNeXZaMFaZaYFjT35sEBuqyEOy1ZiwndKqY/w480-h640/Leiden%2030%20-%20window.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Beautiful coloured sky - on the way to Abu Dhabi</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgba(69,89,164,.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 transparent; --tw-shadow: 0 0 transparent; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; border: 0px solid rgb(217, 217, 227); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; margin: 1.25em 0px 0px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I haven't seen much of the Netherlands, but from the places that I have seen, there is just a beautiful balance of history and beauty that to me makes it a very special place. Without question, I'm already looking forward to my next visit.</span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comLeiden, Netherlands52.1601144 4.497009723.849880563821152 -30.6592403 80.470348236178836 39.6532597tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-45067889305710077472022-07-06T12:34:00.058+10:002023-11-03T10:47:35.802+11:00Belgrade (SERBIA): What we took for granted...<p><b style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">Belgrade (SERBIA)</b></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">28 JUNE - 06 JULY 2022</span></p><p><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wh</span><span style="font-family: arial;">at the hell just happened to us?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There we all were, sailing along calmly, serenely, in our own little pockets of a vast and expansive of ocean of tranquility, with endless blue skies, sunny days and forecasts for much more of the same. Then, in the same breath, a rogue wave took our collective ease and tossed it into a churning cauldron of uncertainty. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Many of us were unprepared, no safety vests, no items of buoyancy within arm's reach. We flapped and flailed, we swallowed inordinate amounts of salt water, and some of us went under. COVID, I hope, has been a once in a lifetime event that will be banished to the lines written in many an online entry, and accounted for individually in many a faded memory.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For my small family the impact was merely a nuisance rather than anything extraordinarily devastating. I was easily able to transition to working from</span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"> home. For Inga however, whose area of work is based in hospitality, being located in one of the most locked down cities on earth (Melbourne) meant all reasonable chances for employment were lost. So like many economically displaced residents, we took part in the great northern migration of 2020-21 and found ourselves hiding out in our investment property on the Gold Coast.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">....but wait, this is a TRAVEL blog, so lets get back to it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The incantations of travel, those dreams of tranquility, of exploration, of discovery, all were removed within a 7-day period sometime back in April of 2020. One of those dependable constants in our lives was entirely erased and replaced with curfews, a 5km travel radius and infections rates. Long endless days bled into months of isolated tedium We all hoped for some visible endpoint, a psychological marker that we would be able to work to and know that through our own personal resilience we could achieve.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It was in these times that I thought back to the experiences we had in the preceding years. The small annoyances and grievances of travel such as the inordinately slow queues at check-in or whilst going through security. The steely, unfriendly, almost accusatory eyes of customs officers. The ridiculous price tags for any food or beverages acquired within a terminal. The fight for armrests, the post-service rush to the lavatory, the impatience of certain passengers and their need to furiously disembark through the single accessible cabin door even before the plan docks at the terminal jet bridge...all of this, each vexation, every irritant we had taken for granted within the entirety of the travel process. So small, and insignificant, they had all manifested into larger items of aggravation that was almost akin to denouncing the whole travel process, but now, now much bigger things had been taken away from us.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our families and friends scattered across the world. The plans for reunions, catch-ups, special events. The conduit for this was encapsulated in the small aggravations that was longer available to us. Somehow the horrible process of minor inconveniences didn't seem nearly as problematic as we once imagined. Somehow what we had taken for granted was now what we desired most in order to get back to doing and seeing the people and things that we loved the most.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Almost 3 years had passed since Inga and I had been to Europe to see how families. This wait in many ways was quite unpleasant but looking back, it was also something that brought to us the realisation that you need to always appreciate what you have because one day it can easily turn into <i>what you had.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcziVaQg91yd6Tq4eocSWLzTCjdtLiAeDx_NiDf8wTjBAhUu8IHbrnrJZvl7ECtXPBZoJfaMeIzMkVeYPr4YK-9S4jCJo_tKbkV_Z4lSo1Rc6IFyler3tNdc-z2OABEZC3hnMLg7E7h9lxu4GQsXYfNrusvySRSpK4SGc58U-sLi2vaiDeb9q465pG/s755/Melbourne%20airport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="482" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcziVaQg91yd6Tq4eocSWLzTCjdtLiAeDx_NiDf8wTjBAhUu8IHbrnrJZvl7ECtXPBZoJfaMeIzMkVeYPr4YK-9S4jCJo_tKbkV_Z4lSo1Rc6IFyler3tNdc-z2OABEZC3hnMLg7E7h9lxu4GQsXYfNrusvySRSpK4SGc58U-sLi2vaiDeb9q465pG/w408-h640/Melbourne%20airport.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Inga & Aiden - Melbourne, Tullamarine Airport - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VEqQRVu7poTRMIzvuk8Ia1cJ6EhU_IYRDN-SvWtGnqKwM6XfcYOydiQy1BsE0sAozGOUJzosiCJfHIEp2MA5SVPPQ4GNLsr83UVRjOjGVeoYcznIZvF3y3HI0zz--5ODIXb-zxtJI3HVBk2fXF2Y75AqauuejMmna_ckXR6Z_GeV9LZC8_4mZYkZ/s767/Aiden%20airport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="570" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VEqQRVu7poTRMIzvuk8Ia1cJ6EhU_IYRDN-SvWtGnqKwM6XfcYOydiQy1BsE0sAozGOUJzosiCJfHIEp2MA5SVPPQ4GNLsr83UVRjOjGVeoYcznIZvF3y3HI0zz--5ODIXb-zxtJI3HVBk2fXF2Y75AqauuejMmna_ckXR6Z_GeV9LZC8_4mZYkZ/w477-h640/Aiden%20airport.jpg" width="477" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Aiden - Melbourne, Tullamarine Airport - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_WGBTpdGp6EyMdQD9RnFu4kmKBh56MKl5DnPz240BFscU65Iz0mEHb825mBOJ-7d5FnA86uNkWf3SMJuLhyBuTtYaTAScT8a_ybYykGs1vX20wfit9VqzGVXDua5TvM6bmsmfnqLtEF80eS8xAhYTxYMNH8JRSFfKkJ9Wd0h7WK6KmihIa6EZ9BB/s772/Aiden%20plane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="576" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_WGBTpdGp6EyMdQD9RnFu4kmKBh56MKl5DnPz240BFscU65Iz0mEHb825mBOJ-7d5FnA86uNkWf3SMJuLhyBuTtYaTAScT8a_ybYykGs1vX20wfit9VqzGVXDua5TvM6bmsmfnqLtEF80eS8xAhYTxYMNH8JRSFfKkJ9Wd0h7WK6KmihIa6EZ9BB/w478-h640/Aiden%20plane.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">That's not too bad of a set-up - Etihad Airways</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">There was something about arriving in Belgrade that felt comforting. As a kid landing at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla airport was always an event filled with excitement and anticipation. Waiting to see my mum's family, doing that familiar driver from the airport to Topcider. It was something that I have, and probably always will associated with good times, warm feelings and family. Certainly this time was no different. Even more so that having lived in Belgrade for three years between 2015-2018, and now, through COVID restrictions, having been removed for three years, it was something that I had certainly been missing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhI-5PPURK8npsOIl_KYqDCv3mCWHTiMFrogYFOZSZ743EiEiAJK2u_9J31P5xlkAfWHokq2aYg1vfM4OEk3BVQCdVZdzSXJLQIm-F3xthIsGtAYJWFTMzIM5meWNjifRHiBxlNTxYE_pBoARlEEdNhEbC3bVg0q0SYZJZhHPOVadQE6lVIHJEKxp/s770/Aiden%20Belgrade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="577" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhI-5PPURK8npsOIl_KYqDCv3mCWHTiMFrogYFOZSZ743EiEiAJK2u_9J31P5xlkAfWHokq2aYg1vfM4OEk3BVQCdVZdzSXJLQIm-F3xthIsGtAYJWFTMzIM5meWNjifRHiBxlNTxYE_pBoARlEEdNhEbC3bVg0q0SYZJZhHPOVadQE6lVIHJEKxp/w480-h640/Aiden%20Belgrade.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i>Aiden & Inga - Trg Republike - Belgrade - Serbia</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcT7cIhMDq2JSTXs_3Saxrj3cAerhaH4zp7ENqYFJZdie8_iK1-FLjxF0U-TL0dFwCp8U11x7-XSZzH8KfUlCXUSDqna40ieEpdBkHoaz9s5Qzcw60MRhGd-ocI4AhGXFdVOmlWyYhsu99Ddm63YIROJt-7fKMiLa1gqJx0PTJtCWcAjL7iKWOxsN/s775/BC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="580" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcT7cIhMDq2JSTXs_3Saxrj3cAerhaH4zp7ENqYFJZdie8_iK1-FLjxF0U-TL0dFwCp8U11x7-XSZzH8KfUlCXUSDqna40ieEpdBkHoaz9s5Qzcw60MRhGd-ocI4AhGXFdVOmlWyYhsu99Ddm63YIROJt-7fKMiLa1gqJx0PTJtCWcAjL7iKWOxsN/w478-h640/BC.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">This old man, he's still 'the man' - BC - Topcider - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BCeiqPH5r0DJKE0HTSjnC0EeYCaFl3eTGoeVDAx0-RqQxQi7CZ1UU_YxBCHGzGCx0SbNCyRzvW_pkRG6S0puIfKjTWwT1SKlIfeJcHqbP7VRtTTlR7tcVLWPteCko0njFkIvK4Zauia2VhCYIxTSC6Oiwp5x6zkXywz3OsPXUAbQMjzcrNj5N4n-/s776/Belgrade%20-%20Knez%20Mihailova%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="585" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BCeiqPH5r0DJKE0HTSjnC0EeYCaFl3eTGoeVDAx0-RqQxQi7CZ1UU_YxBCHGzGCx0SbNCyRzvW_pkRG6S0puIfKjTWwT1SKlIfeJcHqbP7VRtTTlR7tcVLWPteCko0njFkIvK4Zauia2VhCYIxTSC6Oiwp5x6zkXywz3OsPXUAbQMjzcrNj5N4n-/w482-h640/Belgrade%20-%20Knez%20Mihailova%202.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Knez Mihailova - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd6KgWUClpBiLGQavxRp8kWRPaNtExaNduKgLWqvi9qckwD6FovHAizEEC8S0pkdv55L0-wFEMmNkzNmAMYc3mj2miOUmvujaRtLtMPtmmviKF27g7L0j0Y8S7G7vu_RcMvGziljZ09fLKfLsJTxJU7jVdD4N6I967UebDOSfLGAi5qb-PHmeWZov/s767/Belgrade%20-%20Knez%20Mihailova.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="578" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd6KgWUClpBiLGQavxRp8kWRPaNtExaNduKgLWqvi9qckwD6FovHAizEEC8S0pkdv55L0-wFEMmNkzNmAMYc3mj2miOUmvujaRtLtMPtmmviKF27g7L0j0Y8S7G7vu_RcMvGziljZ09fLKfLsJTxJU7jVdD4N6I967UebDOSfLGAi5qb-PHmeWZov/w482-h640/Belgrade%20-%20Knez%20Mihailova.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Knez Mihailova - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV2fva19EEMP8SLHgTn0NdHjEU17EDhA-TVZInCgUHghfzTxRvXp1yRzkw2lhLKBeP1eu0bzhqTRWpv9dUsXI1XWjl3rHvbQFVzZ72t2nnjReG35AHDdZ7zakDcBdrs_d_qVi1YC5bFXc7yBkWY-6dBWXZQmOFcGAmAe-FLIbbNL-Bbd-X9QlJ8_H/s777/Belgrade%20-%20Moskva1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="577" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV2fva19EEMP8SLHgTn0NdHjEU17EDhA-TVZInCgUHghfzTxRvXp1yRzkw2lhLKBeP1eu0bzhqTRWpv9dUsXI1XWjl3rHvbQFVzZ72t2nnjReG35AHDdZ7zakDcBdrs_d_qVi1YC5bFXc7yBkWY-6dBWXZQmOFcGAmAe-FLIbbNL-Bbd-X9QlJ8_H/w476-h640/Belgrade%20-%20Moskva1.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Hotel Moskva - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcRUUApnUrdVqfzXiF8GRaUMjZHHYeR4usuj0NvSKj_4EE1RCUcWJL26IB0bubXSUK1sqmcg-8BZSDWc58TFNcpUKapIvwssHy6nxIhr_ofCMFuYsvKmDMnZXxViRQ2AQ7jhgBC24vl4ApEzkgRdqIGcGsk7tWWuTMkiMlyCuiem_ldkMX3e9OBq9/s782/Belgrade%20-%20Moskva.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="577" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcRUUApnUrdVqfzXiF8GRaUMjZHHYeR4usuj0NvSKj_4EE1RCUcWJL26IB0bubXSUK1sqmcg-8BZSDWc58TFNcpUKapIvwssHy6nxIhr_ofCMFuYsvKmDMnZXxViRQ2AQ7jhgBC24vl4ApEzkgRdqIGcGsk7tWWuTMkiMlyCuiem_ldkMX3e9OBq9/w472-h640/Belgrade%20-%20Moskva.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Hotel Moskva - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">There was something familiar and also something a bit odd about taking Aiden around Belgrade, almost like a bit of 'history repeating'. A child this was the role of my mother and father, but of course this was also their city and both of them had family here. Somehow from my point of view the act of Inga and I doing the same thing feels random, or more serendipitous. Perhaps if you looked at the situation at arm's length you'd identify it as perfectly expected and orderly. I don't know, it often seems to me that life iterates itself in quite familiar ways although not repeating exactly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">I have to say that our time in Belgrade itself was really very nice, calming and refreshing. We all enjoyed our experience, especially being back in a place we were familiar with and being with the people that we had missed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">We were also fortunate enough to spend some time in Sopot, a town located about 45kms south of Belgrade, located on the slopes of Kosmaj Mountain. My family has a beautiful house/cottage located on a great piece of land in the area. Once again, as a kid we would o<span style="background-color: black;">ften make our way here once or twice during our stay, only for a day at a time, but on this occasion, we stayed for (3) days. I have to say, I probably never truly appreciated the scenery in the area but there is certainly something very soothing and inviting about the </span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">hilly</span></span></span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;"> areas on Kosmaj covered with forests of oak, beech and common hornbeam. What's more, it appears that this area is also starting to get noticed from outside of Serbia with a bit of a boutique, artisanal vibe starting to permeate through some of the settlements in the municipality. Obviously the distance from Belgrade these days means absolutely nothing in terms of travel time and the environment and the setting is an attraction for anyone able to work remotely but also wanting to be within striking distance of a major city.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDMhWk1LS312CkfMqnWB1yhZF0ZB3a-hOHTxmv8qmll6-RCGuO0uAiVXDIXmV1G7u4fLMIQO19i_BvIwmNFzicwm6OmB3u0ySXBu9t71-vuzYNlvL_XJPQa2lBiQMzKcUICIK9h3fXjDl4c9eviLJRyU6YWGjN5AG8mbFqQF9Awhscqp3YOHLwUYP/s773/Kosmaj%20-%20outside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="587" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDMhWk1LS312CkfMqnWB1yhZF0ZB3a-hOHTxmv8qmll6-RCGuO0uAiVXDIXmV1G7u4fLMIQO19i_BvIwmNFzicwm6OmB3u0ySXBu9t71-vuzYNlvL_XJPQa2lBiQMzKcUICIK9h3fXjDl4c9eviLJRyU6YWGjN5AG8mbFqQF9Awhscqp3YOHLwUYP/w486-h640/Kosmaj%20-%20outside.jpg" width="486" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Kosmaj - Sopot - Serbia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_LGDVTS4Yg_l-9r2wq2M1gw9pHshmMVPtLmlVQJJJmWLIsUZC3Mw1Dufcft167Xc_NSTg19JTFBt6lijTzgvXnQCQafOIfBf2Zx3lhWlYIEfv4KTfBNvRkDg4tKu9r8OofxYXFR8U6BOGH3igq3uSjEMrqDLLnltf8Vlu7EI9sasaPPjha6xars3/s761/Birthday%20fireworks%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="477" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_LGDVTS4Yg_l-9r2wq2M1gw9pHshmMVPtLmlVQJJJmWLIsUZC3Mw1Dufcft167Xc_NSTg19JTFBt6lijTzgvXnQCQafOIfBf2Zx3lhWlYIEfv4KTfBNvRkDg4tKu9r8OofxYXFR8U6BOGH3igq3uSjEMrqDLLnltf8Vlu7EI9sasaPPjha6xars3/w402-h640/Birthday%20fireworks%202.jpg" width="402" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Of course, when you turn 47 fireworks are obligatory</i></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqRwqAeq6XgUwtrDvq0g5_ZU__5H_FzfuKwq5-hnHOGnblzq46pvfhVh_99McMYiWRwCtiSS5kXOnnD9XqtfEGu8M7Ix0rdg8BMqoqyW4TB_nG7iYuMxfPSSkpJjY1suYW0ZzCyMUaI9_919aBrZ-LmohFrQ5ETAGAyT99rKimc6GA8M018oYZGNy/s767/Birthday%20fireworks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="467" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqRwqAeq6XgUwtrDvq0g5_ZU__5H_FzfuKwq5-hnHOGnblzq46pvfhVh_99McMYiWRwCtiSS5kXOnnD9XqtfEGu8M7Ix0rdg8BMqoqyW4TB_nG7iYuMxfPSSkpJjY1suYW0ZzCyMUaI9_919aBrZ-LmohFrQ5ETAGAyT99rKimc6GA8M018oYZGNy/w390-h640/Birthday%20fireworks.jpg" width="390" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">Happy birthday to me</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">I will have to say a big thank you to my cousin Vladimir for showing us all the new things that have popped up here in the last few years, for example;</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: start;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><a href="https://kabinet.rs/about-us/" style="background-color: #fcff01;">Kabinet Brewery</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">-</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> which identifies as the first greenfield brewery project in Eastern Europe, and was also one of the first craft brewery projects in Serbia. An absolutely fabulous place to try beers of high quality and unique flavour. What's more, the location and more than pleasant outlook, based on one of the slopes of Kosmaj, made this place an absolute highlight for all of us</span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><span><span><a href="https://vinarijaeden.rs/" style="background-color: #fcff01;">Vinarija Eden</a><span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Eden winery, an absolutely picture-perfect winery located near the village of </span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: black; color: white;"> Ranilović, near Arandjelovac, only an hour's drive from Belgrade. It is positioned between the mountains of Kosmaj and Bukulja, at an altitude between 240-260 m, perfect for growing grapes and more than fantastic for having a couple of glasses of white on a breezy Summer day.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyveP16L2W8yAXcYrD7qSpZYcInYjNR2vHY7iKZYay_O7TcX34n1dqYCNwj_fMh8BDyp294qB4GgcEMDGk7U_sbU-JAgItWRcc8q7cDwvqF2cUDl2p26p7JZbASqEkmAu7iQiSmbQTs0qjIr04mAXIsKX-7fMNbo2ZbauzXIHhJkKwcwQMPx_jXDu4/s775/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="587" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyveP16L2W8yAXcYrD7qSpZYcInYjNR2vHY7iKZYay_O7TcX34n1dqYCNwj_fMh8BDyp294qB4GgcEMDGk7U_sbU-JAgItWRcc8q7cDwvqF2cUDl2p26p7JZbASqEkmAu7iQiSmbQTs0qjIr04mAXIsKX-7fMNbo2ZbauzXIHhJkKwcwQMPx_jXDu4/w484-h640/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj%20(3).jpg" width="484" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Kabinet Brewery - Kosmaj - Sopot - Serbia</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq58TGKxdaQL9k3vDiERyMixnB58AbGMhyOmZZMTXCX32vaC2zweRBTEn0xyV-BPnkiW622eJ_pw8JFcNCDrBn9p7R62zAqm1Lecj1JRlKNA2tMAAFOL3JivZ2ejNh84k9nKsm_pkPplAOdWCJY6FkF6S0ariEl8RoIk6Z-MJPgjv_RKyRIpt69bM/s1027/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1027" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaq58TGKxdaQL9k3vDiERyMixnB58AbGMhyOmZZMTXCX32vaC2zweRBTEn0xyV-BPnkiW622eJ_pw8JFcNCDrBn9p7R62zAqm1Lecj1JRlKNA2tMAAFOL3JivZ2ejNh84k9nKsm_pkPplAOdWCJY6FkF6S0ariEl8RoIk6Z-MJPgjv_RKyRIpt69bM/w640-h478/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Kabinet Brewery - Kosmaj - Sopot - Serbia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yJLd7RHnCh_WdxdaMkrhLLS-YgduX4yuz1M5E_htnds3AAUh-9-T3R0cWJEbbJGsE1EhrLMmXamTKvWlLv3hU1dVii6rNqFFyARrvWp7d7JV96qyMbA_nvx3bENupu25BH_yG78VkRhl3tiQz98Hk3PlmPxJVEJj3qhss2KX8fXkLg_k4xBIpuuL/s776/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="585" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yJLd7RHnCh_WdxdaMkrhLLS-YgduX4yuz1M5E_htnds3AAUh-9-T3R0cWJEbbJGsE1EhrLMmXamTKvWlLv3hU1dVii6rNqFFyARrvWp7d7JV96qyMbA_nvx3bENupu25BH_yG78VkRhl3tiQz98Hk3PlmPxJVEJj3qhss2KX8fXkLg_k4xBIpuuL/w482-h640/Brewery%20-%20Kosmaj%20(2).jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYWr_Ugddn0ZQd_pt-4SK1mrJZ1NwebsUFFcjL1p_FAHrKIQSx6sji5hBY9AmsDM01gFzFy0ywcyPiVbx_10Y48rpmbKNVWlC8Qqj5rTdYat47bV5z5b_e4AV7mOs2fPU0GiLpqfgnWUX3Q2gKt8bXBrTbz4QHzXkX_rxIOeWzxCMglS7G7M21Kja/s1040/Eden%20Winery%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1040" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYWr_Ugddn0ZQd_pt-4SK1mrJZ1NwebsUFFcjL1p_FAHrKIQSx6sji5hBY9AmsDM01gFzFy0ywcyPiVbx_10Y48rpmbKNVWlC8Qqj5rTdYat47bV5z5b_e4AV7mOs2fPU0GiLpqfgnWUX3Q2gKt8bXBrTbz4QHzXkX_rxIOeWzxCMglS7G7M21Kja/w640-h470/Eden%20Winery%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Vinjaria Eden - Ranilovic - Municipality of Arandelovac - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULFxVyiil7-V2r4bOZ2-PTwdQL0gj_i1b3QsSxD8zjwB18vwMxWHSwSWFGxuz763_JDofJUbXyvf5Y9S3pfEKJE2umg4X1OeT1AwghvRiQggQzYg1GR8sqXyV6kR-v7QGklx4PUmd8cOhP3rCW6mMqcpBMHiTamyzRCBUeWPK8DL_Jh9XQuXP9TOd/s1050/Eden%20Winery%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1050" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULFxVyiil7-V2r4bOZ2-PTwdQL0gj_i1b3QsSxD8zjwB18vwMxWHSwSWFGxuz763_JDofJUbXyvf5Y9S3pfEKJE2umg4X1OeT1AwghvRiQggQzYg1GR8sqXyV6kR-v7QGklx4PUmd8cOhP3rCW6mMqcpBMHiTamyzRCBUeWPK8DL_Jh9XQuXP9TOd/w640-h462/Eden%20Winery%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Vinjaria Eden - Ranilovic - Municipality of Arandelovac - Serbia</span></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUc44_0dBOikmBiDyvTlTM-9IIksL8nWcx8kwqQfnqvCjEtc4CerjV8xwS84843QDH1M5ex7_3t9a3HpGUHWLrQdqfDy4o9ExhyHFDKb1EsQJP_SeCWpHeWFwiq_UyqyUhWY9fdD_ESLR-tS3VlvrVX7OvbHRSnf_t-p-ViPFvyBHfAiH000-wfmk/s1047/Eden%20Winery%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1047" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUc44_0dBOikmBiDyvTlTM-9IIksL8nWcx8kwqQfnqvCjEtc4CerjV8xwS84843QDH1M5ex7_3t9a3HpGUHWLrQdqfDy4o9ExhyHFDKb1EsQJP_SeCWpHeWFwiq_UyqyUhWY9fdD_ESLR-tS3VlvrVX7OvbHRSnf_t-p-ViPFvyBHfAiH000-wfmk/w640-h470/Eden%20Winery%20(4).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Vinjaria Eden - Ranilovic - Municipality of Arandelovac - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr07QGEJMJG5BOaHo_PwKKZzxCTOww4QaiuZftaoUWm_ngikJKE5c2QGjtMTTfLJOP7uoPLVFcAZmjycIw3nuNbjUMXvAjSoPyNYDxYQnlBnfphmtMUnbAyfT3MNwCK0qbqLMN9nVwKmPmoCdYm9GpxFKsY3SzBH8CvL12h7WGJrIxy59IK6Aoi8lJ/s1132/Eden%20Winery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="1132" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr07QGEJMJG5BOaHo_PwKKZzxCTOww4QaiuZftaoUWm_ngikJKE5c2QGjtMTTfLJOP7uoPLVFcAZmjycIw3nuNbjUMXvAjSoPyNYDxYQnlBnfphmtMUnbAyfT3MNwCK0qbqLMN9nVwKmPmoCdYm9GpxFKsY3SzBH8CvL12h7WGJrIxy59IK6Aoi8lJ/w640-h412/Eden%20Winery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">Vinjaria Eden - Ranilovic - Municipality of Arandelovac - Serbia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: black;"><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">Whilst I'm at it, I also want to give a shout-out to another great find, this time </span>in</span> <span style="color: white;">Belgrade,</span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> </span><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01; color: #ff00fe;"><a href="https://dogmabrewery.com/">Dogma Brewing & Tap Room</a>,</span><span> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">a</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"> fantastic location, very close to where we live in Topcider. It has a great industrial, warehouse feel but such a cool atmosphere, great food and another brilliant place to spend an afternoon! Trust me, it's well worth the visit.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqq-iNwAjo1pvYMuMtpuH6MVbwzraYWBtrIr6BTnOAWm2TWdYrEsCyVItoXAPhmWVKKWgLXmJNRKZ58Wcp7XrIJJOZd3eI0WeuT3BR1iW3NvH5lvdypr4hJTZaIG2gXI-v73MMyyutHaAQqohTCquIa7XuFEcAQvNcrij8snLHNTjzkVOTczjtLhb/s788/Brewery%20-%20Belgrade%20-%20Milk%20Stout.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="542" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqq-iNwAjo1pvYMuMtpuH6MVbwzraYWBtrIr6BTnOAWm2TWdYrEsCyVItoXAPhmWVKKWgLXmJNRKZ58Wcp7XrIJJOZd3eI0WeuT3BR1iW3NvH5lvdypr4hJTZaIG2gXI-v73MMyyutHaAQqohTCquIa7XuFEcAQvNcrij8snLHNTjzkVOTczjtLhb/w440-h640/Brewery%20-%20Belgrade%20-%20Milk%20Stout.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: white;">Dogm<span style="background-color: black;">a Brewery & Tap Room -</span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: white; text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: black;">Radnička 3 Čukarica - Belgrade - S<span>erbia</span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: black;"><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: arial;">A big thank you to my mother, my aunt, my cousin and BC! You made this occasion such a pleasure and it was so good to finally see you after so many years apart! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!</span></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></div><i style="font-family: arial;"><br /></i></div><br /><span face="Noto Sans, Noto Sans, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com0Belgrade, Serbia44.8125449 20.4612316.502311063821153 -14.69502 73.122778736178844 55.61748tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-19856679557685163072020-11-03T09:19:00.030+11:002020-12-17T11:05:43.807+11:00Brisbane (Australia) - This is quarantine<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Brisbane (Australia)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">03 NOVEMBER - 17 NOVEMBER 2020</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Relocating to Brisbane from a state that was 'ravaged' by COVID automatically handed us a mandatory 2-week quarantine period on arrival. This was the punishment we were required to endure and the consequence of coming from a <i>dirty</i> state to one that was clean.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There was no circumventing the process. Mentally we made our own preparations and came to terms with the requirement of spending 1,209,600 seconds in a room of approximately 30m2. They were the rules of the contest. For those that haven't contemplated what quarantine is like, here's a look back on our stay at the 5-star Brisbane Marriott Hotel.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Initial novelty</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LJc5Zj3ZyJg9udK3uO8U8nUDt9z7USaTOjNNLVa1pajvx1VnYdlJA7l7lJ23aRfdNZsj6kHH4JdKNci_tZLr1cs7iGZ5yv3cwaiuysnwgdF3px0mazj0BYNgMmlbue4-axg9OJMtT98/s2048/Day+1+-+03+NOV+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LJc5Zj3ZyJg9udK3uO8U8nUDt9z7USaTOjNNLVa1pajvx1VnYdlJA7l7lJ23aRfdNZsj6kHH4JdKNci_tZLr1cs7iGZ5yv3cwaiuysnwgdF3px0mazj0BYNgMmlbue4-axg9OJMtT98/w480-h640/Day+1+-+03+NOV+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After a lengthy process at the airport, being herded through the terminal like a bunch of lepers, driven to the hotel and formally signed in, gaining access to your place of residence for the next 14 days was somewhat satisfying. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">In those first hours it felt like the start of any other holiday. A typical hotel room, a nice view and the opportunity to relax. Our view out over the Brisbane river to the Story Bridge was most certainly a highlight, something we all made use of.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrxAf2L1qeU/X9qLZyIYjXI/AAAAAAAALMk/JTTGG-L4024GsDvcSkzak58X-i2xGJc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrxAf2L1qeU/X9qLZyIYjXI/AAAAAAAALMk/JTTGG-L4024GsDvcSkzak58X-i2xGJc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It's all rainbows and cheetoh's at this point. You know in yourself that there will be days when the monotony is going to drive you insane but for right now, it was all toast.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nIf8qhXjUE4/X9qLZtyj0zI/AAAAAAAALMg/asaqwBoLzNQTOannRJpbTymmsq2EmHm5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nIf8qhXjUE4/X9qLZtyj0zI/AAAAAAAALMg/asaqwBoLzNQTOannRJpbTymmsq2EmHm5QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Story Bridge - a heritage listed cantilever bridge spanning the Brisbane River. It occupied our days, nights and sometimes even our dreams. Many times I looked out to the bars and restaurants on the north bank on the river and wondered what it would be like to be one of those people, sitting there, looking up at these buildings and not having the slightest care in the world regarding COVID or the need to quarantine. We wanted to be those people. We wanted to be the type of people that could drive over the bridge via the Bradfield Highway and not turn back, just keep on driving down to the Gold Coast where our new abode was waiting for us.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--H8m_TsZTGA/X9qLa5_5bQI/AAAAAAAALMo/vqzgbwFGDTA7Dv-8badueLObXv2kBnz0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--H8m_TsZTGA/X9qLa5_5bQI/AAAAAAAALMo/vqzgbwFGDTA7Dv-8badueLObXv2kBnz0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga suggested that I bring a couple bottles of wine for our stay - Inga is very smart woman!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw2WqxcO_IM/X9qLa6JA0JI/AAAAAAAALMs/y4LxmPhur-U_V2eGmDKaS0uertalRV-SQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw2WqxcO_IM/X9qLa6JA0JI/AAAAAAAALMs/y4LxmPhur-U_V2eGmDKaS0uertalRV-SQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25286%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">As night fell along the river the bridge would light up in accordance with the mood of the day. Ever changing and ever impressive, our window out on the world held it in centre frame.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN2vmkwpgR8/X9qLbGSUD8I/AAAAAAAALMw/4-rpC9jeQEkVVfX0mtnLi8qtQhYSX8N5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1354/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN2vmkwpgR8/X9qLbGSUD8I/AAAAAAAALMw/4-rpC9jeQEkVVfX0mtnLi8qtQhYSX8N5ACLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h640/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV%2B%25287%2529.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden running riot prior to bath time.</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Check out the view</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSt48dGgsno/X9qLcMBg7gI/AAAAAAAALM0/vZPLfzVliYAvRpHVQuQknlBaz7Z3ux5rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSt48dGgsno/X9qLcMBg7gI/AAAAAAAALM0/vZPLfzVliYAvRpHVQuQknlBaz7Z3ux5rwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B1%2B-%2B03%2BNOV.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">04 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 2 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This was the view from my office.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Signing on then positioning myself so I could have this view for the day was fantastic. For me being occupied during the day made the whole quarantine experience relatively easy. For Inga & Aiden on the other hand, moments passed by far more slowly.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ieeyLc_42m8/X9qLg3ox5dI/AAAAAAAALNs/O5cTNSd22YwHBCMorl1_AkHrouMZyh-YACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2B04%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ieeyLc_42m8/X9qLg3ox5dI/AAAAAAAALNs/O5cTNSd22YwHBCMorl1_AkHrouMZyh-YACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Day%2B2%2B-%2B04%2BNOV.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">04 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 2 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Pretty in green, just a standard Wednesday night for the Story Bridge.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Fresh air breaks</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UE8OVg32eRs/X9qLhKy0_7I/AAAAAAAALNw/wahbs70X3jw1i5EvD-QltUBsIyt6cvYvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1354/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UE8OVg32eRs/X9qLhKy0_7I/AAAAAAAALNw/wahbs70X3jw1i5EvD-QltUBsIyt6cvYvACLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h640/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">One of the small allowances we had.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'Fresh air breaks' were offered to all quarantine guests but needed to be booked in advance. Early on in the piece the wait time was literally minutes but as more and more rooms became occupied the wait to get out increased in associated.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We were only allowed to move around the pool and terrace area which occupied a space on Level 4 of the hotel. For most people on their breaks this was their opportunity to exercise. It didn't take long for the 'walkers' to figure our a small loop around the pool, up the length of the terrace and back. In all honesty, the site of masked people doing loops on a 40mtr tracked looked a little mental. </span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AS639-2tz64/X9qLhqUnlrI/AAAAAAAALN0/lA4vb7UV3vY9OU9v2Ua7jsBMkJfcAFUpACLcBGAsYHQ/s1354/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV%2B%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AS639-2tz64/X9qLhqUnlrI/AAAAAAAALN0/lA4vb7UV3vY9OU9v2Ua7jsBMkJfcAFUpACLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h640/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV%2B%25286%2529.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">What confounded me slightly is that there was no monitoring or policing of social distancing on the terrace. Every other interaction within the quarantine framework operated at the expected level of social distancing, but, out on the terrace somehow interactions between guests and also the police monitoring numbers on a break and their duration, fell apart.