Posts Tagged With: Europe

Mercato Centrale: a must do eating experience in Florence

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Mel

A must do! Amazing fresh food, so many choices. Kinda like a fancy food court….with alcohol! Location and opening details below.

B and I split our meal, so entree was delicious tortellini cooked fresh right in front of you (12€)

Then there was the wood fired pizza (10€):

Followed by banana and chocolate chip gelato (3€ each)!

Others in our group tried a huge variety of food including:

Ginger and orange juice, cucumber and kiwi fruit juice and kiwi fruit and apple juice

Fresh cooked scallops with salad

Raw meat pate with salad (ewwww not for me)

Two types of fresh cooked soup

Cannelloni

Other gelato flavours and a mixed desserts plate

Not to mention the wine! 🙂

Categories: Europe 2015 | Tags: barcelona to rome, Europe, Florence, food, gelato, intrepid travel, Italy | Leave a comment

Day 17: exploring Florence

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Mel

Definitely a big fan of Hotel Ester in Florence, the free breakfast at a local cafe was great value. I topped it off with some banana gelato!

selfies with banana gelato

Our day started with drizzly rain as we explored the cathedral and the square again in daylight. We then headed off with our reserved tickets to see Michelangelo’s David at the Galleria Academia. The line for reservations was about 30 people, compared to the general entry line which was about 300! Well done us on paying the extra 4€ and having a reserved time. The statue was amazing, really astounding to see that sort of craftsmanship up close.

what nice eyes you have…

token tourist mel

After seeing David we walked up the road to the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum and B got his geek on admiring all the cool, life sized replicas of Da Vinci’s inventions. He also added to his ever growing collection of laser cut blocks (I collect postcards from every location, just in case anyone was wondering).

my beloved doing his thing

Then it was lunch time. The place we chose was shit and touristy, but the afternoon wine tasting more than made up for it (more on that later). I went off to do some shopping and B climbed the bell tower and the Duoma (dome), which I had done on my last visit to Florence. He got some amazing photos:

view of the duomo and city from the belltower

Then it was wine tasting time! We went to the wine bar Entoca Alessi on the recommendation of our tour leader with another member of our group and holy crap it was amazing. Five wines, all indigenous to different areas of Italy plus this amazing food platter.

omnomonom

sniff them they said…it makes you an expert they said…smells like wine to me!

Tonight will be dinner at the local market place and then off to Siena for a day trip tomorrow.

Mel

Categories: Europe 2015 | Tags: art, barcelona to rome, david, Europe, Florence, food, gelato, intrepid travel, Italy, wine | Leave a comment

Day 15: Cinque Terre!

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Mel

Today started with our free breakfast. We headed out later than everyone else as I’m feeling quite unwell at the moment so took the option of a little sleep in, good call by me. Turns out that of the two restaurants we could choose to have breakfast, the “better” one (caffe elite) with a breakfast bar had pigeons POOPING IN THE CEREAL. Nope. So we went to the little one and just had a brioche and coffee. No poop there.
Then it was off to Monterosso. Up to this point I had still been relatively undecided on whether I would attempt the Cinque Terre trail hike or not…I want the views but the trail is quite hard and includes 600+ steep, narrow steps as well as the narrow walking tracks. My cold has moved into my chest though which decided for me, I would be training it between villages. I did get a photo at the start of the trail though for fun 🙂

the start of the monterosso to venazza path…600+ steps uphill argh

Cathy (my non-walking buddy) and I had a little paddle around in the Mediterranean Sea while the others started their walk:

sefies in the sea

We then happily set off for Vezzana on the ferry and got some fabulous photos.

leaving monterosso on the ferry

the coastline

arriving into Venazza On the ferry

panorama of the venazza square

We met up with the rest of the crew in Vezzana to say hi and then caught the train to the next location (Corniglia) while they continued hiking. Our mission was to sample the local wine and let them know if it was any good. Mission successful!