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg8vi60Vet0/X9qLiRc2meI/AAAAAAAALN8/lb2xrtc7F80bIMi6lpxW88GoDe-WUxTqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg8vi60Vet0/X9qLiRc2meI/AAAAAAAALN8/lb2xrtc7F80bIMi6lpxW88GoDe-WUxTqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B5%2B-%2B07%2BNOV.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We felt it was important for Aiden to get out as much as possible. Early on in the piece we were able to get him outside (3) times per day but as the numbers in the hotel swelled this became twice a day. Inga would take him out in the morning and I'd take him out after my working day.</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sunday night on the river</span></b><div><b><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHSnGyGFYmc/X9qLiaTqo5I/AAAAAAAALN4/Jkyy6Fj7E2kzirdk42CfkxIqc3FJDMoKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1222/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHSnGyGFYmc/X9qLiaTqo5I/AAAAAAAALN4/Jkyy6Fj7E2kzirdk42CfkxIqc3FJDMoKgCLcBGAsYHQ/w434-h640/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="434" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Not sure of the reason but there was a welcome fireworks display at the end of our first weekend.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R91CMCrQnWw/X9qLit2HmdI/AAAAAAAALOA/55NmW-90Xuoas9jXoj1zJuqneKEUjEAAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R91CMCrQnWw/X9qLit2HmdI/AAAAAAAALOA/55NmW-90Xuoas9jXoj1zJuqneKEUjEAAgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I can only assume that for an active toddler needing to occupy your time in one room with limited option for play was fairly brutal.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSjNEsKRBGM/X9qLjfF54zI/AAAAAAAALOI/gdLwQKdJcyUq55BhwWmivc5uXFsvvtV9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hSjNEsKRBGM/X9qLjfF54zI/AAAAAAAALOI/gdLwQKdJcyUq55BhwWmivc5uXFsvvtV9QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B6%2B-%2B08%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Thankfully we had access to the ABC Kids channel, so The Wiggles, Sesame Street, Thomas the Tank Engine, GoJetters, in fact anything that moderately resembled a cartoon was right in our wheelhouse for producing an engaged and calm boy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>I can do everything you can</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqM9VoiCnX7YnSe02YCNTOyy8fpMmjlAYBX25PmpIJKhNl17H8_brPpJFw325JxueM-S8zs1auu_u0BqtpDoggU6mSHUCo5fBin7ipMHRrneUNr-fo7PcNAU3bAuG_JpSYvpZqWarLa40/s1100/Day+7+-+09+NOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqM9VoiCnX7YnSe02YCNTOyy8fpMmjlAYBX25PmpIJKhNl17H8_brPpJFw325JxueM-S8zs1auu_u0BqtpDoggU6mSHUCo5fBin7ipMHRrneUNr-fo7PcNAU3bAuG_JpSYvpZqWarLa40/w482-h640/Day+7+-+09+NOV.jpg" width="482" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">09 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 7</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden was proving a point, pretty much showing me that he could 'do it all'. Here he is getting started on my morning emails, watching Bananas in Pyjamas and acting like a toddler boss.</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>We're still alive</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfETi7y3mzM/X9qLjsMw9-I/AAAAAAAALOM/OHbfV4Wn9QUpLJxRzRStCnNuwzvmaoU4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1354/Day%2B8%2B-%2B10%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xfETi7y3mzM/X9qLjsMw9-I/AAAAAAAALOM/OHbfV4Wn9QUpLJxRzRStCnNuwzvmaoU4ACLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h640/Day%2B8%2B-%2B10%2BNOV.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">10 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 8</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sending greetings out into the world. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I think this is the point where we see our own 'turn' in the acceptance of what quarantine is doing to us. Once you start sending messages out into the World and creating tasks that are not common place in the everyday is the exact point in time when the four walls around you start to win the contest.</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Starting to break</b></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2ZvxmqQUCc/X9qLkRBWYyI/AAAAAAAALOQ/V04LFHupUREHuVi3dg9XVR-p0bGQY7zPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1354/Day%2B9%2B-%2B11%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P2ZvxmqQUCc/X9qLkRBWYyI/AAAAAAAALOQ/V04LFHupUREHuVi3dg9XVR-p0bGQY7zPQCLcBGAsYHQ/w392-h640/Day%2B9%2B-%2B11%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="392" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">11 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 9</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Policy was that on Day 10 everyone staying in quarantine was required to have a COVID test, post test however it was a requirement that the remaining time spent was all indoors, no fresh air breaks at all. In preparation for that we took to turning our room inside out and created fun 'rollie' things to do.....</span>😂</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7rAOAuhrkI/X9qLkvLvR8I/AAAAAAAALOU/GDDkIGgrJ1MeodXf7bvoWe-Pjzq-04EjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1282/Day%2B9%2B-%2B11%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7rAOAuhrkI/X9qLkvLvR8I/AAAAAAAALOU/GDDkIGgrJ1MeodXf7bvoWe-Pjzq-04EjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w414-h640/Day%2B9%2B-%2B11%2BNOV.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">11 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 9</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">You got a bed...then you got a ramp</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If you have a ramp then the sky is the limit to the amount of fun you can have (apparently).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>When your mental fragility is displayed for all to see</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ojMjqxA9z4/X9qLcXAWZFI/AAAAAAAALM4/XYm6oSi74yYVTly9NPlY6Zf8-Osnq3ZjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B10%2B-%2B13%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ojMjqxA9z4/X9qLcXAWZFI/AAAAAAAALM4/XYm6oSi74yYVTly9NPlY6Zf8-Osnq3ZjwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B10%2B-%2B13%2BNOV.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">13 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 11</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This is our first full day of lockdown...in quarantine lockdown</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">What else are you going to do with a box from Dan Murphy's?</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>What now?</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A9M7EblDTZE/X9qLcWsJ0hI/AAAAAAAALM8/XojwHA6cEwUVcS0JZsYUprysXU9tvSIYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A9M7EblDTZE/X9qLcWsJ0hI/AAAAAAAALM8/XojwHA6cEwUVcS0JZsYUprysXU9tvSIYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I think this may have been our most difficult day. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">You're entirely confined to the small space, you're not able to step outside for any fresh air, you're still a couple of days away from freedom and time ticks buy in a painfully slow way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our bed ramp was set up for Aiden to get his 'roll on', or to 'jump on' or burrow through. So here's what our room looked like for a large part of that afternoon.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmLfYfr77XU/X9qLdCBSo1I/AAAAAAAALNA/y-ou9UDYEFkt_izjva_8kDsFX-Qgp3vwACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmLfYfr77XU/X9qLdCBSo1I/AAAAAAAALNA/y-ou9UDYEFkt_izjva_8kDsFX-Qgp3vwACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bed ramp, cartoons and tent in the corner. It looks more like a child care centre than anything else.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9iKqAGa9uqI/X9qLdvJSLhI/AAAAAAAALNI/KXMQOHLzND42JQ4lFAK6hFWx6IBPFLVogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9iKqAGa9uqI/X9qLdvJSLhI/AAAAAAAALNI/KXMQOHLzND42JQ4lFAK6hFWx6IBPFLVogCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B11%2B-%2B14%2BNOV.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Two whole days from freedom...C'mon! Lets just get there!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Aiden was the last to crack</b></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3Dpw1-AKuk/X9qLdlBnhJI/AAAAAAAALNE/N9-aGcM44eIury4kLrFMJHhsiPY8lLMQACLcBGAsYHQ/s1184/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3Dpw1-AKuk/X9qLdlBnhJI/AAAAAAAALNE/N9-aGcM44eIury4kLrFMJHhsiPY8lLMQACLcBGAsYHQ/w448-h640/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="448" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">When your son starts walking around with the waste paper basket as protective armour, well then you know that quarantine had well and truly cracked us all.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bnUFlVaaLMc/X9qLeLwLZrI/AAAAAAAALNM/kbpyHBGu8lsHShRXVho6L4N7EtR8ZljJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1251/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bnUFlVaaLMc/X9qLeLwLZrI/AAAAAAAALNM/kbpyHBGu8lsHShRXVho6L4N7EtR8ZljJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w424-h640/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="424" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Instigating a ramp roll with Aiden's pal, <i>the Lion</i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Xr9jPEPQOw/X9qLek5XQsI/AAAAAAAALNQ/WKiexImhJYcKhh34UuqPniJ6E5lofea8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1288/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Xr9jPEPQOw/X9qLek5XQsI/AAAAAAAALNQ/WKiexImhJYcKhh34UuqPniJ6E5lofea8wCLcBGAsYHQ/w412-h640/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="412" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Ramp roll in motion - both Aiden and the Lion are holding on for dear life</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcpeaVVMt9FwqGuN43yXa5GPgHriGkcrj6gW0FSGlnR5yKF6lcMq3ctI_MzveF4SuaAOUrlsz4yRe3JxctUAW2m4xJ3N9BZHMiblNpAEyUrVNNweXdZVT6sDvnavtzveNQJYUZoBc3W0/s1303/Day+12+-+14+NOV+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcpeaVVMt9FwqGuN43yXa5GPgHriGkcrj6gW0FSGlnR5yKF6lcMq3ctI_MzveF4SuaAOUrlsz4yRe3JxctUAW2m4xJ3N9BZHMiblNpAEyUrVNNweXdZVT6sDvnavtzveNQJYUZoBc3W0/w406-h640/Day+12+-+14+NOV+%25285%2529.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Once the bed roll became less amusing then it was into tunnel crawling. I'm sure Aiden was thinking why I was completing the tunnel circuit so slowly.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Tv1jcfYr8/X9qLfB2PAxI/AAAAAAAALNY/Utndo2Eu8ggqPiimewC7rNH1HpGhooH6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1342/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Tv1jcfYr8/X9qLfB2PAxI/AAAAAAAALNY/Utndo2Eu8ggqPiimewC7rNH1HpGhooH6gCLcBGAsYHQ/w396-h640/Day%2B12%2B-%2B14%2BNOV.jpg" width="396" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Waste paper bin carnage</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDYZ9EXaV3A/X9qLfq4RTFI/AAAAAAAALNc/LMhR0V80L88zeyQQCunkFUptPzSMbJgTACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDYZ9EXaV3A/X9qLfq4RTFI/AAAAAAAALNc/LMhR0V80L88zeyQQCunkFUptPzSMbJgTACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bubbles for days, a great way to occupy 15 mins during the morning</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Zg2KLlQN-k/X9qLfz3aQyI/AAAAAAAALNg/cqidGJZAxdQgXm5F_eiDVNl9cD5kWIybwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Zg2KLlQN-k/X9qLfz3aQyI/AAAAAAAALNg/cqidGJZAxdQgXm5F_eiDVNl9cD5kWIybwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bubbles...bubbles...and more of the same</span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Khku4KfDBxQ/X9qLgOQqkNI/AAAAAAAALNk/707z5cP43s83a-TlzyIXSXHplIz_EHdwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Khku4KfDBxQ/X9qLgOQqkNI/AAAAAAAALNk/707z5cP43s83a-TlzyIXSXHplIz_EHdwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttwCYtO9wfM/X9qLgu8ypII/AAAAAAAALNo/4Hv6wD_NOQ0SPkD-X3z2Ag_MHnw_-4qpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttwCYtO9wfM/X9qLgu8ypII/AAAAAAAALNo/4Hv6wD_NOQ0SPkD-X3z2Ag_MHnw_-4qpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B13%2B-%2B15%2BNOV.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13</span></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;"> - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The view never got old but our time in the one room certainly caused some frustration.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">With all of that, let me say thank you to the Marriott, they were always willing to assist, were impeccable with delivery of meals and the room was exactly as expected.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A necessary state, not particularly enjoyable but it was comfortable and I guess that's all you can ask for when you're in quarantine.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></div>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com515 Queen St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia-27.4634721 153.0317853-55.773705936178843 117.8755353 0.84676173617884487 -171.81196469999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-23683014915680040652020-11-01T11:44:00.010+11:002020-12-17T09:17:40.845+11:00Melbourne (Australia) - Locked out - the pandemic special - COVID-19 recap<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Melbourne (Australia)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">20 March - 01 November 2020</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I</span><span style="font-family: arial;">n a way COVID-19 has given us all a break from our respective realities, or perhaps more fittingly, what we thought our reality was. These days it appears that there really isn't a '<i>normal'</i> and there's not a piece of the puzzle that we can see that fits the image we were carefully crafting. Our vernacular has morphed too. It now encompasses all elements of what the pandemic enforced upon us. We've been surrounded by terms such as <i>unprecedented, new-normal, social distancing, lockdown, curfew, sanitising, R number, flattening the curve, second wave, third wave, border restrictions, transmission rate.</i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Mind you, the year would have been oddball even without the 'Wuhan virus'. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">First, fires ripped through the eastern part of Australia from October 2019 all the way into March 2020. With devastating consequences to all communities down the coastline, day turned into night, ash hazes engulfed our major cities, fauna was decimated and sadly, lives were lost.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Most recently we've had the pleasure of experience floods in both South-East QLD & North-Eastern NSW. A combination of La Nina and climate change has impacted our coastline and again brought to our attention just how fragile and insignificant we can be when it comes to mother nature</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">In the US, Donald Trump became the third President to be impeached. He totally ignored the <i>Black Lives Matter </i> movement and then literally said, regarding the election, '<i>I'll only accept the outcome of the election if I win, if I don't, then the result will be a sham, a fraud perpetrated on the American people by a corrupt and criminal Democratic Party'. </i> I think we're all still waiting to get our head around the temerity, or perhaps the plain churlish and boorish display of the <i>Commander in Chief of the free world! </i> LOL - when you say that out aloud it sounds as ludicrous as it reads.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">But of course, the star of the year was COVID-19. It occupied our every waking hour, and the waking hours of those that took over our shifts, for months. Nightly news simply became a summarised version of daily COVID-19 topics. Our weekend rituals of catching up with mates, having a drink and catching a game were all blunted, and then culled by an insidious virus whose ability to jump from one host to the next was '<u>unprecedented'.</u></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>For this reason I wanted to capture my own snapshots of 2020. A year where holidaying at home was enforced, where working form home was required and when going out for a simple walk was was restricted to a radius of 5kms from your place of residen</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ce.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Here's to a wacky 2020!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zV8RR6tx1Qg/X9k_VdwTUZI/AAAAAAAALHk/10daoiSzLfc_Yzsg3iH09TpyRi1mVxvaACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zV8RR6tx1Qg/X9k_VdwTUZI/AAAAAAAALHk/10daoiSzLfc_Yzsg3iH09TpyRi1mVxvaACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">21 March 2020 - Riga International airport - Riga - Latvia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">With lots of worry, extended phone calls, ridiculous sums paid for airfares, Inga's family made it back to Latvia, via a stop in Istanbul. Here's their photo of the international airport. It's the scene you'd imagine yourself seeing from those that had survived the apocalypse. Check-in desks empty, the departure hall devoid of life. It's almost absurd.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOPormO5Fnw/X9k_ZWEWC7I/AAAAAAAALIQ/kM_UB4CmJ2wDwm2tOXwAO_nVjCfyX5SogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tOPormO5Fnw/X9k_ZWEWC7I/AAAAAAAALIQ/kM_UB4CmJ2wDwm2tOXwAO_nVjCfyX5SogCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>22 March 2020 - Southbank - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sunday morning in Melbourne, this was out <i>new normal</i>. It felt like I was living out my own personal scene from Vanilla Sky.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2ko5zPshK4/X9k_dSSzqnI/AAAAAAAALI8/2hWPAdBIeUsAx2pMcLJOrdAEONS9t51bwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2ko5zPshK4/X9k_dSSzqnI/AAAAAAAALI8/2hWPAdBIeUsAx2pMcLJOrdAEONS9t51bwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">27 March 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Happy 1st birthday to Aiden Robert Elisher!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For him COVID-19 was about cake, presents, parents being at home and endless amounts of attention.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--OBy3xbHxMI/X9k_iblsB6I/AAAAAAAALJo/Itw97JuzWe0ETUWgkkvRK9kqqio7o95FACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1702" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--OBy3xbHxMI/X9k_iblsB6I/AAAAAAAALJo/Itw97JuzWe0ETUWgkkvRK9kqqio7o95FACLcBGAsYHQ/w532-h640/4.jpg" width="532" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">27 March 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden's 1st birthday - Are you getting an <i>Elmo theme vibe?</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">At this point I don't even think he knew who or what Elmo was. Roll forward 6 months and there's cries of 'Noooooo' as soon as the Sesame Street channel needs to take its evening hiatus.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljthhN1ykiY/X9k_lDUuQ4I/AAAAAAAALKE/ECTnAeHqfn8600aADK9DB-a8edYn3HNgACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljthhN1ykiY/X9k_lDUuQ4I/AAAAAAAALKE/ECTnAeHqfn8600aADK9DB-a8edYn3HNgACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/5.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 March 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Milestones and celebrations went indoors. Inga's birthday became a dine-in event and something that we needed to become accustomed to in the months that followed. The first few months were a sort of novelty and not nearly as brutal as when the second wave hit Melbourne, but that's a lockdown tale that I'll mention a little later.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4veC32a7_OjyjM_IYrR12K4n_Ev44jxp1PT053gb9GDMTAXcV-2dzkjWYB1L_IAQtC2_SsQXH2OAlUp4GnwPvHy4wlVzrxx-qeFkMfGRSvGCClcYNb-dmTHnIcuzlX2wX2bv_zAOaiQE/s2048/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4veC32a7_OjyjM_IYrR12K4n_Ev44jxp1PT053gb9GDMTAXcV-2dzkjWYB1L_IAQtC2_SsQXH2OAlUp4GnwPvHy4wlVzrxx-qeFkMfGRSvGCClcYNb-dmTHnIcuzlX2wX2bv_zAOaiQE/w480-h640/6.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 March 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Celebrating indoors.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-obQhMO04BDE/X9k_mJl51wI/AAAAAAAALKQ/BJj7AtS2Nx4JBOcdbcwLXRVzYWKIrkdqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1792/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-obQhMO04BDE/X9k_mJl51wI/AAAAAAAALKQ/BJj7AtS2Nx4JBOcdbcwLXRVzYWKIrkdqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w296-h640/7.jpg" width="296" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">31 March 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The fragility of the 'mental state' is on full display here. This is still very early on in the piece and we're already conjuring up moments of '<i>hilarity'???</i> </span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvVwVzeRjjg/X9k_m5QbXGI/AAAAAAAALKY/lSVL6CnJU0s9hs1hgKsoDWVVFpOD9rm0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvVwVzeRjjg/X9k_m5QbXGI/AAAAAAAALKY/lSVL6CnJU0s9hs1hgKsoDWVVFpOD9rm0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/8.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">10 April 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - looking down Flinders Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This is what a Friday night now looked like. Empty streets, totally surreal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0xjxY_0v_HU/X9k_ndkh27I/AAAAAAAALKc/m6FrE3997mEt7pgZHf3mBndwbxYFe6gVACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0xjxY_0v_HU/X9k_ndkh27I/AAAAAAAALKc/m6FrE3997mEt7pgZHf3mBndwbxYFe6gVACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/9.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">19 April 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Another Sunday morning indoors. This became a favourite place to look down at the trains, count carriages, count the number of Uber Eats riders and marvel at the lack of traffic on the Kings Way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epAsT8JE-OU/X9k_VesaQvI/AAAAAAAALHo/86gaEb5RBgk0NcADptDPbFOEYriRub2xwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-epAsT8JE-OU/X9k_VesaQvI/AAAAAAAALHo/86gaEb5RBgk0NcADptDPbFOEYriRub2xwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/10.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">19 April 2020 - Middle Park Beach - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">When the sun came out then most people would head out. I think Melbourne generally had a problem with social distancing, like it wasn't in their DNA or something. We'd be bombarded daily with health messages regarding the 1.5mtrs rule, sanitising, staying at home if you were feeling unwell, etc., but out on the beach it people simply felt as though they were immune to real world events.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKn_Zsexj1JFtBk2_-OHVyxCtR5XhVwv6WS8w6vDHLoIaEtOJQBQNokHi78UP9cbhDj9sgchg81UqOFtTWDoIrtZbrMYSUtubjwv__8j2_gX_ExMb4ykxlIYEMmD9M1hV5HKqXqYWWbKQ/s2048/11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKn_Zsexj1JFtBk2_-OHVyxCtR5XhVwv6WS8w6vDHLoIaEtOJQBQNokHi78UP9cbhDj9sgchg81UqOFtTWDoIrtZbrMYSUtubjwv__8j2_gX_ExMb4ykxlIYEMmD9M1hV5HKqXqYWWbKQ/w480-h640/11.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">25 April 2020 - Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga and I started a little Saturday evening tradition. It would involve buying a few steaks from the Hereford Beefstouw, who were acting as our local butcher, and then picking up a few takeaway cocktails from Romeo Lane on Bourke St. It gave us (me) something to look forward to during the week, especially when working from home meant that the only days I'd really leave the house were on Saturdays to pick up our evening feast and on Sundays when I took Aiden out for a walk.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6ypgkwi_XY2W_lVz8rLPLGs_wssk5aD98sen0MZa72Xxt3ibf2yFqsWUTNI8JOavXwyvrM_NvJGkh_IEat3XqK6lFv_eLBVuCghkLh_Z6wZC00StI2slLywi2mRf9KfX6I8EDIuRVMI/s2048/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6ypgkwi_XY2W_lVz8rLPLGs_wssk5aD98sen0MZa72Xxt3ibf2yFqsWUTNI8JOavXwyvrM_NvJGkh_IEat3XqK6lFv_eLBVuCghkLh_Z6wZC00StI2slLywi2mRf9KfX6I8EDIuRVMI/w480-h640/12.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">25 April 2020 - Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd3EG21kXBg/X9k_WvUkuxI/AAAAAAAALHw/8l9bNzgvw104le3c6yQEOmopuOzhoxwAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1247" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd3EG21kXBg/X9k_WvUkuxI/AAAAAAAALHw/8l9bNzgvw104le3c6yQEOmopuOzhoxwAQCLcBGAsYHQ/w390-h640/13.jpg" width="390" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">17 May 2020 - Fitzroy Gardens - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Certainly one of my favourite parts of the week, even more so on the days when Melbourne managed to turn on the weather. This day was a good one, and with that said, Fitzroy Gardens has to be one of the best inner city parks of any capital city in Australia.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k27ZvOUUHzk/X9k_W0wrI_I/AAAAAAAALH4/5-1dSGrtpYYIkolr1UswVCiOzjFtqIUwACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1703" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k27ZvOUUHzk/X9k_W0wrI_I/AAAAAAAALH4/5-1dSGrtpYYIkolr1UswVCiOzjFtqIUwACLcBGAsYHQ/w532-h640/14.jpg" width="532" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">17 May 2020 - Fitzroy Gardens - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqGE_FCeq_A/X9k_X94w_HI/AAAAAAAALH8/qD3-3S1fMII9lR3LoARZRd3Say4YoScEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqGE_FCeq_A/X9k_X94w_HI/AAAAAAAALH8/qD3-3S1fMII9lR3LoARZRd3Say4YoScEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/15.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">17 May 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">All washed and clean, almost ready for the nightly ritual of trying to put an active baby to bed. Not one of the best parts of the day! Sometimes he hits the bed and its like the rebel in him just wants to riot. He'll do everything in his power to keep that body of his from hibernating...but there's one thing I know that I have over him for right now, I have adult staying power, which means I can outlast the will of a toddler (I think).</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAF6_VBllnA/X9k_YFjXXtI/AAAAAAAALIA/kWhaOue_KS4c4eV4HJFBvhN7jcllmZ41ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAF6_VBllnA/X9k_YFjXXtI/AAAAAAAALIA/kWhaOue_KS4c4eV4HJFBvhN7jcllmZ41ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/16.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">20 May 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Another morning at the window, another day of spotting trains and picking up movement and signs of life on the streets.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CahomjdSS6s/X9k_YNqZ8rI/AAAAAAAALIE/8EAMzSqcVr4jFVje_vq1ouVLXqTos8vIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CahomjdSS6s/X9k_YNqZ8rI/AAAAAAAALIE/8EAMzSqcVr4jFVje_vq1ouVLXqTos8vIgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/17.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">23 May 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Yet another Saturday night in, but at least this was entertaining. Powderfinger reuniting for their 'One Night Lonely' event. Somewhat shorter than anticipated, five songs in total, but hell, Powderfinger in lockdown was just the tonic that we needed.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-Ly12haWZc/X9k_Y2A0THI/AAAAAAAALII/kX5V7kD1SQgzYABvXsr9xCAs-DiKh-RjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-Ly12haWZc/X9k_Y2A0THI/AAAAAAAALII/kX5V7kD1SQgzYABvXsr9xCAs-DiKh-RjwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/18.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">26 May 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sunday morning looking down Flinders Street. Of course there were days like this when I was in the midst of doing assignments and the whole office/view set up was an almost pleasurable experience. </span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-egyg3lWB0/X9k_Y0hqrsI/AAAAAAAALIM/HLJbqrPipHk1I0BjPkeLpJHKNAhK28DuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S-egyg3lWB0/X9k_Y0hqrsI/AAAAAAAALIM/HLJbqrPipHk1I0BjPkeLpJHKNAhK28DuACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/19.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Playground - Birrarung Mar - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Many of the walks with Aiden would end up in the playground on the north side of the Yarra, relatively close to Fed Square. It's a cliche to say that 'My enjoyment comes from seeing his enjoyment' but hey, why not live in the truth of that cliche for a while longer.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ofmHEN0Acu0/X9k_Z-PWsfI/AAAAAAAALIU/aXIvB8oa4gISClhEx4sCzx2Q44yWAVM_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ofmHEN0Acu0/X9k_Z-PWsfI/AAAAAAAALIU/aXIvB8oa4gISClhEx4sCzx2Q44yWAVM_QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/20.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">08 June 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7utFjk3bftk/X9la6_o7M1I/AAAAAAAALLA/LF59MM5KFtceEn25vaPnNugQL6B2tQFNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BD1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7utFjk3bftk/X9la6_o7M1I/AAAAAAAALLA/LF59MM5KFtceEn25vaPnNugQL6B2tQFNwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/BD1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">02 July 2020 - On the road to the Yarra Valley - Victoria</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Between bouts of lockdown somehow the easing of restrictions coincided with our anniversary and my birthday. The timing was perfect! It allowed us to get outside of Melbourne for a few days and celebrate accordingly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTM_LrG1PFE/X9la62xxnlI/AAAAAAAALK8/VKzu7-OVMokzyeLyC0_XYyPSkGzzh5K5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BD2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTM_LrG1PFE/X9la62xxnlI/AAAAAAAALK8/VKzu7-OVMokzyeLyC0_XYyPSkGzzh5K5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/BD2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">02 July 2020 - Four Pillars Gin Distillery - Healesville - Yarra Valley - Victoria - Australia</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">The best gin in Australia, without question....and it was calling me in for a birthday Negroni!</span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-77kcBrTRKmE/X9lbCdl3y5I/AAAAAAAALLM/zSfDeNvrvMc6oDbyLQayMofg89rpvQpBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BD3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-77kcBrTRKmE/X9lbCdl3y5I/AAAAAAAALLM/zSfDeNvrvMc6oDbyLQayMofg89rpvQpBQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/BD3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Domaine Chandon Winery - 727 Maroondah Highway - Coldstream - Victoria - Australia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Birthday bubbles and frolicking on the grounds of Domaine Chandon. I'll take that in the 'new normal'.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wjNryFLRfpw/X9la8c2_c3I/AAAAAAAALLI/BzS8oPLDHbA28IZ-Ct8LmwH9pUMS_G0wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BD4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wjNryFLRfpw/X9la8c2_c3I/AAAAAAAALLI/BzS8oPLDHbA28IZ-Ct8LmwH9pUMS_G0wwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/BD4.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Domaine Chandon Winery - 727 Maroondah Highway - Coldstream - Victoria - Australia</span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgU4s_78Vus/X9la8ZxWlsI/AAAAAAAALLE/D1q2lidF9lQRJAC8z3bWM4KQzIfz9L-dwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/BD5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1322" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgU4s_78Vus/X9la8ZxWlsI/AAAAAAAALLE/D1q2lidF9lQRJAC8z3bWM4KQzIfz9L-dwCLcBGAsYHQ/w528-h640/BD5.jpg" width="528" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Domaine Chandon Winery - 727 Maroondah Highway - Coldstream - Victoria - Australia</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">How happy is that 45th birthday!!!</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Considering the way of the world it was slightly out of the ordinary.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8OvsFSPPv8/X9k_aJbcUqI/AAAAAAAALIY/BOvdBERMDdwfFK_Z9AQit8Kdw_zCXmzTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8OvsFSPPv8/X9k_aJbcUqI/AAAAAAAALIY/BOvdBERMDdwfFK_Z9AQit8Kdw_zCXmzTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/21.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>25 July 2020 - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Mandatory mask wearing came into effect during the month of July. Another odd experience in this year of <i>unprecedented</i> occurrences. Not only were we asked to stay within 5kms of our places of residence but now we were all accomplices in the latest Melbourne bank robberies.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGuOflFwJDs/X9k_aoNKW4I/AAAAAAAALIc/P3bH6pKF8tYS5e8NKtmytSOQlK-NfPX9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGuOflFwJDs/X9k_aoNKW4I/AAAAAAAALIc/P3bH6pKF8tYS5e8NKtmytSOQlK-NfPX9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/22.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">25 July 2020 - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">When Melbourne turns on the weather you feel like you've picked up a small win at the TAB. Those are the days when you say out aloud, '<i>Melbourne, if only you were like this more often...I could love you forever'.</i> The only active participants in this photo were Inga and Aiden, on the banks of the Yarra looking for ducks, I assume.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6nGYdo3B4SoSkSET2ZS7ppNThNpPxqqYpVemxK9WL_jMXSnhSv8MC14dXah4gn-NRYGXo6vM3R_hmFFlwHFs66V0i259UqqWIIlFp0OxjIkM1yqSKjseCy4PRbpxDzoIza8hnyH-Hew/s1723/23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1723" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6nGYdo3B4SoSkSET2ZS7ppNThNpPxqqYpVemxK9WL_jMXSnhSv8MC14dXah4gn-NRYGXo6vM3R_hmFFlwHFs66V0i259UqqWIIlFp0OxjIkM1yqSKjseCy4PRbpxDzoIza8hnyH-Hew/w308-h640/23.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">25 July 2020 - Flinders Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">No traffic, no pedestrians and only red lights.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">COVID-19 wear, masks in sleek, slimming black.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9pIcBeVRH4/X9k_bLYuLWI/AAAAAAAALIk/EU-1G9nYzywBSsIcSUl0t0K64XSpRJHmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9pIcBeVRH4/X9k_bLYuLWI/AAAAAAAALIk/EU-1G9nYzywBSsIcSUl0t0K64XSpRJHmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/24.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">25 July 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Saturday afternoon, getting everything together for our steak night ritual. The empty streets had us wondering what the hell everyone else was actually doing.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5ISOBJ_tuo/X9k_bme1RxI/AAAAAAAALIo/CB20Evy67J8HNzqXz-aswo6mMJN4Ib77QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5ISOBJ_tuo/X9k_bme1RxI/AAAAAAAALIo/CB20Evy67J8HNzqXz-aswo6mMJN4Ib77QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/25.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">26 July 2020 - Fitzroy Gardens - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A typical COVID-19 photo coming out of the COVID epicentre of Australia.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Mandated and masked. Dan spoke, we listed and had to implement.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41Kw1sxFr9Q/X9k_bzHd3TI/AAAAAAAALIs/j_V-bpCxdxsR3cidP4y5lJwIAqiYICMawCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/26.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41Kw1sxFr9Q/X9k_bzHd3TI/AAAAAAAALIs/j_V-bpCxdxsR3cidP4y5lJwIAqiYICMawCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/26.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">08 August 2020 - Flinders Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I had to take these photos. Although now common place, I knew there would come a time in the not too distant future when shots such these would simply amaze us.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuP7MNNJ5fw/X9k_cWmdhyI/AAAAAAAALIw/4ySz51xiEngcuuvNOFH8iQeszaaD8TaqACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zuP7MNNJ5fw/X9k_cWmdhyI/AAAAAAAALIw/4ySz51xiEngcuuvNOFH8iQeszaaD8TaqACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/27.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">08 August 2020 - Bourke Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bourke Street on a Saturday afternoon, a ghost town waiting for its new owners to come in and take over.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2QrnvDYX9k/X9k_dBq408I/AAAAAAAALI4/_YQXle2GdiExo_T_-Lfg7GG7YiXskZ7SwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2QrnvDYX9k/X9k_dBq408I/AAAAAAAALI4/_YQXle2GdiExo_T_-Lfg7GG7YiXskZ7SwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/28.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">08 August 2020 - Romeo Lane Bar - 1A Crossley Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our Saturday night saviour. The takeaway cocktails from Romeo Lane gave us that little pep in our weekly off-beat step. I actually enjoyed turning up to the relatively nondescript entrance, knocking on the door and pretending that this was some type of clandestine exchange in the era of prohibition. I was also surprised that on each occasion I was met by a person not wearing a mask, like they were somehow playing along with the fantasy in my mind.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDUSDER7xxM/X9k_c1zIBII/AAAAAAAALI0/smzjNlYXEcEaxGgopOs-tk2eawrPyMxIwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/29.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1638" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDUSDER7xxM/X9k_c1zIBII/AAAAAAAALI0/smzjNlYXEcEaxGgopOs-tk2eawrPyMxIwCLcBGAsYHQ/w512-h640/29.jpg" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">13 August 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There were nights when the lack of movement on the streets was truly a sight worth capturing.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJsH3lrS1-Y/X9k_eXl7gYI/AAAAAAAALJA/TxF2iSobv0M2XUlnipk2nO0viaeqnymXACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/30.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJsH3lrS1-Y/X9k_eXl7gYI/AAAAAAAALJA/TxF2iSobv0M2XUlnipk2nO0viaeqnymXACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/30.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">15 August 2020 - Birrarung Mar - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Simple pleasures. Taking a stroll along the river on a Saturday afternoon became a favourite pastime.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lMnv4vDR7g/X9k_eQKqq9I/AAAAAAAALJE/jIHSu3sF78YYZ-qDSO4C3mD3hAYZRMYLACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/31.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lMnv4vDR7g/X9k_eQKqq9I/AAAAAAAALJE/jIHSu3sF78YYZ-qDSO4C3mD3hAYZRMYLACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/31.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">16 August 2020 - Birrarung Mar - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Just hanging out, kicking around a ball, watching the trains, enjoying the sun and having some time with my son. There are moments that will always stick out in your mind.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6db6toyUN0/X9k_eq373dI/AAAAAAAALJI/_8R9QW68VlgTM_VDJ-r6ViToz7rvdR73QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6db6toyUN0/X9k_eq373dI/AAAAAAAALJI/_8R9QW68VlgTM_VDJ-r6ViToz7rvdR73QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/32.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">16 August 2020 - Batman Avenue - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tranquil, peaceful and somewhat disturbing. A Sunday afternoon with not a vehicle or a person in sight. At this point Melbourne was being hammered by the pandemic. By mid-August we'd either just hit, or just come off our highest daily infection rate in terms of new case numbers. New restrictions were being placed on us each day and the economy was on life support.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z5D6Y2qZbxc/X9k_f0D5RFI/AAAAAAAALJM/UzYCSXBpaYIj2pB3c3dhpvgHR4hAWBBhACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z5D6Y2qZbxc/X9k_f0D5RFI/AAAAAAAALJM/UzYCSXBpaYIj2pB3c3dhpvgHR4hAWBBhACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/33.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">16 August 2020 - Birrarung Mar - Yarra River - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Along the banks of the Yarra. Aiden and I had the place to ourselves.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5VeR1RyzzaA/X9k_gPWIKOI/AAAAAAAALJU/5meSmrBkHGgQpKdDCjXlMBAx79jZZh8NACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5VeR1RyzzaA/X9k_gPWIKOI/AAAAAAAALJU/5meSmrBkHGgQpKdDCjXlMBAx79jZZh8NACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/34.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">22 August 2020 - Hoisier Lane - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I found myself walking past the 'never deserted' Hoisier Lane, only to find that I was the only person in the frame. Of course the rain had an impact but there you have it, person free.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84zgfZ5ALVg/X9k_gMCvxcI/AAAAAAAALJQ/cBTmF1dTiXkzc4k5zI6P8sEwIFt8z0GQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1440" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84zgfZ5ALVg/X9k_gMCvxcI/AAAAAAAALJQ/cBTmF1dTiXkzc4k5zI6P8sEwIFt8z0GQQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h500/35.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">22 August 2020 - Hoisier Lane - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3AaCANJfhE/X9k_g5vPHOI/AAAAAAAALJY/DnKQirhBwjc9zz9IF_9qjwSlWRZqtbbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/36.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1440" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3AaCANJfhE/X9k_g5vPHOI/AAAAAAAALJY/DnKQirhBwjc9zz9IF_9qjwSlWRZqtbbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h500/36.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">22 August 2020 - Hoisier Lane - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSZkU4lq9_A/X9k_hD8kN8I/AAAAAAAALJc/LRmLnsJUUbc3B5_FJNc-DF9PvJx3oXBOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/37.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSZkU4lq9_A/X9k_hD8kN8I/AAAAAAAALJc/LRmLnsJUUbc3B5_FJNc-DF9PvJx3oXBOgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/37.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">29 August 2020 - Flinders Street Station - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The deafening sound of an empty vessel.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M7Yt2kc06sI/X9k_hY8BstI/AAAAAAAALJg/kYZkQiyhLogItu7qvsR0jUtpg_H4XR-UwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M7Yt2kc06sI/X9k_hY8BstI/AAAAAAAALJg/kYZkQiyhLogItu7qvsR0jUtpg_H4XR-UwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/38.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">29 August 2020 - Flinders Street Station - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It use to be when someone said, '<i>I'll meet you on the stairs of Flinders St Station', </i>that you would still think, '<i>How the hell will I see them amongst that crowd?'.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Guess what?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I found you.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEII6oITXy0/X9k_hu5hRfI/AAAAAAAALJk/Y3K2gCp6AMASswpljWzitQivx4DMcNwVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1261/39.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="821" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEII6oITXy0/X9k_hu5hRfI/AAAAAAAALJk/Y3K2gCp6AMASswpljWzitQivx4DMcNwVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w416-h640/39.jpg" width="416" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 August 2020 - Flinders Street Station - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sunday afternoon on Flinders Street.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ke3KiNm5U0A/X9k_il1_ZhI/AAAAAAAALJs/9uu6JpLbIRA7yHgFuHCLBoElIkBLepNawCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/41.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ke3KiNm5U0A/X9k_il1_ZhI/AAAAAAAALJs/9uu6JpLbIRA7yHgFuHCLBoElIkBLepNawCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/41.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 August 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Somewhere about this time Aiden's obsession with pans started. Of course the impetus for the pan fetish was sparked by our Saturday evening steak night, but now he was taking his pans to 'another level'.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-70UalJh054Q/X9k_ilw5r1I/AAAAAAAALJw/X-n0Dl89TyYTkpwLNzVwSi-NjnsWd-muwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/42.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-70UalJh054Q/X9k_ilw5r1I/AAAAAAAALJw/X-n0Dl89TyYTkpwLNzVwSi-NjnsWd-muwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/42.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">08 September 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sometime during the month of August Inga & I made the decision to relocate. At that time the restrictions in Melbourne had no foreseeable end. The hospitality industry had been totally decimated and for Inga that meant that there was simply no available. Our tenants in Surfers Paradise were coming to the end of their lease and it just felt like the perfect time to make the move to a state where COVID was just a dirty word that described the goings on south of the border.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmRBFIFGajs/X9k_jV-2qcI/AAAAAAAALJ0/J1TvydpIeyg0bpghbNdcnwkxUMIpgEUhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/43.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmRBFIFGajs/X9k_jV-2qcI/AAAAAAAALJ0/J1TvydpIeyg0bpghbNdcnwkxUMIpgEUhwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/43.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">12 September 2020 - Queen Street - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Empty trams on the way to Queen Victoria markets. This became part of my Saturday ritual after the Hereford Beefstouw shut their doors. I'd head to the markets and pick up our steaks for the evening. Again, this was something I really enjoyed doing. It got me out of the apartment for that one-time per week and I didn't have the hassle of having to squeeze into a crowded space.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQxoWSZTi4M/X9k_j_llPlI/AAAAAAAALJ4/k7Ocz5VpY6IAyvpvIS98lW-zTOPeAfwmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YQxoWSZTi4M/X9k_j_llPlI/AAAAAAAALJ4/k7Ocz5VpY6IAyvpvIS98lW-zTOPeAfwmgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/45.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">26 September 2020 - Birrarung Marr - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">One of my favourite photos. Not for the composition or quality of photo but just because of what it represented to us. Living on Flinders Street one of Aiden's favourite things to do was watch the trains go by and mimic their sounds. These stairs, looking out onto the railway line and over to the MCG was where we would head to on a Sunday afternoon in order to watch the trains and the trams, wave at them both, and hopefully get one of them to blow their horns for us. </span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ar3e4pcKXfU/X9k_kH0jWOI/AAAAAAAALJ8/kz42ul5Gu7Emfp4x-0XwN-f1ZQ4qtNlTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/46.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ar3e4pcKXfU/X9k_kH0jWOI/AAAAAAAALJ8/kz42ul5Gu7Emfp4x-0XwN-f1ZQ4qtNlTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/46.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">26 September 2020 - Birrarung Marr playground - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A Saturday afternoon at the playground.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQjNTRH288I/X9k_khYBtSI/AAAAAAAALKA/1NlJmRWn7p0o-Bv21ab-aMcmeRch5eWcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/48.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQjNTRH288I/X9k_khYBtSI/AAAAAAAALKA/1NlJmRWn7p0o-Bv21ab-aMcmeRch5eWcgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/48.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">26 September 2020 - Birrarung Marr playground - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">COVID friendly interactions whilst on the swings.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ENzP5Y00gg/X9k_lD1md_I/AAAAAAAALKI/8btDItwQvZAchUaM5jvPBtCZ4r1kfTsuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ENzP5Y00gg/X9k_lD1md_I/AAAAAAAALKI/8btDItwQvZAchUaM5jvPBtCZ4r1kfTsuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/50.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">26 September 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A beautiful display over the Yarra. On days like this you could almost forgive everything.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-518WYDmDOw8/X9k_lvTehdI/AAAAAAAALKM/i0VSTtStq580vB0IHKV3H_ScHlBWZQNOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/51.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-518WYDmDOw8/X9k_lvTehdI/AAAAAAAALKM/i0VSTtStq580vB0IHKV3H_ScHlBWZQNOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/51.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">27 September 2020 - Birrarung Marr - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Enjoying Sunday afternoon with my favourite person in the whole world!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUBlDb49dtw/X9ldA4IFmiI/AAAAAAAALLg/mqE1kNWjhA4lWdsg4eLlty1u29b8HZabACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Final1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AUBlDb49dtw/X9ldA4IFmiI/AAAAAAAALLg/mqE1kNWjhA4lWdsg4eLlty1u29b8HZabACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Final1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">11 October 2020 - Birrarung Marr - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sunday afternoon playground capers. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This was fun weekend. I'd just finished a major assignment and was procrastinating the need to start my final major assignment for the year. Sunday afternoons like these were way more enjoyable than thinking about <i>Cybersecurity Risk Management.</i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_mpDigJBGw/X9ldA3NiIXI/AAAAAAAALLk/XyY2iBw3Js8vvN5T23oh0e6HMvL2zgIbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1385/Final2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_mpDigJBGw/X9ldA3NiIXI/AAAAAAAALLk/XyY2iBw3Js8vvN5T23oh0e6HMvL2zgIbwCLcBGAsYHQ/w382-h640/Final2.jpg" width="382" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">During COVID the Breslin Bar & Grill in Southbank turned into a mini-market on Saturdays and Sundays. After I'd venture to Queen Victoria markets in order to pick up our steaks for a Saturday night, I'd head down to the Breslin in to pick up a Saturday night tipple. In all honesty, the <i>Black truffle Negroni</i> was my least favourite of what they had on offer but still, Saturday night drinks soooo good!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z3SridcVbfo/X9ldBK5EZyI/AAAAAAAALLo/B5O4aOSLizwft7Qpi1tvImGVHQQTSutSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Final3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z3SridcVbfo/X9ldBK5EZyI/AAAAAAAALLo/B5O4aOSLizwft7Qpi1tvImGVHQQTSutSwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Final3.jpg" width="480" /></a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">17 October 2020 - Docklands Park - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">You can't take the Rock Star out of the boy!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EnWhMEaGh2o/X9ldCIhMAVI/AAAAAAAALLs/myx2misiaZwwAxKMrYCnPZPfVQ4mO4tBACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Final4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EnWhMEaGh2o/X9ldCIhMAVI/AAAAAAAALLs/myx2misiaZwwAxKMrYCnPZPfVQ4mO4tBACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Final4.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 October 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">'Where are we going again?' - 'I don't care, I just like boxes!'</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzofUcZHh4A/X9ldCVFhTxI/AAAAAAAALLw/6BRAUYnNCiQ-oxywSsw7dxjEGwfBArHbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/Final5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="828" height="482" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzofUcZHh4A/X9ldCVFhTxI/AAAAAAAALLw/6BRAUYnNCiQ-oxywSsw7dxjEGwfBArHbQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h482/Final5.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">30 October 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">This is the Melbourne sign that we purchased from</span> <i><a href="https://electricconfetti.com/" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Electric Confetti</a><span style="color: white;">, </span><span style="color: white;">(a fantastic neon sign shop in Brighton who produced it for us, they also do custom designs).</span></i><span style="color: white;">This sign was specifically designed for our Melbourne apartment, and that's where it w</span><span style="color: white;">ill stay. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Personally, I would have really wanted to stay in Melbourne myself, and certainly we tried, but COVID-19 had other plans for us and the real estate prices in the suburbs we wanted to be in had pushed us out of those markets. Of course COVID brought those prices b</span><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">ack down but by that time our decision had been made. So it was '<i>Adios'</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Thank you Melbourne! You were more than we imagined, and you gave us much more than we ever expected.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjMIWj9gGH8/X9ldCuUsCSI/AAAAAAAALL0/_DEIYJxiG40tkPAv8XF6QzrGP_lCIdJ4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Leaving1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjMIWj9gGH8/X9ldCuUsCSI/AAAAAAAALL0/_DEIYJxiG40tkPAv8XF6QzrGP_lCIdJ4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/Leaving1.jpg" width="360" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">31 October 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our last Saturday evening in Katherine Place - Steak Nights 'R' Us</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mlfEXNaKg8Y/X9ldDZ8jHDI/AAAAAAAALL4/1-MYsUxKsPoiRmFpQDO9BwLfm3e5hwPGACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Leaving2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mlfEXNaKg8Y/X9ldDZ8jHDI/AAAAAAAALL4/1-MYsUxKsPoiRmFpQDO9BwLfm3e5hwPGACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Leaving2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>31 October 2020 - Fitzroy Gardens - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Last time in the gardens too.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccUX1haZdco/X9ldDlTPfVI/AAAAAAAALMA/VOqX_oAqIlMFnwQfWbsqhBCrLjDzpN9hQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Leaving3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ccUX1haZdco/X9ldDlTPfVI/AAAAAAAALMA/VOqX_oAqIlMFnwQfWbsqhBCrLjDzpN9hQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Leaving3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">01 November 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden doing the final bit of cleaning prior to us heading north for two weeks of quarantine in sunny Brisbane.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Xdb_wxCqbc/X9ldDuupzhI/AAAAAAAALL8/XyD3B54t_gE0txPm2NO5y_ff_onCtR1TACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Leaving4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Xdb_wxCqbc/X9ldDuupzhI/AAAAAAAALL8/XyD3B54t_gE0txPm2NO5y_ff_onCtR1TACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Leaving4.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">01 November 2020 - 2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I have to say an absolutely 'massive' thank you to my fabulous wife!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">As I'd been in the midst of trying to complete my final assignment, and work, she was the one that dismantled, packed and boxed absolutely everything. It was an enormous task and she did it all on her own!!!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comMelbourne VIC, Australia-37.8136276 144.9630576-66.123861436178842 109.80680760000001 -9.5033937638211512 -179.8806924tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-68591879736551356452020-03-10T16:37:00.002+11:002020-12-16T09:33:52.004+11:00Melbourne & Sydney (Australia) - The Hot Zone<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Melbourne & Sydney (Australia)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">10 March - 20 March 2020</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">By the time the start of March had greeted us we all had a fairly good idea that the pandemic was upon us. We were still living in much the same way but there was an unease on the streets when it came to errant sneezes, proximity to those that weren't family members and movements in public generally.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This post is more about the two weeks that preceded the 20th of March, especially those last couple of days when the gravity of what was upon us started to hit home with flight cancellations, empty streets and untamed toilet paper envy.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Rather than having photos support the story, for the next few entries I'll write directly to the photos that are being posted.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4VlHCI1l0/X9g9BVw-J2I/AAAAAAAALD4/O-zGDNZ5P18N6hT9akn_GIFYeV4gLyhsACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4VlHCI1l0/X9g9BVw-J2I/AAAAAAAALD4/O-zGDNZ5P18N6hT9akn_GIFYeV4gLyhsACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Gin Palace - 10 Russel Street - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">In the foreground a Japanese Negroni and in the background a Floral Negroni.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I had waited so long for David & Annija to get to Melbourne and I'd wanted to take them out on my very own '<i>hidden bar tour'</i>. The Gin Palace had been a long time favourite of mine, back from my days of living in Sydney.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgXWTrEQ9H0/X9g9BSDObBI/AAAAAAAALD8/SRmR_HqU0Qw1DDtgNlUvLACaztUPzRhzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UgXWTrEQ9H0/X9g9BSDObBI/AAAAAAAALD8/SRmR_HqU0Qw1DDtgNlUvLACaztUPzRhzQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Croft Institute - Croft Alley - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I love the lane-ways of Melbourne. Turn down a shabby, none too inviting lane and inevitably you'll come upon something great. The beauty of it, as this photo shows, it that just by turning up here and not knowing of its existence you wouldn't think to do any more investigating.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8M-Lg_oLLM/X9g9BVi9O8I/AAAAAAAALD0/HK8Z2AJrqQEuWi0SKZbIj9CgpKsNU1R7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8M-Lg_oLLM/X9g9BVi9O8I/AAAAAAAALD0/HK8Z2AJrqQEuWi0SKZbIj9CgpKsNU1R7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Croft Institute - Croft Alley - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Davis taking his medicine like a pro!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlVDpkfjWyw/X9g9CZJKNqI/AAAAAAAALEA/3WKWsOzh2Zk2De2ueH94zj-fGvFhSrrYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlVDpkfjWyw/X9g9CZJKNqI/AAAAAAAALEA/3WKWsOzh2Zk2De2ueH94zj-fGvFhSrrYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb4.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Croft Institute - Croft Alley - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7STAxAzITw/X9g9Cn6LPVI/AAAAAAAALEE/-oUo-1ECoRY4INOBpDlV0eRKBQkD14pdACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7STAxAzITw/X9g9Cn6LPVI/AAAAAAAALEE/-oUo-1ECoRY4INOBpDlV0eRKBQkD14pdACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb5.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Croft Institute - Croft Alley - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There's a lot of 'Melbourne' in this simple photo</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NJOXS-gOdM/X9g-3rHOlOI/AAAAAAAALEk/CWNFL-IMnsAaCnf7PcR_OjEBKRgSPNvJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Melb6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NJOXS-gOdM/X9g-3rHOlOI/AAAAAAAALEk/CWNFL-IMnsAaCnf7PcR_OjEBKRgSPNvJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Melb6.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">2110/7 Katherine Place - Melbourne - Australia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The view down the Yarra, to Flinders Street station and beyond was the real selling point of this apartment. I think its going to be a long while before we ever consider selling this place. What catches me in this photo is even very early on in the piece, this must have been around the 2nd week of March, evenings on the streets were eerily quiet. Flinders Street, typically, is buzzing until the early hours of the morning, in this photo there's only the odd car making its way.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EExxHFlwN_A/X9g-4JYM-yI/AAAAAAAALEo/chC93ql-GFUuDoLU-B3_jnjE5iyie0jZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EExxHFlwN_A/X9g-4JYM-yI/AAAAAAAALEo/chC93ql-GFUuDoLU-B3_jnjE5iyie0jZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb7.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Mary's Melbourne - 167 Franklin Street - Melbourne - Australia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There was a palpable feel about those early days of COVID. Another place that should have a healthy patronage is almost empty on a Saturday night. There's was something spectacularly weighty about being out and about to experience normal every day things before they came to a grinding halt.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mgCVtUkd918/X9g-4Go7aaI/AAAAAAAALEs/Hg7cAlmOvwwlkLlqdFNH2gbfkFTnHhsbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/melb9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mgCVtUkd918/X9g-4Go7aaI/AAAAAAAALEs/Hg7cAlmOvwwlkLlqdFNH2gbfkFTnHhsbgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/melb9.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Mary's Melbourne - 167 Franklin Street - Melbourne - Australia</i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uApZnK-r0YY/X9g-27_yozI/AAAAAAAALEY/5zJIAu_6qdEIVmbT3aa1hYLaKcylZEb8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Melb10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uApZnK-r0YY/X9g-27_yozI/AAAAAAAALEY/5zJIAu_6qdEIVmbT3aa1hYLaKcylZEb8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Melb10.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Arbory Afloat - Yarra River - Melbourne - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Now a summertime institution in Melbourne, Arbory afloat is open from late October until late March each year. Inga and her mother probably caught one of the last open days before closing down for the season</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d9VnggUOKNs/X9g-2xmxVKI/AAAAAAAALEc/Cu3wh2jENCI-ceBFdkjoi6J9LjNujfy2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d9VnggUOKNs/X9g-2xmxVKI/AAAAAAAALEc/Cu3wh2jENCI-ceBFdkjoi6J9LjNujfy2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb11.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Great Ocean Road - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">One of the great day trips out of Melbourne and certainly one of great drives in Australia. It's a long day but a worthwhile one. Here's Aiden and his uncle Davis at the start of what was a 16 hour day</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myhdoU18_NA/X9g-3Hr4g8I/AAAAAAAALEg/8ltp3QPHCp4dbMaMd5uG-Ncd05GK_gkWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-myhdoU18_NA/X9g-3Hr4g8I/AAAAAAAALEg/8ltp3QPHCp4dbMaMd5uG-Ncd05GK_gkWgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb12.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Great Ocean Road - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Cruising out in your own Mustang is certainly a great experience</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aVIDM4E7IcM/X9hBsvrD17I/AAAAAAAALFE/p-44GSfPnP43ZE4_t6E6UZlsWcogQrxQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/Melb13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="828" height="482" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aVIDM4E7IcM/X9hBsvrD17I/AAAAAAAALFE/p-44GSfPnP43ZE4_t6E6UZlsWcogQrxQgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h482/Melb13.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Great Ocean Road - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden, Aunty Annija and Uncle Davis, with their driver for the day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Cruising the Great Ocean Road</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wvCI6lRaMSw/X9hBtDo09_I/AAAAAAAALFI/eAW61vocatEtAr6zwqeHV0CWnnbPgM2bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wvCI6lRaMSw/X9hBtDo09_I/AAAAAAAALFI/eAW61vocatEtAr6zwqeHV0CWnnbPgM2bQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb14.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>The Twelve Apostles - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Always a highlight of any day on the Great Ocean Road. I try to get here during sunset as you can get some magnificent colours if your lucky</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FG4Sy7gq34k/X9hBucdVSeI/AAAAAAAALFc/Lp4ENyY2EU8nLg__Yf-17pCGQp_OWBvewCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/melb15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FG4Sy7gq34k/X9hBucdVSeI/AAAAAAAALFc/Lp4ENyY2EU8nLg__Yf-17pCGQp_OWBvewCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/melb15.