cinque terr bionco vin! delicious

While we were exploring the small villages, our other travel buddies were hiking the two tough trails! B took some amazing photos for me to share:

After their second hike (1hr 10 mins for the first leg and then about 47 mins for the second) we all had lunch together in Corniglia and then caught the train to another stop (Manarola) on the trail. Unfortunately, you can’t walk here anymore since the floods in 2011 as it is too dangerous. More amazing photos and scenery around here.

manorola

Tonight dinner is on our own so the odds of it being peanut m&ms and coke since B hiked 6.5kms of hills today and I’m super sick are pretty high…although I will likely be tempted out of hibernation by the prospect of more delicious pasta.

Mel

Categories: Europe 2015 | Tags: barcelona to rome, cinque terre, coast, Europe, intrepid travel, Italy | Leave a comment

Day 1+2: travelling to Barcelona!

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Mel

Ahhh so much airporting in the last two days! Just under 30hrs and 3 flights later we have made it to Barcelona. I got lots of very pretty “airplane window” token photos:

flying into sydney from canberra

a very hazy looking shot of Dubai

Barcelona! Near the ocean

The flights were mostly uneventful except for my feet swelling up like balloons (never happened before) and lots of limping around the plane and the Emirates business lounge in Dubai as a result. On both of the long haul flights we had an empty seat in our row which was great, gave us that little extra bit of space to spread out in. We both managed some sleep on the 14.5hr flight, although I got more than B…mostly due to using travacalm to zombify myself. Drooly Mel is so attractive. Percy also had a great time flying Emirates (Qantas codeshare) for the first time.

We finally landed in Barcelona at 2pm local time (we are now 9 hours behind Canberra and 6 hours behind Perth) and managed to locate our hotel for the next 5 nights without too much drama. Well, aside from getting absolutely and totally drenched in the rain. I left little puddles as I wandered through the lobby…splashy-splashy…

With my poor swollen foot (left one has gone down mostly in the above pic but right one still very sore, swollen and puffed up) combined with B’s overwhelming urge to stay in his PJs and watch Spanish TV, we opted for room service and an early night. Well, sort of early as he is now watching Big Bang Theory in Spanish and getting quite engrossed. I’m not at that level of translation ability, I’m more on the Dora level of being able to say “HOLA!!” and smile maniacally while hoping they speak some English. Bad tourist.

Mel xx

P.S. This hotel has leather pillowcases. It’s freaking me out a little. How are you meant to sleep on a leather (well, I actually assume it’s pleather) pillowcase?

Categories: Europe 2015 | Tags: barcelona, emirates, Europe, flying, metro, Percy, spain | 1 Comment

Two months until Europe!

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Mel

Woohoo, exactly two months until we leave for Europe!
Exciting things that have been happening in the lead up…hmmm…well, we solved our backpack versus suitcase issue by buying a backpack and suitcase combined. A backcase? A suitpack? Anyway, we bought two of these cool Osprey 80L “Sojourn” bags. We also both have small daypacks for carry on and day to day adventuring.

Suitcase + backpack = something something

I am going to cover mine in purple tags so it is easy to tell which is which. B’s can just stay plain and boring, exactly the way he likes it 🙂

Another exciting thing that happened was our house purchase, which was settled in June. Because everyone knows it’s a great idea to buy a house and go on a big overseas trip in the same 6 month period – right? RIGHT? We are currently in the process of arranging house sitters for while we are away and that’s working out pretty well, it will be nice to have the house lived in here in Canberra while we are overseas.

Our house is a very nice house

So what are the big things left to do before we leave?

Sort out CommBank travel money cards. Oh and money. Need some of that too I suppose
Wait for intrepid travel to send through our tour documents for the 15 day tour we have arranged through Spain, France and Italy
Do some test run attempts at packing (I’m testing out travel clothes at the moment to try and decide what to take, argh so many clothes so little space)

B has also been learning Spanish, for his own interest mostly…but it will still come in handy in Spain!