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Hereford Beefstouw - 22 Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I'd like to say this was my discovery but it wasn't. I came to it by way of a conversation I had with a colleague and friend of mine, Gary Dowthwaite, when discussing the best steaks we've had in Melbourne. My vote was for San Telmo, 14 Meyers Place, and his went for the Hereford. After trying both I'm happy to say that they're both damn fine. In this photo Aiden is being held by his grandfather Jurijs - both waiting on their meals I assume.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjVUiJF4QS8/X9hBtL-Wm0I/AAAAAAAALFM/wuoYwPzKycYNkJseN990-rICYQGsTghwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xjVUiJF4QS8/X9hBtL-Wm0I/AAAAAAAALFM/wuoYwPzKycYNkJseN990-rICYQGsTghwgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb16.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This is either the #86 or #96 back down Collins Street</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Being from Sydney, and being born in the year that I was, it was only until very recently that (we) have decided to rekindle our love of all things tram related. Melbourne has it in spades when it comes to ease of mobility and transport across the CBD. How cool is it that within the CBD all tram travel is free! That's a smart city for you right there!</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0t3kNiVWetA/X9hBtunslqI/AAAAAAAALFQ/ahCJlsE0-BoF5ZzBi1YQFSlDWmPlqIzggCLcBGAsYHQ/s1361/Melb17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0t3kNiVWetA/X9hBtunslqI/AAAAAAAALFQ/ahCJlsE0-BoF5ZzBi1YQFSlDWmPlqIzggCLcBGAsYHQ/w390-h640/Melb17.jpg" width="390" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Hereford Beefstouw - 22 Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The photo says all that needs to be said</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dq46lRrkXH8/X9hBufnuOvI/AAAAAAAALFY/Kg96jj1muIILQuoZvQNdWNC4SclLzEVZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/melb18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dq46lRrkXH8/X9hBufnuOvI/AAAAAAAALFY/Kg96jj1muIILQuoZvQNdWNC4SclLzEVZACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/melb18.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Smith Street - Collingwood - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">From memory this was in Collingwood. I say from memory because I wasn't actually with them.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAymDYTVe5g/X9hBuMcbt0I/AAAAAAAALFU/k6XcHlfUKo4CBTPt5mFLZhXuW5tYBA7fQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAymDYTVe5g/X9hBuMcbt0I/AAAAAAAALFU/k6XcHlfUKo4CBTPt5mFLZhXuW5tYBA7fQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb21.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>The Twelve Apostles - Great Ocean Road - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I love this photo of us :)</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JykRT7ewTs/X9hBuzsm9pI/AAAAAAAALFg/HtBdyIg_0yUUXVL32rjV064up1XnG05oACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/melb22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JykRT7ewTs/X9hBuzsm9pI/AAAAAAAALFg/HtBdyIg_0yUUXVL32rjV064up1XnG05oACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/melb22.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Outside of Port Campbell - Great Ocean Road - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I gave my brother-in-law a chance to drive the Mustang. Usually in situations like this I'm fairly apprehensive but on this occasion I felt absolutely relaxed. Even though it was his first time driving on the left side of the road and utilising a right hand drive he was perfect. First timers tend to float across the lane towards the outside when they're switching over, but after only a few minutes Davis had it covered. Pretty impressive I have to say.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pcJFt0VRoKk/X9kzamOOUZI/AAAAAAAALF8/sRLQVP8v90ohvuo3gkj91M7jW1JRydpUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="2048" height="558" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pcJFt0VRoKk/X9kzamOOUZI/AAAAAAAALF8/sRLQVP8v90ohvuo3gkj91M7jW1JRydpUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h558/Melb23.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Melbourne sign - Melbourne Tullamarine airport - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Reunited after 6 months, looks like Jurijs is going to be giving his daughter a lift instead of the other way around</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LHkR80Cys64/X9kza3Yn3JI/AAAAAAAALGE/SpNaV-uCG_AE801ph87VHW2V0lFdy1GxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="2048" height="263" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LHkR80Cys64/X9kza3Yn3JI/AAAAAAAALGE/SpNaV-uCG_AE801ph87VHW2V0lFdy1GxACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h263/Melb24.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">One of my favourite laneways in Melbourne, down here you'll find the Hereford Beefstouw, Pastutso & Tonka amongst others</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlb-T-1eQsY/X9kza-96EjI/AAAAAAAALGA/ZykcQEPuq7cLQToEEuA9O6s-DkVZTw_QgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Melb25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlb-T-1eQsY/X9kza-96EjI/AAAAAAAALGA/ZykcQEPuq7cLQToEEuA9O6s-DkVZTw_QgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Melb25.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Hereford Beefstouw - 22 Duckboard Place - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This is the Tomahawk steak offered up by the Hereford. A whole 1kg off the bone and more than a helping for the three men that tried to take it down</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxBHRHSspYE/X9kzb1h5dpI/AAAAAAAALGI/qRMOlQOhT9EaNGBh1MWyNKAmy5WV3D1RgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/SYD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxBHRHSspYE/X9kzb1h5dpI/AAAAAAAALGI/qRMOlQOhT9EaNGBh1MWyNKAmy5WV3D1RgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/SYD1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Sydney - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After all those years, this view had always been the epitome of coming home. It's certainly an odd feeling to look down on this harbour and snap photos like a typical tourist</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxwRJCxl0ks/X9kzfLUX91I/AAAAAAAALGo/3qQJlxJx3l0_jPG2ECuwI0uc5lixeU1mQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxwRJCxl0ks/X9kzfLUX91I/AAAAAAAALGo/3qQJlxJx3l0_jPG2ECuwI0uc5lixeU1mQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Darling Harbour - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfbvOHBKzuw/X9kzfqSB9KI/AAAAAAAALGs/hCw8Z-0CsicLVON8TA9_35NXWDE9m5IOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cfbvOHBKzuw/X9kzfqSB9KI/AAAAAAAALGs/hCw8Z-0CsicLVON8TA9_35NXWDE9m5IOACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd3.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Darling Harbour - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R6sxQhrRGow/X9kzgEWlNhI/AAAAAAAALGw/No4rY6UF-bMJXDL0IMIEZVG5MD9PU-gYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R6sxQhrRGow/X9kzgEWlNhI/AAAAAAAALGw/No4rY6UF-bMJXDL0IMIEZVG5MD9PU-gYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd4.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Chinatown- Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N1Fka7xVkEk/X9kzgcqfEiI/AAAAAAAALG0/jusIQKFME7INf6hO7D6Fj2QlEG5e8bi3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Syd5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N1Fka7xVkEk/X9kzgcqfEiI/AAAAAAAALG0/jusIQKFME7INf6hO7D6Fj2QlEG5e8bi3gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/Syd5.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sydney Opera House- Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aiden, Inga and Zaiga at the Sydney Opera House</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TBPUoZ282do/X9kzgyEu_3I/AAAAAAAALG4/--usHiNo6Yw2YXhrEa3lHrSOSqoTD5M8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Syd6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TBPUoZ282do/X9kzgyEu_3I/AAAAAAAALG4/--usHiNo6Yw2YXhrEa3lHrSOSqoTD5M8wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Syd6.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gcFYfyKUiPg/X9kzhH3ySnI/AAAAAAAALG8/R8nJorc6DE4wfrKXA8Uv6tcSiFw0JH8mwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gcFYfyKUiPg/X9kzhH3ySnI/AAAAAAAALG8/R8nJorc6DE4wfrKXA8Uv6tcSiFw0JH8mwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd7.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Circular Quay - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Waiting for the crew to disembark from their afternoon jaunt to Manly. During these days I had been working from the apartment that we'd rented out on Sussex Street. Once again, these days, whilst enjoyable were also filled with anxiety for most of us. Wondering how these cancelled flights would impact their return home, what the quarantine restrictions would mean, what connecting flights now needed to be taken and through which city. Things were changing so quickly and there was so little information available that it made decision making more intuitive than anything else.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8gKm8htb_-k/X9kzhQQyEzI/AAAAAAAALHA/KUAcTQF8juo8XjBEzWuoe7icPhrVzo4sQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8gKm8htb_-k/X9kzhQQyEzI/AAAAAAAALHA/KUAcTQF8juo8XjBEzWuoe7icPhrVzo4sQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Syd8.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Circular Quay - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkW8BLP75oI/X9kzh3L3TnI/AAAAAAAALHE/TBQHr_Wx56crTVmZ1dVtdLTra65ymionACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NkW8BLP75oI/X9kzh3L3TnI/AAAAAAAALHE/TBQHr_Wx56crTVmZ1dVtdLTra65ymionACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Syd9.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Opera Bar - Circular Quay - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-33mfFQI9xa4/X9kzcevdLrI/AAAAAAAALGM/mQlFlw4UPPol3aQ0fWs9ot_YfcHGG7iJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-33mfFQI9xa4/X9kzcevdLrI/AAAAAAAALGM/mQlFlw4UPPol3aQ0fWs9ot_YfcHGG7iJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd10.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Circular Quay - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmdVn3EaT94/X9kzc4ALKEI/AAAAAAAALGQ/xoKqlp4QHXAwnMRGXf5AQMXjh4s6Klk_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AmdVn3EaT94/X9kzc4ALKEI/AAAAAAAALGQ/xoKqlp4QHXAwnMRGXf5AQMXjh4s6Klk_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd11.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Circular Quay - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Trams in the heart of Sydney! It took a bit of time for Sydney to realise what it had lost but finally they've done something about it. Of course, they'll never get to Melbourne levels where trams are part of their DNA. Small steps I gues.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AYyfrDKZkuE/X9kzdD4FvZI/AAAAAAAALGU/MOtEp_AC8K4hqQJhoJnX-cq-YVaZlaCUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Syd12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AYyfrDKZkuE/X9kzdD4FvZI/AAAAAAAALGU/MOtEp_AC8K4hqQJhoJnX-cq-YVaZlaCUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Syd12.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sydney Harbour - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhmjkkqidjE/X9kzdjgCPlI/AAAAAAAALGY/GuS0EyB0h04dPK0tcLQO-KWkRKAhyZjtQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhmjkkqidjE/X9kzdjgCPlI/AAAAAAAALGY/GuS0EyB0h04dPK0tcLQO-KWkRKAhyZjtQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd13.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Sydney airport - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On our way back to Melbourne</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju2iedar9bw/X9kzeEide7I/AAAAAAAALGc/0m6XcA9V-8AhzTF_C5u4EEDbE7dRF4fZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ju2iedar9bw/X9kzeEide7I/AAAAAAAALGc/0m6XcA9V-8AhzTF_C5u4EEDbE7dRF4fZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd14.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Sydney airport - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NSybQiQDtMY/X9kzeUwqNKI/AAAAAAAALGg/hMbypRTmc44rbUzOpZ2mD43w5wl5Kg5vACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NSybQiQDtMY/X9kzeUwqNKI/AAAAAAAALGg/hMbypRTmc44rbUzOpZ2mD43w5wl5Kg5vACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Syd15.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Sydney airport - Sydney - New South Wales - Australia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Wow, this said it all. A Friday afternoon flight down to Melbourne would commonly be full to the brim. This shot was an insight into what the next 6 months was going to be like.</span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKDHeh7zcEw/X9kze4dAuCI/AAAAAAAALGk/MQMPmjMcGiEHiKXl0Z8MODo1gIm4QSDyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Syd16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKDHeh7zcEw/X9kze4dAuCI/AAAAAAAALGk/MQMPmjMcGiEHiKXl0Z8MODo1gIm4QSDyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Syd16.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Skybus - on the way to Southern Cross Station - Melbourne - Victoria - Australia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comAustralia-25.274398 133.775136-53.584631836178843 98.618886 3.035835836178844 168.931386tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-80490211863636276042020-03-07T15:51:00.109+11:002020-12-15T10:42:23.265+11:00Bali (Ubud) - Indonesia - Scar<div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Bali (Ubud) - Indonesia</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">07 March – 09 March 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Ubud is the perfect foil to the nightlife carnage of Kuta. It’s your serene tonic to the tourist shaken core of the ‘downtown’ area of Bali’s popular visitor hub. Imbued with finest of Balinese qualities, its tropical rainforest & terraced rice paddy fields are dotted with Hindu temples and shrines, setting this location as perhaps the most idyllic, authentic and iconic of locations in Bali. There’s a feel about Ubud, a calmness and an ambience whose atmospheric presence has tones of mystery and tranquillity. It’s uplifting, and that surge of elation has its unique sense of being just in this particular spot. Bali has other places of course, wilder, more chaotic, more hedonistic, but none as enchanting. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I need to write this entry a little backwards as one of our highlights of the location was the fabulous stay at Villa Naga Putih. Without question, the most phenomenal of property I’ve had the pleasure of staying at. With it tropical jungle setting, a few kms away from the centre of Ubud, its sprawling 2700m2 of space, fashioned across three levels, was almost too much room for the six of us. In fact, it was too much room, so much so that we had to consciously set ourselves the task of visiting other rooms on the property just to fully appreciation and experience the whole. It was epic, there’s no other way of describing it. It’s places like these that quite often prompt you to allow yourself, momentarily, to indulge in atypical notions of partaking in creatively driven lifestyles that could somehow manage to sustain your existence in a place such as this. Like somehow the setting itself could conjure up an untapped quality that could perpetuate your dream state lifestyle. Of course you know it’s absurd, but, you also know that there are people out there that have managed to do it. It’s nice to dream…and you only need to live in just one of the many dreams you have to consider yourself as a success as an ‘alternative’.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nyu-BrwZuP4/X9fzlMXVLjI/AAAAAAAAK_0/2v6FMBQq-SIv59SaKHvxvu5k0AJUEUStACLcBGAsYHQ/s828/NP%2Boutside2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="828" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nyu-BrwZuP4/X9fzlMXVLjI/AAAAAAAAK_0/2v6FMBQq-SIv59SaKHvxvu5k0AJUEUStACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/NP%2Boutside2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVWTbNF8-yg/X9fzk_sPzyI/AAAAAAAAK_w/GqYMyWMDDHcyVLVmD1Kr6-vAiTtZtZQNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/NP%2Bpool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="828" height="362" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVWTbNF8-yg/X9fzk_sPzyI/AAAAAAAAK_w/GqYMyWMDDHcyVLVmD1Kr6-vAiTtZtZQNwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h362/NP%2Bpool.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fE4-5LLs_MY/X9fzlkXwCvI/AAAAAAAAK_4/hiUlU8otCXAHWQLCuikRJ0RymGee2hgEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1517" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fE4-5LLs_MY/X9fzlkXwCvI/AAAAAAAAK_4/hiUlU8otCXAHWQLCuikRJ0RymGee2hgEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w474-h640/UBUD20.jpg" width="474" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ogf2n8OLA0Q/X9fzmMhX28I/AAAAAAAAK_8/vXDzwv4dXycid6jRd63xh8Kj0vNLEJnOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ogf2n8OLA0Q/X9fzmMhX28I/AAAAAAAAK_8/vXDzwv4dXycid6jRd63xh8Kj0vNLEJnOACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/UBUD22.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibKUgi95oE4/X9fzmXL-ucI/AAAAAAAALAA/5tMP2y6BPbUG9wSElYo1ppy038mtRxAUACLcBGAsYHQ/s2764/UBUD23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="2764" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ibKUgi95oE4/X9fzmXL-ucI/AAAAAAAALAA/5tMP2y6BPbUG9wSElYo1ppy038mtRxAUACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h264/UBUD23.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HyHV27KBTgo/X9f0JpdRw9I/AAAAAAAALAY/AgZC9UcD5r03Q5oQL0ChBtalTrR6VKQ7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HyHV27KBTgo/X9f0JpdRw9I/AAAAAAAALAY/AgZC9UcD5r03Q5oQL0ChBtalTrR6VKQ7ACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/UBUD25.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KIu3w8trkfc/X9f0KCPXchI/AAAAAAAALAg/TUB8ciAhX8UH8-RJxD29aFXYhoji3G6OgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KIu3w8trkfc/X9f0KCPXchI/AAAAAAAALAg/TUB8ciAhX8UH8-RJxD29aFXYhoji3G6OgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/UBUD26.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGvKLRQA4pg/X9f0J-bi52I/AAAAAAAALAc/IraacLOFLVEoo3L11eXhCmkXwrl5eS1bACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGvKLRQA4pg/X9f0J-bi52I/AAAAAAAALAc/IraacLOFLVEoo3L11eXhCmkXwrl5eS1bACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/UBUD27.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2hMj98hJpI/X9f0K-aTZyI/AAAAAAAALAk/pOIJFARRKDoRj0BSTLyZlS6Un7VTt4VKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2hMj98hJpI/X9f0K-aTZyI/AAAAAAAALAk/pOIJFARRKDoRj0BSTLyZlS6Un7VTt4VKgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/UBUD28.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pF4MgVXSpR4/X9f0MJS3HxI/AAAAAAAALAw/MHfHc80UbRwwL6Ixr-Wobha2HvYafTu1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pF4MgVXSpR4/X9f0MJS3HxI/AAAAAAAALAw/MHfHc80UbRwwL6Ixr-Wobha2HvYafTu1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ubud29.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzFzF2E31pA/X9f0LmDzyUI/AAAAAAAALAs/hw_oJM3OfJoWuOt3JDIPCiqjYsE07Jg_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzFzF2E31pA/X9f0LmDzyUI/AAAAAAAALAs/hw_oJM3OfJoWuOt3JDIPCiqjYsE07Jg_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/UBUD31.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdwyp6PxnNM/X9f0LaDYi6I/AAAAAAAALAo/4Odlhd49T1AzyzbxlKJdvJ96Hijo2Mc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/UBUD32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kdwyp6PxnNM/X9f0LaDYi6I/AAAAAAAALAo/4Odlhd49T1AzyzbxlKJdvJ96Hijo2Mc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/UBUD32.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /></span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our exit out of Seminyak earlier that day took brought us to Tegenungan Waterfall as the first order of business. A nice enough location just outside of the town of Tegenungan Kemenuh village in Gianyar, some 10kms south of Ubud. It was a suggestion provided by Komang, and a reasonable one at that, but in all honesty, its more than difficult for both Inga and I to fully appreciate the beauty of a waterfall these days. Without question our frame of reference, against which we compare any waterfall we see, is the mighty Iguazu Falls on the Argentine/Brazilian border. Everything simply pales by comparison. A pleasant enough stop of course but not nearly postcard worthy. Almost not photo worthy, but not doing some would seem unnecessarily supercilious and slightly conceited on our part.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YoqZ1bUWlBE/X9f0rtLD4VI/AAAAAAAALBM/KA85IHfJFTIdxFZ0NR8U9XQEz96HHC17gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YoqZ1bUWlBE/X9f0rtLD4VI/AAAAAAAALBM/KA85IHfJFTIdxFZ0NR8U9XQEz96HHC17gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: white;">Tegenungan Waterfall - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LvkX5-xUjsY/X9f0rkZB-JI/AAAAAAAALBQ/nz1Pm5K_eXUSKaKk0o1886o7Xkipf7JYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LvkX5-xUjsY/X9f0rkZB-JI/AAAAAAAALBQ/nz1Pm5K_eXUSKaKk0o1886o7Xkipf7JYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ubud2.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Tegenungan Waterfall - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31txuKU7_Ps/X9f0rtWm52I/AAAAAAAALBI/ceGCQeRJgA0GJtFdZPTIoH4aG-NMfb0GgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1631" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31txuKU7_Ps/X9f0rtWm52I/AAAAAAAALBI/ceGCQeRJgA0GJtFdZPTIoH4aG-NMfb0GgCLcBGAsYHQ/w510-h640/Ubud3.jpg" width="510" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Tegenungan Waterfall - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We had lunch at the Dirty Duck Diner in Ubud. Not nearly as seedy and unsanitary as it sounds, in fact, quite the introduction or re-introduction to Ubud. Sitting in open air dining pavilions amongst luscious greenery that typifies the surrounds here, ordering anything but the speciality, the Balinese crispy fried duck, would be an absolute travesty. And whilst the food was fairly good, for me the highlight was simply the restaurant surrounds. Beautiful, captivating, divine. This was what I wanted from Ubud. Calmness in a tranquil sea of green.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A66jG5pzYMQ/X9f1QI0IXRI/AAAAAAAALBo/yQ578Dy8kXEy16xpEgYm381iW5N9xLiLACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A66jG5pzYMQ/X9f1QI0IXRI/AAAAAAAALBo/yQ578Dy8kXEy16xpEgYm381iW5N9xLiLACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud4.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dirty Duck Diner - <span style="text-align: justify;">Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN_wmEqmhBITJCwPMFjeg_yxBZ13JckysJYvlBsYpgViv1yttOb7tpiVmwcVwCy2Xlb33VMbdAsXokdEAiOEpAVEkFZ-hAchxmGQ8DpTJKMjYaFmgoqCYIjaRmjKHLAGWGwKhyphenhyphenw8hjK8/s2048/Ubud5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN_wmEqmhBITJCwPMFjeg_yxBZ13JckysJYvlBsYpgViv1yttOb7tpiVmwcVwCy2Xlb33VMbdAsXokdEAiOEpAVEkFZ-hAchxmGQ8DpTJKMjYaFmgoqCYIjaRmjKHLAGWGwKhyphenhyphenw8hjK8/w480-h640/Ubud5.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Dirty Duck Diner - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CGuyZr2U3HQ/X9f1QwkA0nI/AAAAAAAALBs/H2M0vbOtrGsDd6J1tjggw5o5uVv5ayy9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CGuyZr2U3HQ/X9f1QwkA0nI/AAAAAAAALBs/H2M0vbOtrGsDd6J1tjggw5o5uVv5ayy9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ubud6.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Dirty Duck Diner - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdfPPDd26rs/X9f1RrC3XCI/AAAAAAAALBw/SrSsKt4RCPQ-THR6Ra5fioL7CLxvWPHjACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RdfPPDd26rs/X9f1RrC3XCI/AAAAAAAALBw/SrSsKt4RCPQ-THR6Ra5fioL7CLxvWPHjACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud7.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Dirty Duck Diner - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQzjRN_SEoI/X9f1R5mpeDI/AAAAAAAALB0/9ea5PD_IqUYuSUQDINF10ukr_e4QH-grgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JQzjRN_SEoI/X9f1R5mpeDI/AAAAAAAALB0/9ea5PD_IqUYuSUQDINF10ukr_e4QH-grgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud9.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Dirty Duck Diner - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QJMrsEliO9M/X9f1P_uEyZI/AAAAAAAALBg/DPj0EHKWiFQJDUKvAoyzAIkqqX2RoMvZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QJMrsEliO9M/X9f1P_uEyZI/AAAAAAAALBg/DPj0EHKWiFQJDUKvAoyzAIkqqX2RoMvZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud10.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;">Dirty Duck Diner - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Later that afternoon we headed of to one of the now many places that offer ‘sky high’ swings that allow you to soar high above the exquisite natural jungle & terraced rice fields settings. Set on platforms positions on terraced hillsides you get the opportunity to sail out into the open air, allowing you to take in majestic views and set yourself up for some more than instagrammable photos. The swings themselves have a harness which you’re required to strap yourself into but that doesn’t really diminish from the thrill of flying out over the valley on a wooden plank tied to rope! It’s pretty damn cool! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqFMzK5_D2g/X9f2LZB5fcI/AAAAAAAALCI/aIdE43GT1v8zB-DhLGCWMP-oyUMgMP97gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqFMzK5_D2g/X9f2LZB5fcI/AAAAAAAALCI/aIdE43GT1v8zB-DhLGCWMP-oyUMgMP97gCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ubud11.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkR5Bq2U0PM/X9f2LyKqZII/AAAAAAAALCM/thhWImm_wJIMC8_Cc4SK7HRuSRnM9PawgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KkR5Bq2U0PM/X9f2LyKqZII/AAAAAAAALCM/thhWImm_wJIMC8_Cc4SK7HRuSRnM9PawgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud12.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Hg_z0tLjJo/X9f2L899ZPI/AAAAAAAALCQ/Q_VTiXy-7FUEUrpuao4sBoN8LOj6hA9vACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="2048" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Hg_z0tLjJo/X9f2L899ZPI/AAAAAAAALCQ/Q_VTiXy-7FUEUrpuao4sBoN8LOj6hA9vACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h328/Ubud13.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3AG0LMaotts/X9f2MdwiBCI/AAAAAAAALCU/lkQXxeq72Q0-Qqd-fLpMyHh-ol2Qhzu4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3AG0LMaotts/X9f2MdwiBCI/AAAAAAAALCU/lkQXxeq72Q0-Qqd-fLpMyHh-ol2Qhzu4ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud14.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXw2LMtqTQo/X9f2M4KIc3I/AAAAAAAALCY/YgSJg8QyAoozNKrIWMGGmQkRp_QqrB6eACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXw2LMtqTQo/X9f2M4KIc3I/AAAAAAAALCY/YgSJg8QyAoozNKrIWMGGmQkRp_QqrB6eACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud15.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URO2pLCJlJU/X9f2NFKko5I/AAAAAAAALCc/rSSdfTsMxfMEGKOAbp4QARXxoulWHy-CACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URO2pLCJlJU/X9f2NFKko5I/AAAAAAAALCc/rSSdfTsMxfMEGKOAbp4QARXxoulWHy-CACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud17.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4IXntvMaYmM/X9f2NmDn6xI/AAAAAAAALCg/GIU38ENQikILdaaP_Bx8q89Rze6EzntlACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4IXntvMaYmM/X9f2NmDn6xI/AAAAAAAALCg/GIU38ENQikILdaaP_Bx8q89Rze6EzntlACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ubud18.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cdiTqY2k8C0/X9f2OL1lZjI/AAAAAAAALCk/CjDNLs75OH0bG-noxrUYd_E1vnBrbp0JQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cdiTqY2k8C0/X9f2OL1lZjI/AAAAAAAALCk/CjDNLs75OH0bG-noxrUYd_E1vnBrbp0JQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud19.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tegalalang rice terrace swing - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">The next day, our penultimate day on this short excursion, involved a massage for the girls, a bit of a walk around Ubud centre and then a wonderful late afternoon, early evening dinner at the</span> <a href="https://www.bridgesbali.com/" style="background-color: #01ffff;">Bridges Bali restaurant</a>. <span style="color: white;">My brother-in-law managed to chose this place from a myriad of online recommendations, and I have to say, he hit the nail on the head. For atmosphere, scenery and service, this place was impeccable. It’s one of those places that I’d be happy to stay at for hours, getting intoxicated from the tropical perfumes, ambience and my choice of concoctions from the bar. Simply exquisite and far too short of an experience for my liking. Alas, when you have a place like Villa Naga Putih to return to for the evening then complaining is simply not allowed. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaINHF2Cf2c/X9f3HCzLpwI/AAAAAAAALDA/X06Up8TppB4VBvO66dQnTSFjWtRxni-_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1330/Bridges2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaINHF2Cf2c/X9f3HCzLpwI/AAAAAAAALDA/X06Up8TppB4VBvO66dQnTSFjWtRxni-_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w398-h640/Bridges2.jpg" width="398" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZHoXtKjksw/X9f3HExofeI/AAAAAAAALC8/vVK1iB9nNKs1wmJJANQNUHAZ_wSi9vazACLcBGAsYHQ/s1232/Bridges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZHoXtKjksw/X9f3HExofeI/AAAAAAAALC8/vVK1iB9nNKs1wmJJANQNUHAZ_wSi9vazACLcBGAsYHQ/w269-h400/Bridges.jpg" width="269" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6GX7uVGIbs/X9f3IBCVr1I/AAAAAAAALDE/RetHiBvEHAkPoZBf7LEFcNk7Vz5Y7fyPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/NP%2BPool2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="828" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6GX7uVGIbs/X9f3IBCVr1I/AAAAAAAALDE/RetHiBvEHAkPoZBf7LEFcNk7Vz5Y7fyPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h354/NP%2BPool2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d0g1DQGwXZM/X9f3ITr62kI/AAAAAAAALDI/1yhOj9FFReUlP1Y4v_K476auXv2I2VqlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/NP%2BPool3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="828" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d0g1DQGwXZM/X9f3ITr62kI/AAAAAAAALDI/1yhOj9FFReUlP1Y4v_K476auXv2I2VqlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/NP%2BPool3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtVbkRsq214/X9f3HFGO-OI/AAAAAAAALC4/547KvngxKLo8FN3H98t7hpaBVEv6iFwJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s828/NP%2BPool%2Babove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="828" height="364" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtVbkRsq214/X9f3HFGO-OI/AAAAAAAALC4/547KvngxKLo8FN3H98t7hpaBVEv6iFwJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h364/NP%2BPool%2Babove.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Villa Naga Putih - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UruiG4deTU/X9f3IwOcLqI/AAAAAAAALDM/1yi1xN6N6DwdUiyMbUJ4hCvVT2YK50yVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UruiG4deTU/X9f3IwOcLqI/AAAAAAAALDM/1yi1xN6N6DwdUiyMbUJ4hCvVT2YK50yVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ubud33.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3CnbFLYWTc/X9f3JDBRvpI/AAAAAAAALDQ/syzmL2WC_HceJImDigraSaQVtOWb8BwPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3CnbFLYWTc/X9f3JDBRvpI/AAAAAAAALDQ/syzmL2WC_HceJImDigraSaQVtOWb8BwPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud34.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf9js_gdBJE/X9f3JbarO7I/AAAAAAAALDU/NXW8TMIYZ-IavuZ8tunNZ3fhxIB_alV4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf9js_gdBJE/X9f3JbarO7I/AAAAAAAALDU/NXW8TMIYZ-IavuZ8tunNZ3fhxIB_alV4wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud35.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flkzGj5qfS8/X9f3J87YXjI/AAAAAAAALDY/7DkoI0ke_BMPGPrZVuHopdysh6pta1EfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-flkzGj5qfS8/X9f3J87YXjI/AAAAAAAALDY/7DkoI0ke_BMPGPrZVuHopdysh6pta1EfQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ubud36.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pXsJoJ1Qk7E/X9f3KMhzrkI/AAAAAAAALDc/AXM0j1ptx68M8O8rJVxsZAIIv8SOeEn3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ubud38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pXsJoJ1Qk7E/X9f3KMhzrkI/AAAAAAAALDc/AXM0j1ptx68M8O8rJVxsZAIIv8SOeEn3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ubud38.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bridges Restaurant - Ubud - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">That my friends was it however. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The next day Inga and I left mid-morning and jumped a flight back to Melbourne. Several weeks later COVID-19 had forced itself into our psyche, had changed our way of live and blunted nearly everything else that we took for granted. For the majority of us 2020 is going to have a gigantic asterisk next to its name. We were forced to adapt and morph into introverted hobbits – peering out of our apartment windows, watching the days take place in front of our eyes without ever truly being part of it. Life will get back to normal, or, some form of normal relatively soon, but the scar that COVID-19 will leave is something that will be visible for a few years to come.
</span></div>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comUbud, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia-8.5068536 115.2624778-36.817087436178845 80.1062278 19.803380236178846 150.4187278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-40466809542883392802020-03-04T13:57:00.172+11:002020-12-10T15:15:48.760+11:00Bali (Seminyak) - Indonesia - Before the deluge<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Bali (Seminyak) - Indonesia</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">04 March – 07 March 2020</span></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If somehow the memories I have of our Bali trip managed to travel forward at the speed of light until now, then by comparison, I think I may
have aged dramatically, if not physically, then without question, psychologically. In the same
manner that Einstein’s theory of special relativity predicts that the person ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">left behind on earth’</i> would age significantly when compared with the person flying into the future, aka (space), on their anti-age defying machine of light speed.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Truthfully, the nine months from
March until now have felt like five years in the age of our COVID-19 ravaged reality.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">These days, as I peer out of our
apartment window, looking down onto Flinders St, I find it completely
empty, bar for the occasional Uber eats cyclist or an emergency service vehicle on its way to another crisis. This is the end-of-days scenario that we use to admonish ‘Doomsday Preppers’ for anticipating.
In its early days collectively we all thought that just like any other melodrama
that has emerged via our pixelated idiot boxes, that the Novel Coronavirus would somehow
disappear in the manner of SARS, MERS or Ebola. I think part of the contempt initially was that somehow we were immune to any sizeable global catastrophe.
Bad things, global troubles, were only ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real’</i>
and identifiable in the guise of the tangible, things such as armed conflict, terrorism, natural disasters. As the now emeritus
Donald J Trump said in this oft repeated snippet,</span> ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svrxYLvJYto">You know in theory when it gets a little warmer it miraculously goes away</a>’</span>. </i><span style="color: white;">Going on further, and to reiterate my initial point on how long the
decade of 2020 feels, he goes on to say,</span> ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svrxYLvJYto" style="background-color: #eeeeee;" target="_blank">We only have 11 cases and they’re all getting better</a>’….</i> that was on February 10<sup>th</sup>,
2020….</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">…Roll forward to 10
December 2020, exactly 10 months later and the US Coronavirus statistics read
like this;</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">15.2 million cases</span></span></li><li><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">286,000 deaths</span></span></li><li><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">200,000 + cases per
day</span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Aside from the sheer
stupidity and ignominy of a leader making such bombastic comments, the numbers
offer more to the reality than our collectively conflated denial <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">back in the day</i> was willing to grasp.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNXJvx4jLnc/X9Gba1yy48I/AAAAAAAAK80/7cEX9aBJVoskCqa7vRzogKoQHAtJAIlOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNXJvx4jLnc/X9Gba1yy48I/AAAAAAAAK80/7cEX9aBJVoskCqa7vRzogKoQHAtJAIlOQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/1.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">On our way to Bali - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tu4IxTh5ZxY/X9GbbNLG_AI/AAAAAAAAK84/GEWCN98E0dgay9CN_Xi_LqvZSC6qctPyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tu4IxTh5ZxY/X9GbbNLG_AI/AAAAAAAAK84/GEWCN98E0dgay9CN_Xi_LqvZSC6qctPyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Now even Aiden can say, 'I've been to Bali too' - Melbourne - Australia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PYm1I1eUBlM/X9Gba-460WI/AAAAAAAAK8w/mlG3fMiXrGkXUs2XwQsLr8UPbxac0XpygCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PYm1I1eUBlM/X9Gba-460WI/AAAAAAAAK8w/mlG3fMiXrGkXUs2XwQsLr8UPbxac0XpygCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Our last family trip before the COVID tsunami hit us</span></i></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Before the deluge, the onset of the pandemic that halted economies, travel, social life and much of everything that has modern day humans we had taken for granted, we'd planned a
getaway to the island paradise located to our north-west. A getaway not just for this Australian trio, but also, for Inga's family who would be meeting us in Bali before returning with us
to Melbourne in order to have their first experience of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great
Southern Land.</i></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga and I were
making our first visit to Bali after a four-year hiatus. In that time we had
circled the globe a few times, gotten engaged, then married, relocated to
Australia and had our first and only child to date, Aiden. When you summarise
it all in just a few lines like that it makes you realise that a hell of a lot occurred in that time-frame.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jH_7cD_usP4/X9GcCzw4_uI/AAAAAAAAK9I/AECTa7MXwYEHCFvMRwUkXwE2MqfZrohYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jH_7cD_usP4/X9GcCzw4_uI/AAAAAAAAK9I/AECTa7MXwYEHCFvMRwUkXwE2MqfZrohYQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/4.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Gupta - Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9aFezQfM2g/X9GcDbpGXUI/AAAAAAAAK9M/EuTJpsrwQbs76So5SPKf955bugDN2CmSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B9aFezQfM2g/X9GcDbpGXUI/AAAAAAAAK9M/EuTJpsrwQbs76So5SPKf955bugDN2CmSwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Gupta - Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmoDuUSZeIQrD8BbHU4V_N7vnMHkKxFX2fys3jokeZdgXo6OSZHrbgV6zF90HCWZSfQpWAaXOWbGRRJL5Yrc9oz38aIjA0Gl_jfLpW2gAQDDUkeGq78b4Ucm9r2nF5fm1U6jrDQYfNSo/s2048/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmoDuUSZeIQrD8BbHU4V_N7vnMHkKxFX2fys3jokeZdgXo6OSZHrbgV6zF90HCWZSfQpWAaXOWbGRRJL5Yrc9oz38aIjA0Gl_jfLpW2gAQDDUkeGq78b4Ucm9r2nF5fm1U6jrDQYfNSo/w480-h640/6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Gupta - Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFacZR1kPIc/X9GcD_QBM4I/AAAAAAAAK9U/98ynyd8cHLwynrdJTMuLvrweZMrTobCywCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFacZR1kPIc/X9GcD_QBM4I/AAAAAAAAK9U/98ynyd8cHLwynrdJTMuLvrweZMrTobCywCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Villa Gupta - Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pqW70HdXyzY/X9GcEnCYkMI/AAAAAAAAK9Y/rI9CkqS1lFkb6RpWYFKm0YgrgM8AFUq1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pqW70HdXyzY/X9GcEnCYkMI/AAAAAAAAK9Y/rI9CkqS1lFkb6RpWYFKm0YgrgM8AFUq1gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/8.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Kudeta - restaurant and beachclub - Villa Gupta - Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IcWjSE8zzs/X9GcE1qqqfI/AAAAAAAAK9c/PnD0hYqNLDcoaPZdU35_As0jV5Ekr8IPACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IcWjSE8zzs/X9GcE1qqqfI/AAAAAAAAK9c/PnD0hYqNLDcoaPZdU35_As0jV5Ekr8IPACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Semiyak - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Generally the
Australian perception of Bali is that it’s that locations where bogans go to have their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">international holiday. </i>Giving them the ability to say that they’ve been overseas. Famously epitomized in
the Redgum song <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’ve been to Bali too, </i>the
lyrics, ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bali T-shirts, magic mushrooms,
Redgum bootlegs, I’ve been to Bali too’</i> inevitably the images that many
of us conjure when we think of those <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i>
Australians making their way to the island. And sure, there is some of that style to
be expected of Australians in Bali, especially in Kuta, but Bali can, and does offer so much more. I
can say from personal experience that I(we) have only scratched the surface of both
the beauty of the people, their land, and all that it has to offer. So in that sense I’m not ashamed to
say that not only have I been to Bali too, but, I plan on returning a number of times in the future.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvUbTgZQoV4/X9GdjHHlZ1I/AAAAAAAAK9s/-FVxDbtKns08WVcsoZpeLyHdZb_Bmc3zQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvUbTgZQoV4/X9GdjHHlZ1I/AAAAAAAAK9s/-FVxDbtKns08WVcsoZpeLyHdZb_Bmc3zQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/10.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Rock Bar - AYANA Resort - Jimbaran - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-audqtWQ5Ix0/X9GdjWn_l4I/AAAAAAAAK9w/b6a5g-ayjl84piP2EzO5i0xP4DT_pGd2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-audqtWQ5Ix0/X9GdjWn_l4I/AAAAAAAAK9w/b6a5g-ayjl84piP2EzO5i0xP4DT_pGd2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/11.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Rock Bar - AYANA Resort - Jimbaran - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtJRTQL4nQc/X9GdjQZJDhI/AAAAAAAAK90/RffXt3Dmnr0reIwY05YvpHoOQOBHltd8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtJRTQL4nQc/X9GdjQZJDhI/AAAAAAAAK90/RffXt3Dmnr0reIwY05YvpHoOQOBHltd8wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Rock Bar - AYANA Resort - Jimbaran - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3UZTgC7BRL0/X9GdkWLvbhI/AAAAAAAAK94/cFbJ8XHG5og6WiuT8YMvEBScNZVu0eEvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3UZTgC7BRL0/X9GdkWLvbhI/AAAAAAAAK94/cFbJ8XHG5og6WiuT8YMvEBScNZVu0eEvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zwDGTiW7h9s/X9Gdkn3D--I/AAAAAAAAK98/Xl6rBqb0WKgJ964uqvXOFhh4DWKyReboACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2048" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zwDGTiW7h9s/X9Gdkn3D--I/AAAAAAAAK98/Xl6rBqb0WKgJ964uqvXOFhh4DWKyReboACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h390/14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Flying into Denpasar
on a typically balmy Bali evening, we were met by <a href="http://amanbalitransport.com/" target="_blank">Komang</a>, our driver and guide
from four years earlier. A friendly, genuine and somewhat understated individual,
he typified to me a lot of what the people here seem have within the fabric of
their DNA. Not anything brash, or overt, but a sincerity and openness that is
not manufactured for a purpose. Once again, we had asked him to be our guide
for the next few days once again, this time playing host a slightly extended family
audience.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bgZ3sdsbPX34dzhC5WTawke09tkFqdyHUmbV75IprnH9hoaejZmg1GdCkaOKvShwlim6BkWJIop9cUfUNJzJXqXdRlR8_YLpm8PH87MeBfuFflqtLskorqF3f00ay5d8BHAz8r5BEro/s2048/15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bgZ3sdsbPX34dzhC5WTawke09tkFqdyHUmbV75IprnH9hoaejZmg1GdCkaOKvShwlim6BkWJIop9cUfUNJzJXqXdRlR8_YLpm8PH87MeBfuFflqtLskorqF3f00ay5d8BHAz8r5BEro/w640-h480/15.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEAsaOu51zw/X9GePyyq-uI/AAAAAAAAK-Q/Yo67zoxSOugIG37K3b5Ck__XPPZOwSimwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEAsaOu51zw/X9GePyyq-uI/AAAAAAAAK-Q/Yo67zoxSOugIG37K3b5Ck__XPPZOwSimwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/16.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXygXSEB_1s/X9GeQbjpyjI/AAAAAAAAK-Y/bDZid1qeRgkc-g8T7MkliSfxPONkssb5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXygXSEB_1s/X9GeQbjpyjI/AAAAAAAAK-Y/bDZid1qeRgkc-g8T7MkliSfxPONkssb5QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/17.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJYDtvEw_qU/X9GeRLB1B8I/AAAAAAAAK-c/04AGmlpePJ846ujHbS7ZTfH47fKSX227QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gJYDtvEw_qU/X9GeRLB1B8I/AAAAAAAAK-c/04AGmlpePJ846ujHbS7ZTfH47fKSX227QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/18.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Balinese Temple - Tanah Lot - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5DYXmvnppNg/X9GeRa4K_SI/AAAAAAAAK-g/sgfZ0CIw9JAYJJhrsaUllSfeovv-QAX3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5DYXmvnppNg/X9GeRa4K_SI/AAAAAAAAK-g/sgfZ0CIw9JAYJJhrsaUllSfeovv-QAX3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/19.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Bali - Indoia</span></i></div>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On this occasion we
had rented out Villa Gupta for our time in Central Seminyak. A tranquil,
gorgeous, three -bedroom abode where we would spend our time between our
comings and goings. A truly great place, perfect a bigger group like our and in
all honesty, much better value than having to book three different rooms in a
hotel or a resort.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnkOOswBYPs/X9GeupGyQwI/AAAAAAAAK-4/t0dmymBj3ygn7ggUDmN2Fksq1gmQ2DENwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnkOOswBYPs/X9GeupGyQwI/AAAAAAAAK-4/t0dmymBj3ygn7ggUDmN2Fksq1gmQ2DENwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/20.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Nusa Dua Beach - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ElMIyPO-9Do/X9GeuSGaTdI/AAAAAAAAK-0/y_zOf2BdqwM4Q9Wo5DfRpOdJvRHwFYgTwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ElMIyPO-9Do/X9GeuSGaTdI/AAAAAAAAK-0/y_zOf2BdqwM4Q9Wo5DfRpOdJvRHwFYgTwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/21.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Nusa Dua Beach - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22GlrDKCcvE/X9GeuYFdjXI/AAAAAAAAK-w/W5QHtqK2etEBeegZeUFlAdU2mbhtgfhKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22GlrDKCcvE/X9GeuYFdjXI/AAAAAAAAK-w/W5QHtqK2etEBeegZeUFlAdU2mbhtgfhKwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/22.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">OMNIA Dayclub - Kabupaten Badung - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz8dXQC2ux4/X9GevWNqZCI/AAAAAAAAK-8/op9wZRtpJpQUhTxY2jgIj81KlLkPh46RgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz8dXQC2ux4/X9GevWNqZCI/AAAAAAAAK-8/op9wZRtpJpQUhTxY2jgIj81KlLkPh46RgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">OMNIA Dayclub - Kabupaten Badung - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0yYWfPttvj6tP7XqnQRteCCqUvJxwb5VJLcVrPbbtKbDWaQWfBQizVOr3OpBsMW1QGYPSHnmLZXtmyHAuJkEtnDlyR-JVCTfnQggi0iMiJvDX48_jKQgENZUBrdbE09b7rVx5Bf61Hg/s2048/25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0yYWfPttvj6tP7XqnQRteCCqUvJxwb5VJLcVrPbbtKbDWaQWfBQizVOr3OpBsMW1QGYPSHnmLZXtmyHAuJkEtnDlyR-JVCTfnQggi0iMiJvDX48_jKQgENZUBrdbE09b7rVx5Bf61Hg/w640-h480/25.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">OMNIA Dayclub - Kabupaten Badung - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For the next couple
of days we spent most of our time either in Seminyak or on the most southern coastline
of Bali. In this regard, there wasn’t an overwhelming urge to undertake mass
sightseeing but we did all get an idea of the key elements that make this
island such an overwhelming favourite for so many people.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--sXx7Kwev0s/X9Gf5YhEjGI/AAAAAAAAK_Y/S4x8UN8WdE8QoWvVAmHgyT5i1KDR2ck_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2514/26.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="2514" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--sXx7Kwev0s/X9Gf5YhEjGI/AAAAAAAAK_Y/S4x8UN8WdE8QoWvVAmHgyT5i1KDR2ck_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h318/26.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">OMNIA Dayclub - Kabupaten Badung - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtS7_LbLxIY/X9Gf5M4iLtI/AAAAAAAAK_U/AyD7-WJZ4sAUqDduIyvjrgsJa1VlpUKYACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TtS7_LbLxIY/X9Gf5M4iLtI/AAAAAAAAK_U/AyD7-WJZ4sAUqDduIyvjrgsJa1VlpUKYACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/27.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Kuta - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b35ks3X0aC0/X9Gf5OM4X1I/AAAAAAAAK_Q/VRH_-LZRKHo5L_Bdi6N7E4tTRdnPk9G6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b35ks3X0aC0/X9Gf5OM4X1I/AAAAAAAAK_Q/VRH_-LZRKHo5L_Bdi6N7E4tTRdnPk9G6wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/28.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Kuta - Bali - Indonesia</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Being from Australia,
this part of the world is relatively familiar to me, in the sense that it’s
proximity gives you a sense of awareness for it. Coming from Latvia on the
other hand must feel like your stepping into a totally different universe. A
paradise that inspires a tropical state of mind. Coming from a land where the
average annual air temperature is just +5.9 degrees, Bali must truly be a tropical
splendour.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comSeminyak, Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Indonesia-8.6912893999999987 115.1681653-37.001523236178841 80.0119153 19.618944436178847 150.3244153tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-20263725112668151562019-09-15T15:08:00.007+10:002020-12-04T15:40:55.896+11:00Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) - Hitting it off<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b> Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">13 September - 15 September 2019</span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">As one of those travelling
families that have utilised Abu Dhabi merely a point of transit of the years,
getting to be familiar with the International Airport, for us, was akin to
establishing familiarity with the city itself. Which is to say, we really haven’t
discovered a lot about the poorer/richer cousin of the brash & dazzling
Dubai. Somehow on this occasion the feeling we took away was a place that was
more engaging and more interesting. I couldn’t tell you the reason for that, we
didn’t take in tours of discovery or undertake any culturally insightful
events, we had a simple stay at the Bab Al Qasr hotel, a decent view, some
sheesha, cocktails and relaxed vibe. Maybe that’s all that was needed. A little
time reflecting on another great holiday, and figuring out where the next might
originate.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uNhB7ZIFo9I/X8m6gCrtwCI/AAAAAAAAK7I/tcUFKCj8xAgdfeeyMqQq0BkX2FagHVHAACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uNhB7ZIFo9I/X8m6gCrtwCI/AAAAAAAAK7I/tcUFKCj8xAgdfeeyMqQq0BkX2FagHVHAACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/A1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ready to roll - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PkyiBguWFEc/X8m6gCSCR2I/AAAAAAAAK7M/72Hw39NtufcwG32rtHGcKL6ZwvAwnleogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PkyiBguWFEc/X8m6gCSCR2I/AAAAAAAAK7M/72Hw39NtufcwG32rtHGcKL6ZwvAwnleogCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/A3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Rock Star moves - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W4dJGuNNMZY/X8m6gVk5OuI/AAAAAAAAK7Q/qdNZcJFl7DAsiyf3m68g6YsgnrIJPzENwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W4dJGuNNMZY/X8m6gVk5OuI/AAAAAAAAK7Q/qdNZcJFl7DAsiyf3m68g6YsgnrIJPzENwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/A4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Rock Star moves - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The next day we were
at the airport, ready to make our way back to Melbourne. Typically going the rigmarole
of checking-in is laborious and boring at the best of times. With a 6-month old
it becomes a challenging event, which makes it all the more frustrating when
Eithad lets you know that the confirmed seats you have for the flight does not
actually guarantee that you’ll get onto the flight. Typical, it seems for Etihad,
as this has happened to both my parents and myself in Abu Dhabi previously,
Etihad overbooks its flights, by what seems to be a far larger percentage that
is common to industry practices. These means therefore that even if you turn up
to the airport on-time, your chances of getting offloaded with a fully paid
ticket are relatively high. An absolute nuisance and frustration, and a lesson
to be learned in terms of drilling in the process of compulsory online
check-in. For us, the day delay wasn’t a major drama other than the fact that I
was commencing a new job the very next day, and so, re-arranging flights out
meant that our new schedule had us in Melbourne at about 6:30am on Monday
morning. For any of us that may have arrived home on a long-haul flight and
committed ourselves to the torment of heading into work the same day, you know
the pain, your working day is nothing short of torture. Still, Etihad gave us
$600USD credit each and complimentary accommodation and meals, so not an entire
disappointment.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2XyVmCui0g/X8m7AyR5MAI/AAAAAAAAK7k/KjQ85LvdysUckQNQSoiBqm88VkbzcIIbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2XyVmCui0g/X8m7AyR5MAI/AAAAAAAAK7k/KjQ85LvdysUckQNQSoiBqm88VkbzcIIbgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/A5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bab Al Qasr hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7h-7gp_zYiA/X8m7B17YQKI/AAAAAAAAK7s/JBW9r5T1qUozdNf1rbOfJLf7W4SmPK-lACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7h-7gp_zYiA/X8m7B17YQKI/AAAAAAAAK7s/JBW9r5T1qUozdNf1rbOfJLf7W4SmPK-lACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/A6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bab Al Qasr hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BFky4sKufv0/X8m7CFSnWVI/AAAAAAAAK7w/efmTNJ2KqE89S5LPO2l2uzhsrZcUS2K9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BFky4sKufv0/X8m7CFSnWVI/AAAAAAAAK7w/efmTNJ2KqE89S5LPO2l2uzhsrZcUS2K9gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/A7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Royal Palace from the Bab Al Qasr hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLW866589ww/X8m7BKTrgsI/AAAAAAAAK7o/7Jp9vpOMz9YtG_pHb5Dcg0FVGF7miEFFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1214" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLW866589ww/X8m7BKTrgsI/AAAAAAAAK7o/7Jp9vpOMz9YtG_pHb5Dcg0FVGF7miEFFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w380-h640/A10.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bab Al Qasr hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GUPd1lgua4/X8m7AtosyiI/AAAAAAAAK7g/tZytp__FNQYypMXqgJiTC9J_dp_VciWWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4GUPd1lgua4/X8m7AtosyiI/AAAAAAAAK7g/tZytp__FNQYypMXqgJiTC9J_dp_VciWWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/A11.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bab Al Qasr hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Having talked up the
Formula Rossa ride at Ferrari World for the past four weeks, the additional day
gave us the opportunity to introduce Inga to the fastest ride on the planet.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There are simply no
words and nothing that can prepare for the adrenalin rush the first time you
accelerate out of the terminal. Touchpoints you thought that you may have had
to any other roller coaster disappear when your body is thrust into the back of
your seat and you gasp for air. Reaching 240kph just before you climb
vertically into the Arabian sky feels almost surreal as you reach the apex of
your first drop and the rest of the park is spread out before you.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">For those that want
to know the stats, 1.7 G-force at launch, 4.8 G throughout the ride and 0 to
240kph in 4.9 seconds – they’re some serious numbers.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SiDgCK-72rU/X8m7lAxwM-I/AAAAAAAAK8I/DETySOxM7oYQ6kTvdzNl_04UKD-E7dpmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SiDgCK-72rU/X8m7lAxwM-I/AAAAAAAAK8I/DETySOxM7oYQ6kTvdzNl_04UKD-E7dpmQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/A12.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Inga in the second row, red top - Formula Rosso ride - Ferrari World - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyG2fuqGHzI/X8m7lM_GPZI/AAAAAAAAK8E/ZrxGTZVmVDg6qdBcsCh7ps7HuwASpdQMACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qyG2fuqGHzI/X8m7lM_GPZI/AAAAAAAAK8E/ZrxGTZVmVDg6qdBcsCh7ps7HuwASpdQMACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/A13.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ferrari World - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFnPzxiBTME/X8m7lE6np-I/AAAAAAAAK8M/Qz0puiBPHvwDgl0p-RHi_H_JBeGlbWzagCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFnPzxiBTME/X8m7lE6np-I/AAAAAAAAK8M/Qz0puiBPHvwDgl0p-RHi_H_JBeGlbWzagCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/A14.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ferrari World - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I was happy that
Inga got to share the experience because I had been talking up the ride for a
while and I know that she didn’t quite believe that it would live up to the
expectation – in her words, as she walked towards me after the right ended, ‘Oh
wow…wow…I couldn’t breath …I didn’t expect that’</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exactly</i></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">After our afternoon at
Ferrari World we headed back to the airport hotel, had some dinner and crashed
out for the night.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2KBKDVjzP0/X8m8BJqSidI/AAAAAAAAK8c/yrZh_Lh1C84OW4HLTr7tTj-WfVWKSbx0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M2KBKDVjzP0/X8m8BJqSidI/AAAAAAAAK8c/yrZh_Lh1C84OW4HLTr7tTj-WfVWKSbx0wCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/A15.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The good 'ole Krompir Salata - Airport Hotel - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZQuCMIh6Xk/X8m8BT1Ut0I/AAAAAAAAK8g/P1aaQcr54WIlfYBkBwAkoCEuUIxeVUwaACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZQuCMIh6Xk/X8m8BT1Ut0I/AAAAAAAAK8g/P1aaQcr54WIlfYBkBwAkoCEuUIxeVUwaACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/A16.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Out over the Indian Ocean</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The next day, thankfully,
we boarded our flight without any drama and I made it into work for 9:00am
start o Day1 at Australian Unity.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comAbu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates24.453884 54.3773438-3.8563498361788469 19.2210938 52.764117836178841 89.5335938tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-59511175323513132522019-09-11T13:45:00.003+10:002020-11-14T14:46:23.747+11:00Dubai (United Arab Emirates) - you still owe us<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Dubai (United Arab Emirates)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">11 September - 13 September 2019</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">This story commenced with what was to have been a wonderful NYE in Dubai as we ticked over from 2017 to 2018.</span> <a href="http://hdbc2.blogspot.com/2018/01/dubai-united-arab-emirates-dark-side-of.html">The NYE that died painfully</a><span style="color: white;">, as captured in that post, was meant to have met its inevitable crescendo with a typically extravagant Emirati fireworks display that would be set to ignite the cockles of our deepest hopes and dreams, inspiring in us a year of endeavour and achievement. That's what all the <em>good marketing had us believe.</em></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">At the stroke of midnight however all that anticipation and excitement floundered like the flaccid phallus of a 70 year old man that left his blue pills in the overhead baggage compartment of his last flight. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">What we had been advised in the immediate aftermath of the greatest of letdowns was that for this year...just this year...Dubai had elected to for a <i>light show,</i> rather than its globally renowned fireworks display. What's more, that light show could not be seen from the Shangri-La Hotel, located on the opposite side of the Burj Khalifa, the focal point of NYE celebrations in Dubai.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUa7WavW1Ov93BcCav35ScgUt9PjZ6n6IPPaqQiFI38l9Y550IMS4d9fGQ1hio_eAcdTXUf57zOfjN0vD-7lUsMZ3_dEZ1xKd7hCY3N5plPMGPRUbm6rf4Vm2ijJWrkLK23igq5TzIpZs/s1800/Dubai+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUa7WavW1Ov93BcCav35ScgUt9PjZ6n6IPPaqQiFI38l9Y550IMS4d9fGQ1hio_eAcdTXUf57zOfjN0vD-7lUsMZ3_dEZ1xKd7hCY3N5plPMGPRUbm6rf4Vm2ijJWrkLK23igq5TzIpZs/w512-h640/Dubai+3.JPG" width="512" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bvroPQyMD78/X69Q5WV7OiI/AAAAAAAAK58/LD-57gi2mdQ9NAvJPL11ueyBEo2ETtkmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubai%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bvroPQyMD78/X69Q5WV7OiI/AAAAAAAAK58/LD-57gi2mdQ9NAvJPL11ueyBEo2ETtkmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dubai%2B2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujFxiWKPfjI/X69RF9eYoNI/AAAAAAAAK6E/EHzyTPOUbecPKKtPyWpRNOzQGdsRbDLfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubai%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ujFxiWKPfjI/X69RF9eYoNI/AAAAAAAAK6E/EHzyTPOUbecPKKtPyWpRNOzQGdsRbDLfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Dubai%2B7.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><i><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I was livid of course. The Shangri-La had known of this for weeks. Long before I had purchased tickets for the event, and additionally, had sold the event as one of the best vantage points to witness the <i>famous NYE fireworks and festivities of Dubai.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On returning to Belgrade I made the Shangri-La well aware of my grievances and we both settled on two free nights accommodation at the Shangri-La, at a time of my choosing, and, a dinner for two, inclusive of a bottle of wine at their iKandy outdoor restaurant/poolside bar. More than 18 months after the event we had decided to cash in our chips.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dubai isn't a city for everyone. On my first trip to the burgeoning centre of wild ideas, grand inspiration and engineering marvel, I left feeling more bemused than anything. Admittedly that first time was in 2006, and now, 13 years later, the growth steroids consumed by the emirate has transformed it into a monolithic characterisation of what capitalism does when it runs rampant on the back of petrodollars, human exploitation...and...wild ideas. There's a lot about how the system operates that probably should have me questioning my ethics but if I did that to absolutely everything in my life then where would I be?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9b1BmL7T38/X69RRtJvHNI/AAAAAAAAK6M/lAL5XEHZ8yYLnKgzWGbsgFx9ZTy9MbGnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubao%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9b1BmL7T38/X69RRtJvHNI/AAAAAAAAK6M/lAL5XEHZ8yYLnKgzWGbsgFx9ZTy9MbGnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dubao%2B10.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">View from iKandy @ the Shangri-La - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-huu1_VpW7UI/X69RhLi3awI/AAAAAAAAK6U/WmvoBhiJrPYMjBhxpGPwhcLKIkfocKmJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Dubai%2B4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="901" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-huu1_VpW7UI/X69RhLi3awI/AAAAAAAAK6U/WmvoBhiJrPYMjBhxpGPwhcLKIkfocKmJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w225-h400/Dubai%2B4.JPG" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Where else would Inga be at 9:00am?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJQDwsfLrTQ/X69RuBLOl0I/AAAAAAAAK6c/O2demf4lyjsnzHtxaX60wQ6FnQWzxc7tQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Dubai%2B5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJQDwsfLrTQ/X69RuBLOl0I/AAAAAAAAK6c/O2demf4lyjsnzHtxaX60wQ6FnQWzxc7tQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dubai%2B5.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is Inga letting me know exactly where she is</span></div><br /></div></span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">So really, Dubai is like a wondrous Disneyland without sinful overtones that would have align to a town such as Las Vegas. It's grand, in many ways brash, it drips with money and privilege, sucking you into its realm of both the possible and impossible. For those that love a hot dry climate, then this place has it in spade. For those that love sheesha, great cuisine, cocktails bars, shopping, exploring and about any other touristic venture you can think of, then my, this is a place for you also.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">When evening descends in Dubai the night scape scene morphs into something resembling the dystopian city of LA out of Blade Runner. Not that Dubai is at all sinister or a place where you wouldn't want to spend time but there's something imposing and imperial about the long line of buildings presiding along Al Maktoum Road that both excites and imparts an atmosphere of mystery. It's enigmatic, puzzling at times but full of possibility, and to me, that a great quality for a city to have. Why wouldn't you want to go out and discover what a place such as this has to offer? A city doesn't have to be aesthetically pleasing to be engaging. I personally would rate Dubai as an attractive city, but, it has so much to keep you occupied, and sometimes that's all you need.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpzGjLEjIDA/X69SDHIjoLI/AAAAAAAAK6k/P_9zmft0TJojYAI3fT9WFzQankXMsQsowCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubai%2B8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tpzGjLEjIDA/X69SDHIjoLI/AAAAAAAAK6k/P_9zmft0TJojYAI3fT9WFzQankXMsQsowCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dubai%2B8.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Shangri-La Hotel - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dP91ISPNTRM/X69STcYKgbI/AAAAAAAAK6s/a0b39mWvCPM45f0zm30SutqHRUKKHswLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubai%2B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dP91ISPNTRM/X69STcYKgbI/AAAAAAAAK6s/a0b39mWvCPM45f0zm30SutqHRUKKHswLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dubai%2B9.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Shangri-La Hotel - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBzTbPzrH4/X69SbTuVfiI/AAAAAAAAK6w/dp5s_7SNiH8V8eASzHLCs8TjSK45YNmUACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dubai%2B11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBzTbPzrH4/X69SbTuVfiI/AAAAAAAAK6w/dp5s_7SNiH8V8eASzHLCs8TjSK45YNmUACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Dubai%2B11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Shangri-La Hotel - Dubai - United Arab Emirates</span></i></div><br /></i></div></span></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">With all that said, having a 6 month old on your books means that you're restricted into what, where, when and how you can enjoy a place like this. On this occasion we mostly spent our time in the Shangri-La with only the odd excursion outside of the front doors. This was to be expected. Still, it doesn't diminish how I feel about Dubai now, nor will it dissuade me from making my way to this part of the world again soon. In my books, its a cool place to be for a time.</span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comDubai - United Arab Emirates25.2048493 55.2707828-3.1053845361788461 20.1145328 53.515083136178845 90.4270328tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-59489496244190731862019-09-07T15:48:00.076+10:002020-11-13T16:24:02.453+11:00Belgrade (Serbia) - All that you can't leave behind<p>