Spanish lessons!

He’s actually learning it properly in a class whereas my focus in relation to languages has just been to learn how to say “I don’t speak English” in various languages to ward off the street sellers who hassle tourists.

Mel the llama says: No hablo inglés!

People keep asking what are highlights that I’m really looking forward to? Hmmm that’s a toughie, I am pretty excited to be spending my 30th birthday on a river cruise through Paris followed by a show at the Moulin Rouge! Then again, Pompeii will also be amazing. Oh, and Cinque Terre….that’s going to be a real highlight!

Cinque Terre – ah so pretty!

Two months and counting!

Mel xx

Categories: Europe 2015 | Tags: 2015, Europe, europe 2015, llama, luggage, osprey, Packing, preparation, spanish, suitcase | Leave a comment

2015 Adventures!!

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Mel

Woohoo 2015 adventures ahoy!

So this year I get to have two grand overseas trips. One was planned at the end of last year and is a 4.5 week jaunt through Barcelona, Rome, Naples and Paris in October/November. The second has been a little unexpected (read: last minute) and will hopefully see me adventuring to the USA for 10 days in late June.

So first, let’s talk about Europe. We jet off on October 12th to Barcelona and after a few days lounging in the sun we will join up with our intrepid tour. This will see us traveling for 15 days from Barcelona through a variety of locations across to Rome. After fare-welling our tour and a few extra days in Rome, we will head to Naples which puts us nice and close to both Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. A few nights later it will be up to Paris for 5 nights, including attending the Moulin Rouge to celebrate my 30th birthday! Entering the age of denial in style.

Intrepid tours are a company I am not familiar with but B has done a very extended one before and had a lot of positive things to say. Their online reviews are positive and the idea of a small tour appealed to me although I am not sure how I will cope with the reliance on public transport to get from one city to the next, as opposed to say…an air conditioned coach. We have chosen one of the more relaxed tours (no camping etc) although they did have all sorts of trips for all sorts of interests and budgets.

The USA trip is a little more haphazard as it will be planned and booked very last minute. B is likely to be heading away for work over there for a few months so I get to go visit…hooray! The visit has been timed around my work commitments which is why it will be about a month into his work trip rather than closer to the end. At the moment it is actually still not fully confirmed as I can’t book my flights until he has the work go-ahead but it is looking likely. He will be based in the Washington area so there will be lots of exploring of Washington as well as 5 nights in New York! EEEEEE! Do you guys realise what is in Washington? Do you? DO YOU? Let me show you….

Not to mention…NEW YORK!! Very exciting. Probably our last year of travel adventures for a while (although South America and Antarctica/The Arctic are still high on the want list) so time to make the most of it. Did I mention that there will be bears in the US? Baby bears? Baby pandas? Did you see that?

Since Europe is mostly booked and paid for and the USA is still a “wait and see” operation….

The big discussion in our house is around luggage choices at the moment.

Neither of us are super happy with our suitcases but I am not prepared to fully commit to a backpack and B is not prepared to let me just have a suitcase on the intrepid tour as we are relying on trains to get around a fair bit. Stubborn man. So at the moment we are both spending a lot of time reading and researching. This is my front runner – the 80L Osprey Sojourn convertible wheeled bag although there are a lot of other similar things that cost less (but seem to break easy). He is a mad Osprey lover whereas I am new to their products….so we shall see.

Mel Update: No USA trip ended up happening…but Europe looms!

Categories: Europe 2015, USA 2015 | Tags: america, backpacks, barcelona, bears, blogging, BWI, Europe, flying, intrepid, love, luggage, osprey, osprey sojourn, pandas, Paris, pompeii, review, Rome, smithsonian, travel, travel blog, USA, washington, zoo | 3 Comments

A summary of Percy’s adventures

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Mel

Just for you Anna! And all the other Percy lovers out there 🙂 Percy had a great trip but is glad to be home and back with all his friends.

Percy having a beer at Perth airport before the flight

How exciting, first time on a plane!

Woohoo 7am and we are on the contiki bus for day 1!

All tucked up in bed while we get ready to hit Amsterdam the first night

The Heineken brewery experience in Amsterdam

Anne Frank Huis

Now on to BERLIN! Where Percy was almost lost forever in a stairwell (someone rescued him though)

The Jewish memorial in Berlin

Mmm snickers mcflurry!

Percy did visit the Berlin Wall and all the other locations in Berlin with us but I think the photos are on my camera sorry…

Percy’s adventures in Prague. Percy and I really liked Prague 🙂 we want to go back again soon!

Percy loved the view off Charles bridge

Percy had a great time discovering public transport – NOT!! We got so lost lol.

Ah Percy, you’re a drunk

Percy and I on a river cruise in Prague

Just dive right in to that CRAZILY CHEAP VODKA in Prague little buddy

Now it was Oktoberfest time in Munich.

Percy got a Percy sized stein….

Mmmmm beer he says!

Just dive right in….

Platypus mother Mel drank a lot of beer which may explain the photo before his one…

Long day for Percy. Hat thief!

Onwards to Venice. Not many photos of Percy in Venice as it isn’t really a safe place to be constantly opening and closing your handbag. He was there though!

Venice was very pretty

Percy went on a gondola ride and snuggled on the love seat with emma and Amelia

Mmmm street pizza

Austria on the way to Venice – beautiful

Now Rome! My 2nd favourite place after Prague…

We visited the Pantheon, trevi fountain and Spanish steps that first night…

Percy thought this castle was amazing

The colosseum!

Mmmm gelato

Yay Florence! Not many photos here…mother Mel and auntie emma…drank a lot and ummmm….yeah.

Looking all pretty before heading out for dinner. Sorry I came home really drunk at 1:30am Percy! Errrr and then left for Switzerland at 6am still really drunk hahaha

The bed in our hotel room…. for midgets obviously

Mmmm cocktails….messy

Yay, view from the bell tower. Which almost killed me to climb

There are no Percy pics at Pisa. I’m amazed there’s actually one of me. So hungover on the way to Switzerland!

Percy in Switzerland (where he was very upset not to climb mt Pilatus on the cool train. Rah)

Percy was sad cos Mel was homesick and missing her beautiful nephew 😦

The boat cruise and ferris wheel ride on lake Lucerne helped everyone cheer up though

Chapel bridge in Lucerne, where the famous water tower is

Mmmm macaroon

PARIS!!!!! Hooooooraaaaay. Last contiki stop and almost the end of our adventure.

Up the Eiffel Tower! 2nd floor cos you couldn’t see anything but fog at the top (we still went up though)

We saw the Mona Lisa at the louvre

We climbed the Arc de Triomphe

Moulin rouge was amazing. Percy stayed home for that one though

He was sad to say goodbye to the bus mascot, a British bulldog!

Percy and the rest of contiki were lucky enough to see the Eiffel Tower light up at night

At the end of contiki we spent a few days in London! Not many photos of Percy here as I explored on my own a bit and he had to stay in the hotel room one day because I ran out of handbag space. He was there in spirit though!

He rode the tube a lot. Terrifying at first but I had it nailed by the end!

He got a new buddy at the natural history and science museum! Baby T-Rex.

Big Ben

London bridge

SQUIRRELS IN THE PARK!!!!

Last night in London, he stayed in and we went to Hard Rock Cafe

Important life lesson for all – don’t eat at heathrow airport….you will get food poisoning and suffer miserably for the entire flight!