<span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Belgrade (Serbia)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">06 September - 11 September 2019</span></p><p>
</p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It’s not such a long
time ago that I was flying into Belgrade with my parents, an almost a yearly
occurrence as a child, to catch-up with relatives, predominantly from my mother’s
side of the family, but also from my father’s side as well. Flying into
Belgrade from Barcelona on this occasion, brought back some of those same
feelings, some of year ago and of course, of more recent times, having lived
there for nearly 3 years.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UIxbhMPYJw/X64UvGGSe-I/AAAAAAAAK30/1WqqnkMgxggVBKeYKjgkh58kbUfa7jLaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mum%2526Aiden2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UIxbhMPYJw/X64UvGGSe-I/AAAAAAAAK30/1WqqnkMgxggVBKeYKjgkh58kbUfa7jLaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Mum%2526Aiden2.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Grandmother and grandson - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSlzIXukx4E/X64VJm9_jOI/AAAAAAAAK4M/OeeXyGDHQQs1F1BTGFo93bZ2pZhMaWBIACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mum%2526Aiden3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSlzIXukx4E/X64VJm9_jOI/AAAAAAAAK4M/OeeXyGDHQQs1F1BTGFo93bZ2pZhMaWBIACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Mum%2526Aiden3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First grandson</span></div><br /></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icBumxiJA3I/X64UvWkzWLI/AAAAAAAAK34/-DMjCtJY1DIDCZg_nq-5nkXNyVg1pN52gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mum%2526Aiden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icBumxiJA3I/X64UvWkzWLI/AAAAAAAAK34/-DMjCtJY1DIDCZg_nq-5nkXNyVg1pN52gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Mum%2526Aiden.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Grandmother and grandson - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></p></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Of course
introducing a new member of the family was somewhat of a big event, if for no
one else, then for me specifically. Strange how the cycle of life can reinvent
an old situation but give it a modern day twist. There I was, now the parent,
going to visit my mother in Belgrade, and introducing her new grandson. That
was both me, and her, some 45 years ago, the same actors, just playing
different roles.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Belgrade in many
ways has always felt like a second home to me. I’ve said that many times within
this blog over the last 12-13 years of writing. That feeling has obviously been
heightened by having been based there for an extended period of time. Whereas a
child I was still really a visitor, returning now I felt more like an expat,
and hey, now that I hold a Serbian passport that view is technically correct.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vJN5zSWFUTI/X64VmVGkP0I/AAAAAAAAK4U/Z9nPyPbOt6I01PhF7GN5XK_yiygkd6HGACLcBGAsYHQ/s937/Bigz2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vJN5zSWFUTI/X64VmVGkP0I/AAAAAAAAK4U/Z9nPyPbOt6I01PhF7GN5XK_yiygkd6HGACLcBGAsYHQ/w512-h640/Bigz2.JPG" width="512" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bigz Cultural Centre - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5HQqe1B7X8/X64Vm0asl2I/AAAAAAAAK4Y/VxcpekdkOIwR2paHIcNE1Y8gJH5_7XaqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Frans3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5HQqe1B7X8/X64Vm0asl2I/AAAAAAAAK4Y/VxcpekdkOIwR2paHIcNE1Y8gJH5_7XaqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Frans3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Restoran Frans - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ_DvpJ5Aig/X64VnaRJfoI/AAAAAAAAK4g/-IskieCv31QTBB0I2OouemXWFBawvcvFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Frans4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ_DvpJ5Aig/X64VnaRJfoI/AAAAAAAAK4g/-IskieCv31QTBB0I2OouemXWFBawvcvFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Frans4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Restoran Frans - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEbGRj0bcjQ/X64VnHmrInI/AAAAAAAAK4c/b4rO1-tgjiQKey8UnF7ByfekqxFdxoVnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Frans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEbGRj0bcjQ/X64VnHmrInI/AAAAAAAAK4c/b4rO1-tgjiQKey8UnF7ByfekqxFdxoVnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Frans.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Restoran Frans - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XF2vgaO4snc/X64VoHTIkBI/AAAAAAAAK4k/UOulMT0TCoAk_3gf3FhpOfHKlVy8sWfSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s750/KnezMihajlova.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="750" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XF2vgaO4snc/X64VoHTIkBI/AAAAAAAAK4k/UOulMT0TCoAk_3gf3FhpOfHKlVy8sWfSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h478/KnezMihajlova.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Annija, Henry, Inga, Aiden & Davis - Knez Mihajlova - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">There’s a lot I like
about Belgrade. Of course it has its issues, proportionally more than many
other European cities, but, it’s desperately underrated. Classically European
in part, it also has a gritty, urban edge that’s becoming particularly trendy
for travellers casting their eye further afield in order to look for something
new. Not only that but value for money, for most travellers, is something that’s
certain to be a draw card. For its night time culture, restaurants and
hospitality, there’s a lot to savour. Whilst not aesthetically appealing as a
whole there’s certainly some places where if you capture it in the right light
or in the right mood you might just be surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Im2W98ZF7o/X64W3-23irI/AAAAAAAAK44/K4A-sV51U94pMUXh065BKwSWnjDpPcK0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bigz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Im2W98ZF7o/X64W3-23irI/AAAAAAAAK44/K4A-sV51U94pMUXh065BKwSWnjDpPcK0QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Bigz.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Bigz Cultural Centre - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfsUbyUhG9s/X64W40X7raI/AAAAAAAAK5E/5zvhxjryG_cbJtxH3YI6WIzcR5MbtckZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/d%2526A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YfsUbyUhG9s/X64W40X7raI/AAAAAAAAK5E/5zvhxjryG_cbJtxH3YI6WIzcR5MbtckZgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/d%2526A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Annija & Davis - Ima Dana - Skadarlija - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oT8AQFqZI4s/X64W4RmOIbI/AAAAAAAAK5A/Mjs_ZnaqZdI6aee3hfemzJ076LITGOwgACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Frans5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oT8AQFqZI4s/X64W4RmOIbI/AAAAAAAAK5A/Mjs_ZnaqZdI6aee3hfemzJ076LITGOwgACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Frans5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Restoran Frans - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwOckSMZE2o/X64W4C3QPbI/AAAAAAAAK48/a4Iht0j20ogVju6u2jSTF6dNJVfceD7WgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ima%2BDana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwOckSMZE2o/X64W4C3QPbI/AAAAAAAAK48/a4Iht0j20ogVju6u2jSTF6dNJVfceD7WgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ima%2BDana.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ima Dana - Skadarlija - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial;">We spent a total of
5 days there. A few days a bit too short for me but a time frame that will likely
become the norm into the future. As a child I always lamented our family’s lost
opportunity of having access to the world, via my father’s employment with
Qantas, but not taking advantage of that opportunity and utilising it only for bilateral
purposes of bridging the time and space divide with annual family visits. There
was so much more of the world that was available to us and yet our experiences
never really extended further than the boundaries of Belgrade. Of course,
personally, I’ve more than made up for that with my travels in the last 10
years, the inspiration of which I’m certain was rooted in both my travels as a
child and my desires to see much more of what the world had to offer.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The usual suspects
presented themselves during our stay. We saw the sights in Belgrade, spent an
afternoon in Kosmaj, had ourselves an exceptional lunch in Frans, spent an
evening in Skadarlija and introduced the little guy to his grandmothers side of
the family. In addition, we also has a drop in visit from Davis and Annija who
were kind enough to fly in from Riga for two nights just to catch up with me –
which was a very cool thing of them to do.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIxi3sHQEQs/X64XlwF_12I/AAAAAAAAK5g/cyebjKq56r8JWA1MEFXC6eFXCL4lJaZ8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Leaving.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIxi3sHQEQs/X64XlwF_12I/AAAAAAAAK5g/cyebjKq56r8JWA1MEFXC6eFXCL4lJaZ8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Leaving.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Outbound flights to Dubai from Belgrade usually happen at 6:30am, it usually means leaving the apartment at latest 4:30am - so not a bad photo considering this is us at 4:00am</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jpQUQMbSpfI/X64XfCrGOXI/AAAAAAAAK5c/dKlLEc2zG6YjpIqoNBAJ8WIOvqEu0MqrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jpQUQMbSpfI/X64XfCrGOXI/AAAAAAAAK5c/dKlLEc2zG6YjpIqoNBAJ8WIOvqEu0MqrgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Airport.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Our ride to Dubai - Air Serbia from Aerodrome Nikola Tesla - Belgrade - Serbia</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkgEEF4zOEk/X64XfNPDetI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/a6xqlxGms7wWzPmz5aD4NdMVPg7vQtQfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Flightbite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SkgEEF4zOEk/X64XfNPDetI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/a6xqlxGms7wWzPmz5aD4NdMVPg7vQtQfgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Flightbite.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>A nice little 'flight bite' to commence proceedings</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A great few days altogether
and amazingly no arguments with my mother on this occasion. A rarity these days
but I was more than thankful for the reprieve.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comBelgrade, Serbia44.786568 20.448921616.476334163821157 -14.707328400000002 73.096801836178855 55.6051716tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-88761708064610584022019-09-03T13:50:00.000+10:002020-11-11T13:52:28.869+11:00Barcelona (Spain) - Under the Iberian sun<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Barcelona (Spain)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">03 September - 06 September 2019</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It’s quite easy to
fall for the charms of Barcelona. Sun-drenched beaches, the deep blue Mediterranean
sea in its front yard, stunning architecture, a magnificent culinary landscape
and outstanding bar culture – distilled influences of other global centres inhabiting
hidden corners of alleyways and secret squares. Vibrant, dynamic and lively. A
24 hour city who is equally as comfortable under the rays of a beating sun as
it is with guidance of dimmed moonlight. It has everything you want from a
European city, as well as being Spanish (…sort of…but lets not get into the independence
debate).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4y_GiE2hlw/X6tL78UD4II/AAAAAAAAK0w/pfqZLBX8ZP4Wtx6r8U88poE7HDD1kzoaACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4y_GiE2hlw/X6tL78UD4II/AAAAAAAAK0w/pfqZLBX8ZP4Wtx6r8U88poE7HDD1kzoaACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/B1.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Barri Gotic - Barcelona - Spain</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWJrV_HRULk/X6tMOobN8II/AAAAAAAAK04/bdQSRtE2xeA2tew60DX00fb9coDfI60mQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FWJrV_HRULk/X6tMOobN8II/AAAAAAAAK04/bdQSRtE2xeA2tew60DX00fb9coDfI60mQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/B2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Barri Gotic - Barcelona - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HH7kf2QFJ30/X6tMW-jOUuI/AAAAAAAAK08/7iKZqskxOuYzkzXYd50hnhxoGRFV1jxNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HH7kf2QFJ30/X6tMW-jOUuI/AAAAAAAAK08/7iKZqskxOuYzkzXYd50hnhxoGRFV1jxNgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/B3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Las Ramblas - Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gf5TAjH-9ug/X6tMjXpkEcI/AAAAAAAAK1E/XCAg2DVjaPcrS9l7uQJN9_86yQYwXUo-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gf5TAjH-9ug/X6tMjXpkEcI/AAAAAAAAK1E/XCAg2DVjaPcrS9l7uQJN9_86yQYwXUo-QCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/B4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is heaven</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9aquRwN31S8/X6tMtuG9ncI/AAAAAAAAK1M/rOI5rZInqGcOxJ4iurHwfN-pGg93x8lJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9aquRwN31S8/X6tMtuG9ncI/AAAAAAAAK1M/rOI5rZInqGcOxJ4iurHwfN-pGg93x8lJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/b5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mercado de La Boqueria - Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4YQry1Hv5jQ/X6tNE2Uwg8I/AAAAAAAAK1Y/Y_1VeZU2NLs5lu1oHb1BaeF_Ko-6eKcCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4YQry1Hv5jQ/X6tNE2Uwg8I/AAAAAAAAK1Y/Y_1VeZU2NLs5lu1oHb1BaeF_Ko-6eKcCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Casa Battlo - Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53L8tdepXIg/X6tNiiSsTyI/AAAAAAAAK1k/8CL2mOjLvhoQ2O72MSWy-Ig3JH3FyRD3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2516/B8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2516" data-original-width="1250" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-53L8tdepXIg/X6tNiiSsTyI/AAAAAAAAK1k/8CL2mOjLvhoQ2O72MSWy-Ig3JH3FyRD3gCLcBGAsYHQ/w318-h640/B8.JPG" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Casa Battlo - Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FHTGAdmoYwY/X6tNxlF6uhI/AAAAAAAAK1o/fM2qbWmo1tsYthiCYT3ARdBqui9brQRwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FHTGAdmoYwY/X6tNxlF6uhI/AAAAAAAAK1o/fM2qbWmo1tsYthiCYT3ARdBqui9brQRwwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b9.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Casa Battlo - Barcelona - Spain</span><br /></div></div></div></i></div></i></span></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">It’s always pleasing
to come to Barcelona. If feels like a city that’s on perpetual vacation and the
atmosphere of the city doesn’t do anything to dispel that myth from any of its
visitors.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">On this occasion
with Inga’s family and a little 6 month in tow, access to many of the things
that I love about this city had to be tempered. Not that I’m complaining but it
does shut down a lot about the late-night culture that makes this part of the
world so quintessentially Iberian. Afternoon siestas, late night dinners, late
night drinking, bar hopping and having the early morning sun guide you home.
There’s something liberating about having such a great time that the sunshine demands
your attention as it casts aside the veil of nighttime inhibition.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzE0X0g3E9M/X6tN738iQzI/AAAAAAAAK1w/hkHQ9clciB0uVCn57I8VeXOwrgXwtqQIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzE0X0g3E9M/X6tN738iQzI/AAAAAAAAK1w/hkHQ9clciB0uVCn57I8VeXOwrgXwtqQIQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b10.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAI_g99etTE/X6tOPPfvUbI/AAAAAAAAK18/o3zpwqdJtmg0GnwCsN78hrkcRFjPlX1vgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAI_g99etTE/X6tOPPfvUbI/AAAAAAAAK18/o3zpwqdJtmg0GnwCsN78hrkcRFjPlX1vgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b11.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DEUxKG39Ngo/X6tOcO-d8xI/AAAAAAAAK2A/0LaTMsy8QAwUg9pXQe5oBHMYbkbfZTXCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1192" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DEUxKG39Ngo/X6tOcO-d8xI/AAAAAAAAK2A/0LaTMsy8QAwUg9pXQe5oBHMYbkbfZTXCgCLcBGAsYHQ/w372-h640/b12.JPG" width="372" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6L5PcaLa0g/X6tOj2ZCWDI/AAAAAAAAK2E/aGtm3UFo1UMIbRMf9hmEnzYSK9dnxgHwQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6L5PcaLa0g/X6tOj2ZCWDI/AAAAAAAAK2E/aGtm3UFo1UMIbRMf9hmEnzYSK9dnxgHwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/b13.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjHyUC_kxUY/X6tOvyjAX5I/AAAAAAAAK2I/E2uqNhWS5w0h474YqPEjhm64aOBqntStQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjHyUC_kxUY/X6tOvyjAX5I/AAAAAAAAK2I/E2uqNhWS5w0h474YqPEjhm64aOBqntStQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b14.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf-g71HGRts/X6tO5R46KvI/AAAAAAAAK2M/IgEOWeC_mNsSRGgdHt47eVE1XtcgteXygCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf-g71HGRts/X6tO5R46KvI/AAAAAAAAK2M/IgEOWeC_mNsSRGgdHt47eVE1XtcgteXygCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b16.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KooNWZjU6hg/X6tPCsoQ9hI/AAAAAAAAK2U/srAMVcQCt8E1BL5PiFh0d7mpdcMAC5e_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1503" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KooNWZjU6hg/X6tPCsoQ9hI/AAAAAAAAK2U/srAMVcQCt8E1BL5PiFh0d7mpdcMAC5e_wCLcBGAsYHQ/w470-h640/b15.jpg" width="470" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Barcelona wasn’t
born with a gold shoreline. The dearth of anything resembling the beautiful
carefree spot of Barceloneta and accompanying beaches heading north on the
shoreline was something of a black spot prior to the 1992 Olympics. The area
had in fact been quite the neglected corner of this one city. Having turned its
back on the pot of gold that standing at its doorstep it took the impetus of
global focus to inspire the transformation which activated a change that would add
a new, inspirational dimension to this city. So with all that said, it was
quite easy to identify where three Latvians would spend their daylight hours in
this town. Being Australian and quite sensitive to the dangers of anything UV
related, 1.5 Australians spent their time in the relative safety of shaded bars
supported by various concoctions of alcohol that obviously substituted the fear
of sun damage for an equally damaging vice.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWw1-3wEsWU/X6tPL-NmBMI/AAAAAAAAK2c/kD-kMLMJdisft2Is5YOAgcgvxnesRj8RACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWw1-3wEsWU/X6tPL-NmBMI/AAAAAAAAK2c/kD-kMLMJdisft2Is5YOAgcgvxnesRj8RACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/b18.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de San Felipe Neri - Barcelona - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8MJ1o0kfpLY/X6tPewEqa8I/AAAAAAAAK2o/s2Pyqj4LFg4gAsjiyj037rIKQlIj52EAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8MJ1o0kfpLY/X6tPewEqa8I/AAAAAAAAK2o/s2Pyqj4LFg4gAsjiyj037rIKQlIj52EAgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b20.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barri Gotic- Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL6QDkJl3FM/X6tPsrCANUI/AAAAAAAAK2s/UW_iVI7PI0UK4dv6ugV9C2jiTmTWs6CNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL6QDkJl3FM/X6tPsrCANUI/AAAAAAAAK2s/UW_iVI7PI0UK4dv6ugV9C2jiTmTWs6CNwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/b21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">M10 Montcada Hotel - Barri Gotic- Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oO76pMRw5l4/X6tQAKZlBBI/AAAAAAAAK20/cGtl7SbfS_sACKh0Z9-BRNwBclXvKZbuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oO76pMRw5l4/X6tQAKZlBBI/AAAAAAAAK20/cGtl7SbfS_sACKh0Z9-BRNwBclXvKZbuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/b22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barcelona - Spain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybHa9W_kzy0/X6tQO7ji7jI/AAAAAAAAK24/_IuknpBr97wUw-LPrKP-YJVY_qRkpOYYACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybHa9W_kzy0/X6tQO7ji7jI/AAAAAAAAK24/_IuknpBr97wUw-LPrKP-YJVY_qRkpOYYACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/b25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">How good does that look</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NW-VWprViA/X6tQcTLlywI/AAAAAAAAK3A/FBmXDnLdDoI2aHnmmcahaNRiHsLJ58UhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NW-VWprViA/X6tQcTLlywI/AAAAAAAAK3A/FBmXDnLdDoI2aHnmmcahaNRiHsLJ58UhwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/b28.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The little guy - Barcelona - Spain</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></span></i></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Our time in
Barcelona whilst different to what I’ve usually been accustomed to was still
full of most things that you’d expect out of a visit. Visits to Gaudi inspired
buildings, gawking at the fabulous wares in markets, judging the various types
of sangria on offer and tapping into the plethora of tapas that that accost your
senses.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fs2zKREpbtE/X6tQpVLAIcI/AAAAAAAAK3I/x3GCGTWTbgADeAzKTq3GBOD7OSyCV2bsACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fs2zKREpbtE/X6tQpVLAIcI/AAAAAAAAK3I/x3GCGTWTbgADeAzKTq3GBOD7OSyCV2bsACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b27.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Barri Gotic- Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R98HygsT2MY/X6tQ1EXn7DI/AAAAAAAAK3Q/ldMJjsaXrNIJsWp-ZUtKJS9SpRbvo28BwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R98HygsT2MY/X6tQ1EXn7DI/AAAAAAAAK3Q/ldMJjsaXrNIJsWp-ZUtKJS9SpRbvo28BwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/b29.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Barri Gotic- Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baeRwiTrK-w/X6tQ9vfh9EI/AAAAAAAAK3Y/9_6EIQMkB5sBdvgf5i1LKj-ZWLgBzL4ZACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baeRwiTrK-w/X6tQ9vfh9EI/AAAAAAAAK3Y/9_6EIQMkB5sBdvgf5i1LKj-ZWLgBzL4ZACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b30.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Barri Gotic- Barcelona - Spain</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaJxocI6dOY/X6tRFD2JSiI/AAAAAAAAK3g/i-Bm_hCt5psp3goFBhgG6SURTFhqcl3-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaJxocI6dOY/X6tRFD2JSiI/AAAAAAAAK3g/i-Bm_hCt5psp3goFBhgG6SURTFhqcl3-gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/b32.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><i>Hard Rock Cafe</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHj3Yf5rFhk/X6tROvWsf7I/AAAAAAAAK3k/J9_IqJh8bQU3ykTk3cBZ2KOGq7YYsAMeACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/b33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHj3Yf5rFhk/X6tROvWsf7I/AAAAAAAAK3k/J9_IqJh8bQU3ykTk3cBZ2KOGq7YYsAMeACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/b33.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hard Rock Cafe - Barcelona - Spain</span></div></span></div></div></div></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Barcelona is one of
the great cities of Europe, that is undeniable. I’m already looking forward to
our next visit.</span></span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comBarcelona, Spain41.3850639 2.173403513.074830063821153 -32.9828465 69.695297736178844 37.3296535tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-7056224904726880282019-09-02T11:53:00.010+10:002020-11-06T13:52:23.341+11:00Granada (Spain) - The Alhambra - Generalife<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>Granada (Spain)</b></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;">02 September 2019</span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Alhambra is an
ode to Moorish architecture and culture, set amongst the pensive Sierra Nevada
mountains. This place has gone through various incantations, casting its
magical charm on all those that have gazed upon it and wondered through its
halls of intricacy & artistry. I often wonder as to how majestic places
such as these, along their historical timeline, seem as some point to simply
vanish from existence. Take for example Angkor Wat & Machu Picchu, both
marvels that simply vanished, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lost to
the world for centuries before being rediscovered. So too the Alhambra. Having
fallen into disrepair over centuries, the building for one period of time was
even occupied by squatters. It’s unfathomable to even consider that as a
possibility for a residence of such heritage and splendour.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8QsLQJgmug/X6SeIkxfn6I/AAAAAAAAKyU/RaMy-m8NeUYNvFE1u_XGCz-PFuJtyLNfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1154/map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1154" height="446" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8QsLQJgmug/X6SeIkxfn6I/AAAAAAAAKyU/RaMy-m8NeUYNvFE1u_XGCz-PFuJtyLNfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h446/map.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The drive from Malaga (Spain) to the Alhambra in Granada (Spain)</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6GchN6bI5EU/X6SdT8Yy2GI/AAAAAAAAKyM/t9iLpQiSew4_osiW8hNeqKe4DxpdGRsJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1539/Granada%2Bplan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1539" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6GchN6bI5EU/X6SdT8Yy2GI/AAAAAAAAKyM/t9iLpQiSew4_osiW8hNeqKe4DxpdGRsJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h298/Granada%2Bplan.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Map of the Alhambra - Granada - Spain</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The origins of the
Alhambra, whose name derives from the Arabic, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">al-qala’a al-hamra </i>(the Red Castle), is mired in mystery. Some of its
earliest references point to the construction of a small Roman fortress,
approximately 900CE, but some of its buildings are understood to even pre-date
that time frame. Having fallen into disrepair once again (well, actually for the
first time, but the second occasion in this story), it was the Emirate of
Granada that built the current palace and its walls of intricate beauty.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y3eburO6Fk/X6S3G1GExXI/AAAAAAAAKys/TRwd77RjUboxfkLWdhcb9-wPDkziP64EQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2739/Granada%2Bpano.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="2739" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y3eburO6Fk/X6S3G1GExXI/AAAAAAAAKys/TRwd77RjUboxfkLWdhcb9-wPDkziP64EQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h268/Granada%2Bpano.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJeU6IucHdhQODwy1K25hg0ute42L4rgYdQg3S7ELULXfkkGk1KAzNTwX19ejLMjnLhOo8AZXZSCDbXmPo6ElV3fwd3SPDvnHUhAol2CT0CPGhH5ICl5YoqCF8q8eIMd-ujjrBnLq6F0/s2781/Granada+2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="2781" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJeU6IucHdhQODwy1K25hg0ute42L4rgYdQg3S7ELULXfkkGk1KAzNTwX19ejLMjnLhOo8AZXZSCDbXmPo6ElV3fwd3SPDvnHUhAol2CT0CPGhH5ICl5YoqCF8q8eIMd-ujjrBnLq6F0/w640-h260/Granada+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></span><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Generalife- Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><i><br /></i></span></span></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70Nwzp1y0eDA2vLCgs3apqe6dsmUvKnuF_iZgKqsa03LMHT9l2nRIrhzXIs3HDTCmAzB13yN6Fdy8OzvbL5oIrkDeOlSFd50hqrD7CpbLh-9cWwEXUrh9BtKQ3e8XIY78ACsdXcdYzWQ/s2048/Alhambra1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70Nwzp1y0eDA2vLCgs3apqe6dsmUvKnuF_iZgKqsa03LMHT9l2nRIrhzXIs3HDTCmAzB13yN6Fdy8OzvbL5oIrkDeOlSFd50hqrD7CpbLh-9cWwEXUrh9BtKQ3e8XIY78ACsdXcdYzWQ/w300-h400/Alhambra1.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lWGbWEFSvTc/X6S23ULRiUI/AAAAAAAAKyk/BmA4RK5sAawqt6NaGl0l9QA9jN0joxalwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lWGbWEFSvTc/X6S23ULRiUI/AAAAAAAAKyk/BmA4RK5sAawqt6NaGl0l9QA9jN0joxalwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Alhambra2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qX9WWkYAC4Y/X6S3fCseqII/AAAAAAAAKy8/p0LjSdza5isK5AcW9TvlTtlXcVmiAuaDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qX9WWkYAC4Y/X6S3fCseqII/AAAAAAAAKy8/p0LjSdza5isK5AcW9TvlTtlXcVmiAuaDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Alhambra3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TSqW12BTwoQ/X6S3n5quRVI/AAAAAAAAKzE/LhjfPj7f6Vw0blO2nwq6Sqsus2ahAQYWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TSqW12BTwoQ/X6S3n5quRVI/AAAAAAAAKzE/LhjfPj7f6Vw0blO2nwq6Sqsus2ahAQYWgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></i><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i><i><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><br /></i></span></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Having fallen in
love with Spain many years ago I had never made it further south than Madrid. I
can’t answer right now as to why that’s been the case, shouldn’t Andalusia have
been a mighty draw card? Yes, of course. Even on this occasion, the little
tid-bit of time that we spent in this culturally rich part of Spain has only
been enough to wet the appetite and sponsor further daydreams of fabulous
Andalusian culture, cuisine and geography. With that said, the one deal-breaker
I had on our travails through Andalusia was to see the Alhambra. If we couldn’t
see it, then hell, I didn’t want to step foot in Southern Spain at all (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not entirely true of course).</i></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Only a short 120+ km
drive out of Malaga, the total drive time to Granada was just on 90 mins.