Thanks for following Percy’s adventures folks! 🙂

Categories: Europe 2012 | Tags: Europe, Percy | 2 Comments

Day 1 – London to Amsterdam

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Mel

Well, today I learnt some important lessons. Firstly it is never okay to be jet lagged out of your brain and give in to it by going to bed at 7:45pm. You will wake up at 2am. And 2:12am. And 2:36am and so on…

At 6:30am this morning we met our other contiki travelers downstairs from the royal national hotel. It is the contiki hotel as they operate from it so as you’d expect it is cheap, nasty and cost efficient. The leaving process was pretty orderly and onward from there we headed to the port of Dover. After an easy customs stop we got to drive onto the ferry! Biggest boat I have ever seen! Hot breakfast – even better. We drove off the ferry and through Belgium, we don’t get to stop there unfortunately. After a 5hr bus trip we made it to Amsterdam! An average buffet dinner, followed by a quick shower and we were ready to head out! We signed up to go the sex show…it was….interesting. Not what I expected. Very naked lol.

We headed off next to a bar called the grasshopper and chilled there for a few hours and then set off back to the hotel to bed. the taxi driver back was a scam artist and a maniac driver but we survived. All in all, the red light district in Amsterdam was…memorable.

Percy having an early night while we explore the red light district!!

Categories: Europe 2012 | Tags: Amsterdam, contiki, Europe | 4 Comments

Holiday preparation with two weeks to go

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Mel

Things I have bought or borrowed or found in my closet or pinched out of other peoples closets so far to take on my trip:

coded padlock

mini clothesline

a roaming sim (thanks Zeus for this and the two things above! You’re the besterest buddy EVER)

comm bank travel card plus back up loaded with £ and €

neck pillow for bus and plane trips – thanks Jess!!

headphones for iPod

iPhone

e-reader (can only use on the plane as I’ll vomit on the bus if I try)

travel adapter for Europe and the UK

suitcase that meets contiki size rules

a back pack or day pack for the bus

a cheap “over the shoulder” handbag for adventuring during the day – big enough for wallet, camera and a small water bottle

a bunch of leggings and tights as these are going to be my default clothing item

a warm, waterproof jacket with a hood to keep me warm on the planes and the places we go that are a bit chilly

a light jacket/cardigan for the slightly warmer places or evenings out

one pair of jeans

quick dry undies from Kathmandu – best invention EVER

some long and comfy shirts to wear over leggings

two dresses to wear out partying

a pair of 3/4 Capri pants

comfy walking shoes

boots for wearing out and wearing in the colder places. I need my boots, I will feel naked without them!

a pair of pretty red shoes (flats) for nights out

a pair of thongs to bludge around in

socks and bras

basic girly toiletries including the amazing goo-tubes, very glad I don’t wear make up

mini first aid kit with sewing stuff, dettol cream, bandaids, sunscreen, insect repellent, Panadol etc

a small towel which I don’t need but having purple hair means I tend to turn lovely, white hotel towels a permanent shade of brightness 🙂

Things I have on my “pretend I am super organised list” that I still need to buy or sort out:

a spare camera memory card

a journal to write things down by hand (gotta have a hard copy as well as a blog!)

motion sickness bracelets and motion sickness meds – I hate the meds so am going to try the bracelets as well

an extra padlock for my day bag when I leave it on the bus

some £ and € in cash for when we first arrive

copies and printouts of all documentation including passport, itinerary, UK hotel confirmation and contact details for our UK relatives

Two weeks and one day to go!

I have been posting on the contiki “shout” app and chatting to people who will be on my tour. Have to say it is an awesome app. Already I have had some fears alleviated – mainly that I won’t be the only one NOT whitewater rafting!

Roaming sim rates. Very reasonable!

Categories: Europe 2012 | Tags: contiki, Europe, holiday, Packing, panic, shout | 1 Comment

Posts Tagged With: Europe

Mercato Centrale: a must do eating experience in Florence

Day 17: exploring Florence

Day 15: Cinque Terre!

Day 1+2: travelling to Barcelona!

Two months until Europe!

2015 Adventures!!

A summary of Percy’s adventures

Day 1 – London to Amsterdam

Holiday preparation with two weeks to go

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