Extremely easy, great freeways and direct. We had booked in for a 3hr guided
walking tour at 9am, and having left Malaga at a little after 7:30am, had
arrived pretty settled in the car park right on our starting time.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqEtfzSSftE/X6S33zuQudI/AAAAAAAAKzU/eUq4BTNAzpwhbm_MAi3hgGczxi5_K6U_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Generalife1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JqEtfzSSftE/X6S33zuQudI/AAAAAAAAKzU/eUq4BTNAzpwhbm_MAi3hgGczxi5_K6U_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Generalife1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Generalife - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3X6_5hYIgWc/X6S33wh5kJI/AAAAAAAAKzQ/w4bwVRGqwhcRLbg6W0DXSOWhdJhTHThpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Generalife2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3X6_5hYIgWc/X6S33wh5kJI/AAAAAAAAKzQ/w4bwVRGqwhcRLbg6W0DXSOWhdJhTHThpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Generalife2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Generalife - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qVAu5DeEkw/X6S4Lz4qJII/AAAAAAAAKzk/KERtw-2mgogjaRyqkPP6fIvZSnq1RTIcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qVAu5DeEkw/X6S4Lz4qJII/AAAAAAAAKzk/KERtw-2mgogjaRyqkPP6fIvZSnq1RTIcgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Alhambra8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIYQUfI2TtY/X6S4L0LOZlI/AAAAAAAAKzg/quoeyT2ywVgeNma8SOObbDeJab2HF6CGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Granada%2BClose%2Bup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIYQUfI2TtY/X6S4L0LOZlI/AAAAAAAAKzg/quoeyT2ywVgeNma8SOObbDeJab2HF6CGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Granada%2BClose%2Bup.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">At this time of year
the Southern part of Spain can heat up like a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pinata party </i>at a Mexican quinceanera, you just can’t be assured as
to where the fevered hits will come from. Also with a 6-month old we needed as
tactical as possible with regards to our movements. Thankfully we were blessed
with a reasonably mild morning and a baby that felt this site was well worth
skipping. As Aiden slept we made our way through the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Generalife, </i>a Summer estate for the Sultan, featuring elegant
rectangular plots with subtle water features, fragrant gardens, glorious trees
casting shade and an immaculate view over the town and to the mountains beyond.
The only problem I saw with the whole ‘set-up’ is that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sultan’s Summer Residence</i> is about 5-10 mins walk from the main
palace. Imagine putting the question to the Sultan each year;</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;"> ‘<i>Well Your
Majesty, do you have any plans for the Summer?</i></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">‘What do you think Khalil, I’m heading off just over there, AGAIN.
Why didn’t I think to build my Summer hang out somewhere else? Oh yes, I know
it’s soooo convenient, but hell, I never get to see or doing anything, it’s
like being in a Melbourne lock down, Ellen DeGeneres style, you feeling me
Khalil?’</span></span></i></p>
<p class="Arial"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not
entirely Your Majesty, Aisha and I live in a small hut with our goats and
chickens all year round’</i></span></span></p>
<p class="Arial"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">‘Aha, so
you get it, am I right Khalil!’</span></span></i></p>
<p class="Arial"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">‘Yes your
Majesty, you are an insightful G’</span></span></i></p><p class="Arial"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guorEJ4uAvA/X6S4eCBDd3I/AAAAAAAAK0A/k5XwWZ_-9QQb2MSUByre2cBAvDDPrws1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guorEJ4uAvA/X6S4eCBDd3I/AAAAAAAAK0A/k5XwWZ_-9QQb2MSUByre2cBAvDDPrws1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra9.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odUHK6fyS0A/X6S4c2lKesI/AAAAAAAAKz0/hh48ro8XaJ0gixm3C1MVh4v5vP669k18gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odUHK6fyS0A/X6S4c2lKesI/AAAAAAAAKz0/hh48ro8XaJ0gixm3C1MVh4v5vP669k18gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra10.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPOON2VLytY/X6S4c7-0pHI/AAAAAAAAKz4/iiMEcJaEerkMbQ8ZdwcJYPTbwlmZsidGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra12.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tPOON2VLytY/X6S4c7-0pHI/AAAAAAAAKz4/iiMEcJaEerkMbQ8ZdwcJYPTbwlmZsidGwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra12.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x0QKXXWaW4U/X6S4cw8xfYI/AAAAAAAAKz8/OdPBgW9_-pY2_tgIKa_D9djMvXElDdHIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra13.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x0QKXXWaW4U/X6S4cw8xfYI/AAAAAAAAKz8/OdPBgW9_-pY2_tgIKa_D9djMvXElDdHIQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra13.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></i><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The Palacio Nazaries
was of course stunning. Divided into three main areas, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mexuar, Serallo and the Harem,</i> each has its own identity, some
parts with highly decorative ceilings, extremely intricate woodwork on the
walls, particular plastering and paint schemes, the whole site is more than
just impressive. It’s an enduring vestige of Muslim art and culture in this
area that has preserved through a myriad of contra periods. For this reason it
remains as one of Spain’s major tourist attractions as it exhibits the
country’s most significant and well known Islamic architecture in impeccable
condition. From a personal point of view, I feel more than privileged to have
been able to walk through the grounds and experience the entire setting, even
for a relatively brief period of time. I could well understand how our guide, a
Dr, wrote their thesis on the architecture of the Alhambra and has dedicated
their life to its ongoing discovery and the tales of its wonders.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPOsA_Wp_2E/X6S44ZLhbtI/AAAAAAAAK0Y/vjmgg7jmeV0s3z2di-Co_nKYqoTvWTgowCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPOsA_Wp_2E/X6S44ZLhbtI/AAAAAAAAK0Y/vjmgg7jmeV0s3z2di-Co_nKYqoTvWTgowCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra14.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4P5l2yjJMc/X6S44RCmZFI/AAAAAAAAK0U/keDWL7kkcI4g_g52VsPp952AjMheoTBnACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v4P5l2yjJMc/X6S44RCmZFI/AAAAAAAAK0U/keDWL7kkcI4g_g52VsPp952AjMheoTBnACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra15.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Aiden & Inga - The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-poDRRWNwMGE/X6S45iytAPI/AAAAAAAAK0c/TqmzrsSnOLUL7feW3cGP7QvPhBP3rzKVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Alhambra16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-poDRRWNwMGE/X6S45iytAPI/AAAAAAAAK0c/TqmzrsSnOLUL7feW3cGP7QvPhBP3rzKVwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Alhambra16.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1LrqkTiWhI/X6S45vQKe2I/AAAAAAAAK0g/DlrOeQEjYP8-n54C8GaCe-vmCLKPMxLPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Inga_Aiden_Alhambra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1LrqkTiWhI/X6S45vQKe2I/AAAAAAAAK0g/DlrOeQEjYP8-n54C8GaCe-vmCLKPMxLPwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Inga_Aiden_Alhambra.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Aiden, Inga & Zaiga - The Alhambra - Granada - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Thank you,
Andalusia. You are an area of rugged beauty and architectural splendour. When
the doors to your world re-opens I’ll certainly be one of the first to walk
back through them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comGranada, Spain37.1773363 -3.59855718.7774942449268316 -38.7548071 65.577178355073173 31.5576929tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-78110759357431693002019-09-01T12:06:00.003+10:002020-10-09T12:27:59.263+11:00Ronda (Spain) - Malaga (Spain) - Golden arches and not a McDonalds in sight<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Seville (Spain) to Malaga (Spain) via Ronda (Spain)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>01 September 2019</b></span></p><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">El Tajo gorge and
the dramatic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Puente Nuevo</i> which frames
nearly every photo that you’ve ever seen of the charming town of Ronda, that’s
what I wanted to see too.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">All those months ago
when I had mentally traced our path of transit between Sevilla and Malaga, I
made sure that the way-point involved a moment in this Andalusian gem. With
its position of power at the top of the Tajo gorge, standing astride the Guadalevin
river, some 100mtrs below, the breathtaking arches look almost surreal, acting as
the conduit between two sides of a brawny town that look to be precariously positioned
on either side.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a0vVShWH3cI/X3-4_37_iGI/AAAAAAAAKwg/WoV0DAXrK7c1lyT5Sh3-avgvhans3KBaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s647/MAP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="647" height="470" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a0vVShWH3cI/X3-4_37_iGI/AAAAAAAAKwg/WoV0DAXrK7c1lyT5Sh3-avgvhans3KBaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h470/MAP.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Driving out of
Sevilla we were packed to the hilt. Five adults, a six month old, luggage for
days and a car a little to small for its full requirements, somehow we
contorted ourselves and stacked our travel cases in just the right way to be
able to get going.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PWrN74lNis/X3-5OkeLvTI/AAAAAAAAKwk/QlY07e10GgUnuN8FQ3C6AcO8J_RZPH4xQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Rondatown1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PWrN74lNis/X3-5OkeLvTI/AAAAAAAAKwk/QlY07e10GgUnuN8FQ3C6AcO8J_RZPH4xQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Rondatown1.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronda - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rn2NpOBOxeY/X3-5aki7mHI/AAAAAAAAKws/-k8iB1C0ErQSw1QhX-iqIpej6HWX7at0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Rondapano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1600" height="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rn2NpOBOxeY/X3-5aki7mHI/AAAAAAAAKws/-k8iB1C0ErQSw1QhX-iqIpej6HWX7at0QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h228/Rondapano.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronda - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Having driven
through Spain several times previously I was already aware as to what to expect
of the countryside. In the south of Spain, the rolling hills, scorched earth
and blue sky give the impression of a somewhat rugged, tough environment that wouldn’t
have much to offer. Which in part may be the case, until such time you make
your arrival in Ronda.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Like many well loved
sites in Europe, the tourist buses, vehicles and an all sorts of nationalities
dominate the streets of the town. Yet another European diamond that is being
run into the ground by its weight of popularity. I understand that I don’t have
the right to complain, as I’m also part of the current problem, but, there
needs to be something done when places like this become overwhelmed. They
simply aren’t built to handle what they’re currently putting up with, putting a
strain on residents and visitors alike. With that said, the town is beautiful.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iyVGPwhM1LM/X3-5vTceYOI/AAAAAAAAKw4/LtmFqohWVx01BLA2Mdx_xDeTuKsY90UJACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ronda_bridge1jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="2048" height="420" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iyVGPwhM1LM/X3-5vTceYOI/AAAAAAAAKw4/LtmFqohWVx01BLA2Mdx_xDeTuKsY90UJACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h420/Ronda_bridge1jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronda - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FnY_S1Xuf80/X3-6DsKYLuI/AAAAAAAAKxA/_RSiF7oIeVQ9QyJx3vxHSIHJ8bQ3v52kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Bridgefamily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FnY_S1Xuf80/X3-6DsKYLuI/AAAAAAAAKxA/_RSiF7oIeVQ9QyJx3vxHSIHJ8bQ3v52kwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Bridgefamily.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronda - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnUN400YDpQ/X3-6FfZXHRI/AAAAAAAAKxE/sreZGi2vnt0jdXNVzsv28SzmV-GZzhr_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ronda_bridge2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1413" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mnUN400YDpQ/X3-6FfZXHRI/AAAAAAAAKxE/sreZGi2vnt0jdXNVzsv28SzmV-GZzhr_ACLcBGAsYHQ/w442-h640/Ronda_bridge2.JPG" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronda - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: arial;">We had arrived
around lunchtime and thus found a beautiful spot by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Puente Nuevo</i> to take in the stunning views of the gorge and the
iconic bridge. It’s a funny thing to experience something in reality after you’ve
stared at that very same thing so many times in photos online. There’s
something quite visceral and satisfying when you realise one of your bucket
list items. Something that I’ve had the good fortune to do quite frequently
over the last 10-15 yrs.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guHbs0K43Xs/X3-6fAtpxKI/AAAAAAAAKxU/bgmdaE5EX0I1tvmTQ7t8xJc2OhLvSpAJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Aiden%2Bswim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guHbs0K43Xs/X3-6fAtpxKI/AAAAAAAAKxU/bgmdaE5EX0I1tvmTQ7t8xJc2OhLvSpAJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Aiden%2Bswim.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Malagueta Beach - Malaga - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ipgZMjjEyw/X3-6uAuRNRI/AAAAAAAAKxc/AC1gQydi6KEeYWMaInnWptNmvJf0aenxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Malagueta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ipgZMjjEyw/X3-6uAuRNRI/AAAAAAAAKxc/AC1gQydi6KEeYWMaInnWptNmvJf0aenxACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Malagueta.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Malagueta Beach - Malaga - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgS31boD3hc/X3-6cMkI02I/AAAAAAAAKxQ/ivbhSOKCmuINDviY0MygffPFr9mjcY2agCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Portsunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgS31boD3hc/X3-6cMkI02I/AAAAAAAAKxQ/ivbhSOKCmuINDviY0MygffPFr9mjcY2agCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Portsunset.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Malaga - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The final part of
the day saw us make our way from Ronda to Malaga.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">We had rented a
great little apartment right on the port in Malaga, a very short stroll from
Playa la Malagueta.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvrNW9pg9Ro/X3-7R1gCwxI/AAAAAAAAKxs/vpVF4t6gVekGyYELqlMxXWx7LpOV7RlLwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/HRMalaga2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zvrNW9pg9Ro/X3-7R1gCwxI/AAAAAAAAKxs/vpVF4t6gVekGyYELqlMxXWx7LpOV7RlLwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/HRMalaga2.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Malaga - Spain</span></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HQf1w03J14/X3-7KD8fgBI/AAAAAAAAKxo/d3z4tw0oz48buMMkWoQq0H2Uy0ZSgBfzACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/HRMalaga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HQf1w03J14/X3-7KD8fgBI/AAAAAAAAKxo/d3z4tw0oz48buMMkWoQq0H2Uy0ZSgBfzACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/HRMalaga.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Malaga - Spain</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XRwv-GO_ms/X3-7Z0zqKvI/AAAAAAAAKx0/rH4kRJQHjuoID8eLIkutTPU9nrFE_MRaACLcBGAsYHQ/s2868/Port2_susnet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="2868" height="244" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XRwv-GO_ms/X3-7Z0zqKvI/AAAAAAAAKx0/rH4kRJQHjuoID8eLIkutTPU9nrFE_MRaACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h244/Port2_susnet.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Malaga - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Our afternoon was
spent down on the beach, giving Aiden is first toe dip in the Mediterranean and
allowing the northern ladies to capture their requisite dosage of vitamin D,
which seems to be something that’s just built into their genes. Being from
Australia I’ve my view, like that of many others of my age, has always been to
treat the sun with extreme caution. Laying out on a sunbed and absorbing rays UV
rays is always associated with risk. It’s not my jam at all. But hey, when your
days are cloudy, bleak and cold for much of the year, the desire is obvious.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comMálaga, Spain36.7211784 -4.42171989999999948.410944563821154 -39.5779699 65.031412236178852 30.7345301tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-85098739694392484782019-08-31T12:39:00.054+10:002020-10-08T13:24:08.412+11:00Cadiz (Spain) - Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) - Gadir<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Cadiz (Spain) - Jerez de la Frontera (Spain)</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: Arial;"><b>31 August 2019</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></p><p class="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">Cadiz, the province and city on Spain’s south
western edge is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Constantly overlooked and often forgotten by the glistening prizes within Spain and in countries further afield, is stands proudly looking out onto the Atlantic
Ocean.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Arial;">
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">We drove south of
Sevilla a couple of hours to get the feel of another Andalusian city, and in one
sense, were not disappointed by what the Old Town delivered, narrow streets,
the antiquity of its old quarters, white washed Gothic and Baroque styling.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbc-KrMeRFVg2UWo0gZX2_ptKD24Vwp-BAzFdtPVpC2_oOUYdLAWclyCMwtvPchRn3GWVnW0icAUVbG0JV9vnF5YQQlO8o-WyvzxlzIQQBGDVu8E37nQRbKemfeedyyGn6r69_rQZGfA/s2048/Cadiz1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbc-KrMeRFVg2UWo0gZX2_ptKD24Vwp-BAzFdtPVpC2_oOUYdLAWclyCMwtvPchRn3GWVnW0icAUVbG0JV9vnF5YQQlO8o-WyvzxlzIQQBGDVu8E37nQRbKemfeedyyGn6r69_rQZGfA/w400-h300/Cadiz1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUP55qXT1Cw/X3510Cuv7gI/AAAAAAAAKvg/6z1hOVrctPEd4kqEYssc4hxXNI6ePyVvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cadiz2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LUP55qXT1Cw/X3510Cuv7gI/AAAAAAAAKvg/6z1hOVrctPEd4kqEYssc4hxXNI6ePyVvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Cadiz2.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">The Southern Spanish
sun sparkled and bounced off every façade, so much so that without sunglasses
you would have spent the whole time squinting your way through the town.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">Somehow for me it
was unremarkable. Perhaps I didn’t give it the time or respect that it deserved.
Perhaps its secrets will be discovered another day.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whuxUm3wYUE/X352VqOq8GI/AAAAAAAAKvs/K-WWbtdVse4D8Mmfo5qCq8K2b-kodSI1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cadiz3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whuxUm3wYUE/X352VqOq8GI/AAAAAAAAKvs/K-WWbtdVse4D8Mmfo5qCq8K2b-kodSI1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Cadiz3.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJuPDYayS_0/X352VsjGoFI/AAAAAAAAKvw/b3AXCk3Ge5UmM_ieQBJb_D9LY1k7t7ijQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cadiz4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJuPDYayS_0/X352VsjGoFI/AAAAAAAAKvw/b3AXCk3Ge5UmM_ieQBJb_D9LY1k7t7ijQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Cadiz4.jpg" width="640" /></a><i>Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEr5-E9c-IA/X352YOfCmKI/AAAAAAAAKv0/V739xJv0dssYUFlyVV_j1Tp0vcxJKWSmACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cadiz7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEr5-E9c-IA/X352YOfCmKI/AAAAAAAAKv0/V739xJv0dssYUFlyVV_j1Tp0vcxJKWSmACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Cadiz7.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1s_cpExuKE/X352a6DAn_I/AAAAAAAAKv4/fQoWJVvH7PMCufGy6ysX5m6mppwY67HuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B3%2B-%2BCadiz%2B-%2BCityCentre6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1s_cpExuKE/X352a6DAn_I/AAAAAAAAKv4/fQoWJVvH7PMCufGy6ysX5m6mppwY67HuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Day%2B3%2B-%2BCadiz%2B-%2BCityCentre6.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Cadiz - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">A short drive from
Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera captured our attention captured our interested by
the very nature of its most well-known product, sherry. However, driving into
the town in early afternoon it felt as though COVID-19 has come to this little
corner of the world a year early. Not a soul on the deserted streets, not a
stray dog to be seen, not a bird in the sky. Siesta time in these parts of
Andalusia are more than just theoretical notions, they’re standard operating procedure.</span></span></p><p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fm_IOPPltY/X3522eAZzXI/AAAAAAAAKwQ/OOdGxtse9VIn-fs6aAene9OxVrGSCzMLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B3%2B-%2BJerez%2B-%2BCityCentre2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fm_IOPPltY/X3522eAZzXI/AAAAAAAAKwQ/OOdGxtse9VIn-fs6aAene9OxVrGSCzMLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Day%2B3%2B-%2BJerez%2B-%2BCityCentre2.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Jerez de la Frontera - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKygZCd_npv7HKOSyJIvmgkmZaqAoJCibTsal7kLHkLDn615QHW1cYF-wEcnjvC8nXZ5zrDj2K0hdj42YOG_rvrNLBrrVI0wcYFB7JG9-5d4w-A5mrwxY9pDU1ZYs5wIKM7wpEopZP45o/s2048/Day+3+-+Jerez+-+CityCentre3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKygZCd_npv7HKOSyJIvmgkmZaqAoJCibTsal7kLHkLDn615QHW1cYF-wEcnjvC8nXZ5zrDj2K0hdj42YOG_rvrNLBrrVI0wcYFB7JG9-5d4w-A5mrwxY9pDU1ZYs5wIKM7wpEopZP45o/w300-h400/Day+3+-+Jerez+-+CityCentre3.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Jerez de la Frontera - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pW6xawMTaRk/X352zblhHXI/AAAAAAAAKwM/WNx8AxuLjsgkk7n9IIES2NpirCfaHEYDACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B3%2B-%2BJerez%2B-%2BCityCentre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pW6xawMTaRk/X352zblhHXI/AAAAAAAAKwM/WNx8AxuLjsgkk7n9IIES2NpirCfaHEYDACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Day%2B3%2B-%2BJerez%2B-%2BCityCentre.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;">Jerez de la Frontera - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">Attractive in part, understated
and quaint. A viable stop for to partake in the gold standard of the area.</span></span></p>
<p class="Arial" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: white;">In all, somewhat of
an underwhelming day, but sometimes you just need to hit the reset button </span><span style="color: #ffa400;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b></b></span></span><p></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comCádiz, Spain36.5270612 -6.28859628.2168273638211531 -41.4448462 64.837295036178844 28.8676538tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-85195929671007042932019-08-30T13:25:00.000+10:002020-10-08T13:25:19.617+11:00Seville (Spain) - Noche de Sevilla<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Seville (Spain)</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>30 August - 01 September 2019</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">My first small taste of Seville was beamed to me through an old wooden boxed behemoth of a TV during the 1982 World Cup. The week prior I'd had my seventh birthday and I recall that the cake that my mother had made was a proper football field, everything at the time was World Cup inspired. But on this morning, what was the 9th of July, 1982, in Australia, in a city on the other side of the globe, there was a football match of epic proportions taking place. Of course I was at home watching. It was a World Cup semi-final match that h as come to be known was one of the greatest of all time. The <i>Nacht von Sevilla</i> or the <i>Nuit de Sevilla</i> brought both exaltation and extreme despair, depending on whether the colour of shirt you were wearing was either white or black.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap454LPBLUk/X0SGaaFmzpI/AAAAAAAAKtE/vdEITszxmdofsLtDU0jzKnWvnD1lh3kvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap454LPBLUk/X0SGaaFmzpI/AAAAAAAAKtE/vdEITszxmdofsLtDU0jzKnWvnD1lh3kvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAnGYdZz3dQ/X0SGm-dpQoI/AAAAAAAAKtI/SWM4UGCEfvEOeKuySTND1B_ngcOBuFU6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BAnGYdZz3dQ/X0SGm-dpQoI/AAAAAAAAKtI/SWM4UGCEfvEOeKuySTND1B_ngcOBuFU6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana2.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1Cg-6SsZB8/X0SG2Iq_AfI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/ZqIYRobbLFQLXa_XHgT-K59v-dnTCkRGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1Cg-6SsZB8/X0SG2Iq_AfI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/ZqIYRobbLFQLXa_XHgT-K59v-dnTCkRGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana4.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">That morning my father was at work but I remember him calling a few times to get the score updates.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dad - '<i>What's the score now Henry?'</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Me - '2-1'</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Dad- '<i>For the blues or the whites'</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Me - 'The whites'</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Back then, in my household, we were out and out supporters of West Germany. Not that I completely understood what that meant but I did not that once the blue team went up 3-1 and part of the stadium was in hysteria, that the white team weren't exactly achieving what they had set out to do.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2jxAPFKQ4o/X0SHGIZzJYI/AAAAAAAAKtc/U8w5wEYCLPAxzgcn8WQBe0bcEoE_z--pQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2jxAPFKQ4o/X0SHGIZzJYI/AAAAAAAAKtc/U8w5wEYCLPAxzgcn8WQBe0bcEoE_z--pQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana6.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EenIvjbKHPQ/X0SHXjOkO5I/AAAAAAAAKtk/rfYjRmJ6GBg_uyCZewdtL_MDGZcb1BE_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EenIvjbKHPQ/X0SHXjOkO5I/AAAAAAAAKtk/rfYjRmJ6GBg_uyCZewdtL_MDGZcb1BE_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana8.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga, Zaiga & Aiva - Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-knZOT_gGSZs/X0SHpMt1CqI/AAAAAAAAKts/gRryfTB9UaEdEddpAEnsPUnRxLvIneAZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-knZOT_gGSZs/X0SHpMt1CqI/AAAAAAAAKts/gRryfTB9UaEdEddpAEnsPUnRxLvIneAZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana10.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A 3-1 lead with 18 minutes of extra-time to play. Where in the realms of footballing fantasy does anybody does anyone conjure up the framework and execution whereby the team leading at that point in time goes onto lose. It would be akin to standing on the podium at a medal presentation ceremony and having a random interloper snatch your property from the space between the hands of the presenter and your neck. You'd have a better chance of defeating a guillotine than losing a World Cup semi-final from this position.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">God Bless the French though, they crafted a defeat of such majesty and torment, such pitiful glory. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Post penalty shoot-out my dad called in to get the result. He simply did not believe what his 7 year old son was telling him. It's like all the knowledge that I had of football at that age was completely dismissed as the result that I was broadcasting and what he had expected from 20 minutes earlier could not be reconciled.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Unknowingly, that had been my introduction to Seville, and World Cup football</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISioTit6jes/X0SH1NBPWFI/AAAAAAAAKtw/frbs8naytcwRxAd_mev4vwjk-X_WLS1JQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISioTit6jes/X0SH1NBPWFI/AAAAAAAAKtw/frbs8naytcwRxAd_mev4vwjk-X_WLS1JQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana12.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Family photo - Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBBHkn83KuQ/X0SH87MvjrI/AAAAAAAAKt4/P8S86R_RRwg_sm8VDXwVexKjz1blCFlqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1274/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana13.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pBBHkn83KuQ/X0SH87MvjrI/AAAAAAAAKt4/P8S86R_RRwg_sm8VDXwVexKjz1blCFlqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BPlazaEspana13.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NcIQP8p3LPk/X0SIJCCweVI/AAAAAAAAKuA/5_dDxms6bD8vpsLSn0yK3v_kHDXYFnBqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BHardRockCafe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NcIQP8p3LPk/X0SIJCCweVI/AAAAAAAAKuA/5_dDxms6bD8vpsLSn0yK3v_kHDXYFnBqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BHardRockCafe.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Hard Rock Cafe - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Like most places that I've ever had any sort of attachment to, I'd somehow been emotionally invested with a location long before my first visit and real experience. Whilst the wait for Sevilla had been long and had taken many twists and turns prior to now, she had made it worth the wait.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Each Spanish city that I have encountered has had its own feel. Certainly there are some similarities between Madrid & Barcelona & San Sebastian & Seville, but there are certainly many difference. Sevilla was something unexpected.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Medieval lanes leading to quite corners and open plazas, baroque churches, Gothic cathedrals, its beating sun and pulsating flamenco driving its tortured soul. Slowly but ever so surely the beauty in this city envelopes you and leaves an indelible print. The juxtaposition of Moorish and Gothic architectural influences overlaid by the vibrant, energetic lifestyle of the Spanish themselves, just makes this yet another highlight in a country that feels like a perpetual highlight reel.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29RtRPusy6D2L5xnmqa1HGA7P250yq929xRKUXtpbQl6_Q0_xgVPs9GiY9_e86la5i__aEsR1vgJvrqTksHpVZTsUZAywJkgQumnGaEkirHvtCbW0qVX0edyqGYG7zHvhTtn-HGWeHt0/s2048/Day+2+-+Seville+-+CityCentre1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29RtRPusy6D2L5xnmqa1HGA7P250yq929xRKUXtpbQl6_Q0_xgVPs9GiY9_e86la5i__aEsR1vgJvrqTksHpVZTsUZAywJkgQumnGaEkirHvtCbW0qVX0edyqGYG7zHvhTtn-HGWeHt0/s640/Day+2+-+Seville+-+CityCentre1.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dC8-1pNxBzs/X0SIc4W6isI/AAAAAAAAKuM/c0-V5EzUPK4fU48Fz-nGaeNKyhJVoTMRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s937/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BSevillaInga.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dC8-1pNxBzs/X0SIc4W6isI/AAAAAAAAKuM/c0-V5EzUPK4fU48Fz-nGaeNKyhJVoTMRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BSevillaInga.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8WoUzVr8yAk/X0SIpEdVXqI/AAAAAAAAKuU/23agp-ufRkoWYz6GCBIKnJqaNuZ2BQq3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BCityCentre3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8WoUzVr8yAk/X0SIpEdVXqI/AAAAAAAAKuU/23agp-ufRkoWYz6GCBIKnJqaNuZ2BQq3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B2%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BCityCentre3.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza de Espana takes pride of place in any Google search where the subject is Sevilla. A glorious piece of architecture, laid out on a huge half circle, its buildings made accessible by four ornate bridges that guide you over a large moat. Punctuated by a number of alcoves that are fabulously tiled with representations of the regions of Spain, this space is incredibly stunning and lends itself easily to taking photos. The beating sun of the early morning even complemented the surrounds and underpinned what you expected to get from an Andalusian experience.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfAHNEytRVU/X0SI__JCtNI/AAAAAAAAKug/gtKJ6PIKpasQwZyqCuEzbivT_T0VbbtIACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2Bbetter%2Bparasol.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfAHNEytRVU/X0SI__JCtNI/AAAAAAAAKug/gtKJ6PIKpasQwZyqCuEzbivT_T0VbbtIACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2Bbetter%2Bparasol.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Las Setas de Sevilla - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Lnx5MbhY20/X0SJMsaHckI/AAAAAAAAKuk/5Zd6uO_qs1kLk_3v0vic28TesctHtgrjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BIngaparasol.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Lnx5MbhY20/X0SJMsaHckI/AAAAAAAAKuk/5Zd6uO_qs1kLk_3v0vic28TesctHtgrjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BIngaparasol.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gsnn-jwumL0/X0SJa4f6JtI/AAAAAAAAKus/OhPbHkkQ1Z8x5WfEaNSKt2vdALUBAEnIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BCityCentre2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gsnn-jwumL0/X0SJa4f6JtI/AAAAAAAAKus/OhPbHkkQ1Z8x5WfEaNSKt2vdALUBAEnIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BCityCentre2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza del Triunfo - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a0SfImOzBZY/X0SJkb-j8VI/AAAAAAAAKu0/NXU4AY4Z5-QLQ9qcO5jkpOsXxtF0iRBkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BI%2526H.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a0SfImOzBZY/X0SJkb-j8VI/AAAAAAAAKu0/NXU4AY4Z5-QLQ9qcO5jkpOsXxtF0iRBkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BI%2526H.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza del Triunfo - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZGWuwd02mg/X0SJyxkavuI/AAAAAAAAKu8/n95cmn6j5aA3id0Z_0Ctw9butfXmgHtBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BInga.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZGWuwd02mg/X0SJyxkavuI/AAAAAAAAKu8/n95cmn6j5aA3id0Z_0Ctw9butfXmgHtBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day%2B4%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2BInga.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Plaza del Triunfo - Seville - Andalusia - Spain</span></i></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">A city with its own identity, one that moves subtly, passionately and soulfully in every aspect. You sense it within the bars of an evening, from the venues where the sounds of flamenco drift with purpose onto the streets and simply in the life that pervades this marvellous city.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">It's true, of course I'm a sucker for anything Spanish, but certainly there is a reason for that. They have identified the importance of beauty, passion, life and laughter. This is distilled and uniquely represented in the architecture, artistry and way of life. Sometimes your way just finds alignment to a way that exists on the other side of the world. It may be in Argentina, it may be in Brazil or it may in Spain...or it just may be in Sevilla.</span></p>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comSeville, Spain37.3890924 -5.98445899.0788585638211572 -41.1407089 65.699326236178848 29.1717911tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-78763427654031816122019-08-29T09:18:00.001+10:002020-08-21T09:55:46.900+10:00Seville (Spain) - A day in the life of an upper cut!<p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: arial;"><b>Seville (Spain)</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><b>29 August – 01 Sep 2019</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">To quote Don
Henley;</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"> ‘<i><span style="color: red;">In a
New York minute everything can change, In a New York minute, Things can get
pretty strange</span>’<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The
29<sup>th</sup> of August commenced under the auspices of a typical transit
day. The intended logistics of that morning were for us to collectively move out if our rented apartment on the edge of
Plaza Santa Ana and take the high-speed train down south, to the heart of Andalusia,
Sevilla.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Travel
and transit are known to be my domain. When it comes to organisation,
connections, dependency on accommodation, arranging rooms, things to see,
orientation in a city, more often than, ownership and responsibility resides with me. I feel
comfortable in that role, which is to say more pointedly, I don’t trust the
ability of anyone in my family to do the job to my standard…although, there are
some ‘up and comers’ in the ranks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">On this day we were fortunate. A disaster was averted by a relatively small margin.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">As anticipated, our apartment pick-up ran smoothly, the transit to Madrid’s Atocha Central station
was also smooth, even the much maligned <i>passing through security</i> was an actual breeze ,and then, we did one final
passport check.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Inga
to Henry ‘<i>Do you know where you put your
passport?’<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Which I immediately took to mean – it’s not where I usually leave it, i.e., the passport folder that contains
all our passports?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">No.
It wasn’t there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">This situations triggers 'ALERT LEVEL 2' and instigation of the <i>bag search</i>. Initiated in a fairly relaxed mode, each passing minute without success translated into increased levels of anxiety and frustration. This continued for several minutes until someone had to make the call. There was no denying the situation, we had stepped into the universe of one missing Australian passport. And one down in a situation such as this means all down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Situations like this commonly challenge my mental outcome simulator to oscillate between
past potential fact and future potential prediction. Meaning, that all at once
the scenarios of where the passport could possibly be, and, what could happen
if I don’t have my passport, play out in one rapid fire game of scenario dodgem.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Past
potential fact scenarios– </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;">1<span style="color: white;">.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> (1) </span>Perhaps I left it on the seat pocket in
the flight from Lisbon? I know I saw it there at some point during the flight and I convinced myself to move it to a more <i>memorable location </i> the seat-back pockets are both the easiest and dumbest place to forget personal belongings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> (2) </span><!--[endif]-->Did I leave it in the taxi as I made my
way from the airport to the centre of Madrid?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> (3) </span>Did I leave it in the apartment which we
had just left?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> (4) </span><!--[endif]-->Could it possibly in one of our bags
that commonly does not carry my passport?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;">Scenario
1 & 3 seemed most likely, with 3 out in front as a clear favourite due to my vague recollection of the passport appearing on the nightstand at some point during our stay.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Future
potential prediction - </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.33333px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.33333px;">(1) </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: white;">Take the train down to Sevilla and go to
the Australian consulate, if indeed there was one there.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.33333px;">(2</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 9.33333px;">) </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;">Go back to the apartment and search the
premises</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> (3) </span><!--[endif]-->Go to the Australian embassy in Madrid
and organise a replacement<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">The
future potential prediction also caused much logistical concern in my mind. Without
a passport I couldn’t get out of the country, which really, was not particularly stressful to me but I had other people that needed me to get them from Sevilla to
Barcelona via Malaga where they had booked flights to get them back home in a few days time. Additionally, it would be unfair to have everyone tied up in Madrid until the mess was sorted out. Quickly thinking through each option I made
the assumption that could back to the apartment, option (2), but this in itself would be futile in
that now, having to organise the owner to arrive, and, me waiting around hours on end for a potential
nil result meant that it wasted time against what would be the most assured and essentially logical decisions– actually going to the embassy in Madrid and obtaining a replacement passport. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">So
I called the embassy, it was a Friday. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">They advised that they could produce a
replacement on the day but that I had to make it there in the next few hours,
also, they made me aware that the embassy was closed on the weekends. My hand had now been forced.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I scooped up the family, pushed them through the barricades and sent them on their way to Sevilla. I in turn jumped a cab out of the city to
the ‘Gates of Europe’ – the twin towers in Madrid, where the Australian embassy was
located.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">At
this point in time I felt like I was in an episode of the Amazing Race – queue Phil Keoghan - ‘<i>In this leg teams will be asked to head to
the Australian Embassy where they will be asked to present themselves in order
to obtain an Australian passport, failure to obtain the correct documentation will spell disaster. The last team to finish may be eliminated’</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-81roDazuS9Q/Xz8K6hEvnwI/AAAAAAAAKsU/yQVaFmsXUYc46poJF9KX3qv-uYCVm1oVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Seville%2BSanta%2BJusta%2Bstation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-81roDazuS9Q/Xz8K6hEvnwI/AAAAAAAAKsU/yQVaFmsXUYc46poJF9KX3qv-uYCVm1oVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Seville%2BSanta%2BJusta%2Bstation.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Sevilla Santa Justa station - Sevilla - Spain</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tarxx_JH3ys/Xz8LWUdWHkI/AAAAAAAAKss/foQoRVuX-ZAwDuItXv9a7fh_-j88t4G0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Seville%2Bpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tarxx_JH3ys/Xz8LWUdWHkI/AAAAAAAAKss/foQoRVuX-ZAwDuItXv9a7fh_-j88t4G0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Seville%2Bpin.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Messafe from Inga, apartment details - Sevilla - Spain</span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></i></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFIKgFD8A1c/Xz8K-FgvazI/AAAAAAAAKsc/jCyDEjLVspsIlI5ndtzaqzHF9DFN5c93ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Seville-Day1-Apt%2Bviewjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFIKgFD8A1c/Xz8K-FgvazI/AAAAAAAAKsc/jCyDEjLVspsIlI5ndtzaqzHF9DFN5c93ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Seville-Day1-Apt%2Bviewjpg.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Apartment view - Sevilla - Spain</span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Certainly, if I couldn’t an
emergency passport in time or if there was any extended delay then the rest of
our ‘locked in’ plans for Spain would come falling down like a house of cards. There was only one way to get this done, successfully.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">If
you’ve ever walked into an embassy on foreign soil, be it your own or that of
another country, there is an overt sense of patriotism underpinned by nationalistic
paraphernalia that is meant to impart a certain feeling and notion of that
country. I’d been to several US embassies over the last few years. Their over
the top security, good ‘ole red, white & blue flags, as well their regal
style of presidential portraiture wreaks of self-appreciation and grandeur. The
Serbian embassy is socialist in style and make-up, basic furnishings,
ridiculous paperwork, disinterested security. The Australian consulate in
Madrid was as I expected, a little formal, very friendly in approach, decorated
with kitsch Australiana. The ‘G’day’ greeting was enough to give me a little
slice of home and make me feel like I could sort the situation out relatively
quickly, and by the natural course of things, that’s the way it worked. All I
need to do was get a few passport photos, pay $250 and by tomorrow I’d have a
temporary passport in my hands. Too easy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_JzMSKob4-hrDlOgWFhf-GKtCYcyWwl-oWAibN3_LI1udvJzLoTT1QIB-9kfrSyXQV9f2scWTWDFLMLuYbe2Zd8PcRA-vc37-iuCMJDFHDMluJiX-DiKtuO1rVGMFHeC6Xt0Y2ThkSc/s2048/Day+1+-+Seville+-+Walk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_JzMSKob4-hrDlOgWFhf-GKtCYcyWwl-oWAibN3_LI1udvJzLoTT1QIB-9kfrSyXQV9f2scWTWDFLMLuYbe2Zd8PcRA-vc37-iuCMJDFHDMluJiX-DiKtuO1rVGMFHeC6Xt0Y2ThkSc/s640/Day+1+-+Seville+-+Walk2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Edificio La Adriatica en Avenida de Constitucion - Sevilla - Espana</span></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">I
headed out to get myself a few passport photo from a photographer recommended
by the embassy. In the time it took to locate the photographer, get the photos
and be on my way back I had received a call from the embassy telling me that
Inga has located my passport, hidden in one of our travelling magazines
apparently…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">From
here on out my day was quite pleasant. A drop in at the Madrid Hard Rock for a
couple of margaritas and obligatory shirt purchase, a quick ride to Atocha
station, and just like that, I was zipping south towards the Andalusian city of
Seville.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrnYOx2wftM/Xz8MmDicJtI/AAAAAAAAKs8/Ew2_DjVDzYkTZbCbWjLhJK_ssq1E8SG5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Day1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2Bwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrnYOx2wftM/Xz8MmDicJtI/AAAAAAAAKs8/Ew2_DjVDzYkTZbCbWjLhJK_ssq1E8SG5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Day1%2B-%2BSeville%2B-%2Bwalk.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Edificio La Adriatica en Avenida de Constitucion - Sevilla - Espana</span></i></div><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Picking
a rental car at Sevilla Santa Justa station, my brain needed to locate the
‘driving on the right side skill-set’ that I’d left behind some 18 months
prior. As the old cliché goes, it really is like<i> getting back on that bike</i> again. The most stressful thing about
driving in a city you don’t know is that you have no reference to the tricks
and snippets of insider information that can get you to your location. 100%
dependency on a GPS will inevitably run you into one way streets, closed
streets and dead ends, which in Seville means you might find yourself driving
into a public square – not the most astute position to find yourself in an era
of lone wolf terrorist attacks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">With good grace and
intuition I finally landed in a parking station that was close enough to our
AirBnB to be considered viable. Seville, Henr</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">y Elisher had finally arrived.</span></span>Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.com0Seville, Spain37.3890924 -5.98445899.0788585638211572 -41.1407089 65.699326236178848 29.1717911tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254284091157082298.post-21854904594120185122019-08-26T13:24:00.000+10:002020-07-13T23:07:40.974+10:00Madrid (Spain) - Haven't we met?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Madrid (Spain)</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">26 Aug – 29 Aug 2019</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Airport lounges are the best,
even if you don’t quite get the value out of them that you might anticipate,
they do a lot of good for an over-burdened, over-tired and sometimes
underwhelmed traveller.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">In recent years Inga and I have
taken to paying for entry into lounges when our transit time has been 3hrs or
more. Aside from the free flowing drinks and buffets, which when you consider
it, probably betters the cost and comfort of most airport restaurants/bars. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let me tell you what the upside is when it
comes to parting with $50-$80 to access a lounge.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Avoidance of duty free, which immediately
negates unnecessary spending</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Comfort, both in avoidance of foot traffic but
more importantly, a place to stretch out and relax</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reliable WiFi</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reliable service</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reading material</span></div>
</li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Showers, amenities, and all things hygiene
related</span></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And even though I’ve mentioned it, free flowing
drinks and food. Have three drinks, a bite to eat and you’ve made your money in
an instant</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I spent a blissful 3hrs guzzling
GnT’s and making unnecessary trips to the dessert bar of the Al Raheem lounge
in Abu Dhabi as I waited for my next jump to Amsterdam. With my flight
departing at 02:05 the next morning <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>those blissful G'n'T’s also instigated a
welcoming snooze that sent me off to the land of Nod right up until 1hr prior
to departure, perfect timing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A quick boarding process, more
snoozing and there I was landing, at Amsterdam’s Schipol airport at 06:50 which
in itself gave me flashbacks to late 2014 when I was making my whirlwind trip
to Paris, via Amsterdam, in order to have my first date with Inga. Now here I
was, just under 5 years later, flying out to Madrid in order to catch up with
Inga and my 5 month old son Aiden. Sometimes the whole ride of how we got to
now still amazes me.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Battling through the Schengen to
Non-Schengen queue at Schipol was a nuisance, but another necessary hurdle for
me to overcome in my ‘hop-step-skip’ approach to getting to Madrid, and so it
was, with Abu Dhabi & Amsterdam out of the way, all that I need was to skip
right on through Lisbon and ‘hey presto’, '<em>we'd have had airplane rides and Spain appearing out the window side' -</em> thank you to the Counting Crows for that line.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aSrRBOqGUaw/XwxT4LnlxXI/AAAAAAAAKq0/f_QG2R8Raj4C7dOZW25fuxqzNCc10E8dgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Amsterdam%2Bfly%2Bover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aSrRBOqGUaw/XwxT4LnlxXI/AAAAAAAAKq0/f_QG2R8Raj4C7dOZW25fuxqzNCc10E8dgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Amsterdam%2Bfly%2Bover.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flying over Amsterdam - Netherlands</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s something about Spanish
speaking countries that makes me feel good. It activates another part in my
mind which both comforts and invigorates me. Understanding the
language of course plays a large part in that, so it’s the eternal drawcard
now, but that’s only a small part of it’s impact. The people, the culture, the
food and way of life simply agrees with the type of person that I am, so
there’s not defeating that type of kismet.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this point it had been over
six week since I’d bid farewell to Inga & Aiden from Melbourne’s Tullarmarine
airport. But finally, standing on the street of Calle Nunez de Arce just off Plaza
Santa Anna and buzzing up to the apartment of where we’d be staying for the
next few days, it was time to get reacquainted with my family again. In all honesty, perhaps somewhat surprisingly,
those first few hours felt a little odd, almost in the same manner when Inga & I
met again in Paris after 4 yrs (not quite as extreme obviously). It’s that feeling of knowing of a person without
really knowing them. I almost felt like a ‘friend’ visiting another friend than
a husband being reunited with his family. After weeks of Skype and phone calls at odd hours, meeting again in person just felt a little detached from the reality that both of us had been living in. Not that the feeling lasted for long,
perhaps a few hours into the early evening and then everything returned to
normal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /><span style="color: white;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial";">I have warms feelings for Madrid. I hold it in high regard, and it's very close to being my favourite city in Europe. This was the city where 10 yrs prior I convinced myself that I would learn Spanish, this being my 'punishment' for obnoxiously ordering a beer in English and believing I was justified in doing that. I recall walking out of that bar feeling a sense of shame and convincing myself that I would return to the same bar and make amends. Thankfully I kept my word and did that 2 years later, but, internally, I have been repaying the debt many more times over since then. Admittedly my Spanish should be far better for the time I've dedicated to it over the years but hey, my life isn't over yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Knowing Madrid reasonably well
and having 3 Latvians and 1 very small Australian that didn’t know the city at
all, it was on me to act as tour guide, which in all honesty I love doing.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our first day was dedicated to a
walking circuit that I had mentally planned out a few days prior. Madrid , for
the most part, is a very pedestrian friendly town. So walking is not arduous in
the slightest. Flat & accessible, I honestly believe that one of the best
ways to experience this place is just to walk. So starting in Puerta del Sol we
headed to Plaza Mayor, the Palacio Real, walked along the Gran Via and had a
stop at one my favourite Rock Cafes (Hard Rock Madrid).</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGOd2ZSnUeQ/XwxUKgD3o-I/AAAAAAAAKq8/CMqa8iH16nAQrqtdYqUJInAjHCsjn5k1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Madrid_park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGOd2ZSnUeQ/XwxUKgD3o-I/AAAAAAAAKq8/CMqa8iH16nAQrqtdYqUJInAjHCsjn5k1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Madrid_park.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial";"><em>Palacio Real de Madrid from Templo de Debod - Madrid - Spain</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The afternoon was dedicated to
Retiro Park, which is simply gorgeous. This beautifully maintained, immaculate
park in the city centre is a perfect way for Madrilenos to enjoy warm Summer
days, bathed under the glorious light directly, or diffused by the abundance of
trees. We adopted the local approach and picked our own piece of grass, to be
supported by our own bottle of wine and few glasses in the comfort of the
wonderful surrounds. A perfect afternoon jaunt in such a regal city.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> day in Madrid
utilised the services of the ‘Hop-on-Hop-off’ express, which respectfully,
whilst handy and a comfort for those that don’t like walking, practically took
use along the circuit which I’d introduced to the crew the day before. It did
however provide us with the opportunity to visit Templo de Debod, a shrine that
was originally located near Aswan Egypt but due to the building of the Aswan
Dam, was relocated to, in this case, Madrid, in order to preserve a construct
of cultural significance. For me, whilst the story of the Templo and its
relocation is impressive, the true drawcard is the view from its standing
location in the city, personally a much more impressive feature.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The afternoon I’d dedicated to a
culinary stop of significance, El Botin (Sobrino de Botin), understood to be
the oldest active restaurant in the world. Founded in 1725, the restaurant,
according to the Guinness Book of Records is the oldest, and is famous for two
specialities, it’s suckling pig and roasted lamb. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DMjHDKh5UFo/XwxVnE2K1JI/AAAAAAAAKrE/MVDTJHc2JwgGWNGXC0ighbk99mIgMqkXACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Plaza%2BMayor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DMjHDKh5UFo/XwxVnE2K1JI/AAAAAAAAKrE/MVDTJHc2JwgGWNGXC0ighbk99mIgMqkXACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Plaza%2BMayor.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plaza Mayor - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1djmd0mSvU/XwxVz-FCBrI/AAAAAAAAKrI/0MdhY0gdTqU_-y9KoyuvH1vRQsxmUgDNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Plaza%2BMayor2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1djmd0mSvU/XwxVz-FCBrI/AAAAAAAAKrI/0MdhY0gdTqU_-y9KoyuvH1vRQsxmUgDNACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Plaza%2BMayor2.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plaza Mayor - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The choice between having a
famous meat dish or having another, equally as delectable equivalent is like
choosing between favourite children (I’m told), or perhaps choosing between a
great white or red wine. When it comes down to it, it’s all about mood and about
getting ‘some pork on your fork’, which is where the collective conscious of
our tastebuds took us.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pq61QxiYMUk/XwxWBYCgBpI/AAAAAAAAKrQ/R-3ttCRcqUAHjIC7k0ZCA3YzwE4zSpDfACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Sobrino_de_Botin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pq61QxiYMUk/XwxWBYCgBpI/AAAAAAAAKrQ/R-3ttCRcqUAHjIC7k0ZCA3YzwE4zSpDfACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Sobrino_de_Botin.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world - El Botin - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Post our participation in the
ongoing achievement of El Botin we all took a leisurely still down to the Prado
Museum, recognised as having one of the finest collections of European art,
dating back to the 12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century and extended all the way to the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.
There are extensive works on display, with special significance given to
Spanish artists such as Greco, Velazquez and Goya, but includes many other European
names such as Bosch, Rubens & Titian amongst others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, the thing about museums of
this stature, that have a weight of significance is that without a true
dedication by the participant of time and interest, you generally become the
tourist of transit. A passenger that places a geographic pin on their mental
map of achievements. Unfortunately with a 5 month old and a group of 4 adults,
some of whom were not particularly interested in the various displays, our time
become more laborious and a quest to resolving logistics rather than anything
else. So for me, this top was disappointing in all honesty. </span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As another gorgeous early Autumn
day closed out, Inga and I spent some time in Plaza Santa Ana before heading to
the Mercado San Miguel, a real highlight in terms of food, drinks and activity.
It’s been a favourite stop of mine in Madrid since my first time here some 10
years ago and it’s just a delight, not only for what’s available but visually,
it shows you what a market can be. A real drawcard without needing to have that
gritty feel of a typical street market. It’s a neighbourhood focal point and is
more of a meeting place in the way that a local bar might be, just that this
bar contains a whole range of vendors and you can peruse their wares in comfort
before sitting down, grabbing a few snack plates and indulging in your
favourite tipple.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGdOdoTWMs8/XwxWgNRHZCI/AAAAAAAAKrc/Fw-ZyD8YhEsaGDEWHJtnGEUGoUp3YWYjACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Plaza%2BSanta%2BAna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGdOdoTWMs8/XwxWgNRHZCI/AAAAAAAAKrc/Fw-ZyD8YhEsaGDEWHJtnGEUGoUp3YWYjACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Plaza%2BSanta%2BAna.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plaza Santa Ana - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1blvB3KI2Qk/XwxW3xG1tqI/AAAAAAAAKrk/XT7y4-3lUOMZqzY1ZVhPovucFD2_lTQcACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bar_Plaza%2BSanta%2BAna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1blvB3KI2Qk/XwxW3xG1tqI/AAAAAAAAKrk/XT7y4-3lUOMZqzY1ZVhPovucFD2_lTQcACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Bar_Plaza%2BSanta%2BAna.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial";">Plaza Santa Ana - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like this method of living. The
late night, food, wine and banter is just right up my alley. It’s a point that
I’ve commented on many times before in my blog and I feel the Australian
culture in terms of nightlife and the night economy is less for not adopting
this Spanish/Latin approach. In Australia we target restriction as the method
to prevention where really the shift needs to be both in mentality and opportunity.
Wouldn’t we be better served by having restaurants, bars, and all other forms
of business open for longer? We have such a fixed mindset that Friday nights
and Saturday nights are set as dedicated sessions for drinking that when we
press the release valve bedlam ensues. How is it that major European cities
operate with much later hours, have bars freely accessible and don’t have the
same issue of violence that we have? Unless we’ve deliberately cast ourselves
under the guise of a ‘yob’ culture then one of the reasons of our failure is
what we bring about by restricting, rather than being more open.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyieChcts3c/XwxbtxGkUKI/AAAAAAAAKrs/h_TUUUUd6-sj95kxV5DwOK2lWqF3EHdTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Retiro1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oyieChcts3c/XwxbtxGkUKI/AAAAAAAAKrs/h_TUUUUd6-sj95kxV5DwOK2lWqF3EHdTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Retiro1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial;"><em>Parque de el Retiro - Madrid - Spain</em></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1n1aqeRcVhw/Xwxb-ZOJp0I/AAAAAAAAKr0/KebhAZBPa8oOPLHS1RcCS6OFVwhs00KeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Retiro2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="960" height="391" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1n1aqeRcVhw/Xwxb-ZOJp0I/AAAAAAAAKr0/KebhAZBPa8oOPLHS1RcCS6OFVwhs00KeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Retiro2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Parque de el Retiro - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SyhWQfEsZY0/XwxcIkZ_cUI/AAAAAAAAKr4/fXTBG7E4CFE2iEjKtVVC4OZ3jdaXWyzhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SyhWQfEsZY0/XwxcIkZ_cUI/AAAAAAAAKr4/fXTBG7E4CFE2iEjKtVVC4OZ3jdaXWyzhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Bar1.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<em><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rooftop bar on the Gran Via - Madrid - Spain</span></em></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course in Australia we live in
a very typical ‘Nanny State’ where control is exerted under the pretence
protection, pandered by bureaucrats who have their own agendas through these
controlling methods.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Makes you consider moving – maybe
we just might.</span></div>
<br /></div>
Helisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14787006701666124427noreply@blogger.comMadrid, Spain40.4167754 -3.703790240.0300434 -4.3492372 40.8035074 -3.0583432