Berlin – Thursday 13th December 2018 After an early, though slightly delayed flight to Berlin, we checked in to an appropriately cat-themed hotel, with cat flaps painted on the outside of the room doors and cats eyes on the key cards. From here it was a short walk to see the site of Check Point Charlie and Trabiworld… …the remaining section of the Wall on Niederkirchnerstraße… …the Sony Center… …the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe… …the site of Hitler’s bunker… …the Brandenberg Gate and the Reichstag… …to finish in the Gendarmen Christmas Market… … for beer and snacks. Berlin – Friday 14th December 2018 After a late breakfast, Jaime wanted to make progress on one of her university assignments so returned to the warmth of the hotel to work whilst the rest of Travelling Herd went to the Jewish Museum which included a special exhibition entitled Welcome to Jerusalem. From there we went to the Topology of Terror Museum which focuses on the institutions of the police and the SS in the Third Reich and the crimes they committed throughout Europe. German museums do not shy away from the atrocities of the second world war and whilst this […]
2018
Iceland’s Golden Circle – Tuesday 11th December 2018 The Northern Lights seem destined to evade us but we booked a coach tour of the Golden Circle to see some of the incredible natural phenomena of the local landscape. The storm had passed overnight but there were still 30 mile an hour winds. The beauty of Iceland speaks for itself and the weather simply enhanced the experience. The tour took in the Þingvellir National Park including the Rift Valley and the mid Atlantic Ridge. Robert remembers being taught about plate tectonics in geography, some time ago at school, at a time when the theory was only just being developed. Geysir is the site of the original and eponymous geyser where the water boils and bubbles, the land steams and the Strokkur geyser, now the more reliable of the two, obligingly and dramatically erupted several times. The Gullfoss or Golden Waterfall is on the Hvitá – White – River and is fed by the water which melts from Iceland’s second largest glacier, the Langjökull. The water drops 32 meters in two stages into a canyon with walls which tower 70 meters above the gorge. Rainbows shimmer over this spectacular sight in the […]
Reykjavik – Saturday, 8th December 2018 Matilda has spent the week prior to this long-awaited trip checking the Aurora Borealis [Northern Lights] forecast regularly on the Icelandic meteorological office website and is resigned to the fact that, due to the weather forecast which is predominantly cloud and rain, the Northern Lights are unlikely to be visible at all during our stay. Despite such a severe disappointment, we are all being very pragmatic and philosophical as Iceland still has so much to offer. There are relatively few daylight hours at this time of year and so we decided to make the most of them after checking in to our hotel by walking round Reykjavík to the Hallgrimskirkja. The Hallgrimskirkja is the largest church in Iceland at 74.5 metres high and its distinctive tower is one of the dominant landmarks of Reykjavík. It was designed by the architect Guojon Samuelsson in 1937 who took local geology and the basalt columns formed as the lava cooled at the Svartifoss waterfall as his inspiration. Sadly we will not see the Svartifoss waterfall on this visit but it is on the list for next time. Work began on the Hallgrimskirkja in 1945 and the nave was consecrated […]
Stockholm: Wednesday, 28th – Friday, 30th November 2018 Stockholm has a certain special place in our hearts. Before we were married Robert worked as the European Training Manager for the software division of a British company called Letraset. Letraset [famous for rub-down dry-transfers] almost went bust after they purchased another historic British company – Stanley Gibbons [famous for postage stamp collections and catalogues]. A Swedish company called Esselte [stationery] bailed Letraset out. As a result of this Robert often travelled to Stockholm during the late eighties. Matilda had also previously visited a good friend from university who worked in Stockholm for a period and Stockholm was one of our honeymoon destinations in August 1990. When Robert was researching cheap flights and suggested places to Matilda, she approved some, rejected others and put some on the maybe list. When it came to Stockholm she flippantly suggested she wanted to replace the cheese slice bought on our honeymoon [over 28 years ago]. So, factoring in the transportation costs – travel and accommodation for a short city break for two – this must be the most expensive cheese slice ever. In 2006 when we returned to Stockholm on a short city break, we discovered […]
Valletta: Saturday, 24th November 2018 The location of the Lascaris War Rooms, understandably, is not as easy to find as some of the other Maltese tourist sites: after all the War Rooms were the secret underground headquarters for the Allies’ defence of the Mediterranean. Signs led us on a rather convoluted route down steps and through tunnels: it all seemed to be part of the experience but we did find a more direct route when we exited. There was a personable young guide greeting visitors who was dressed in an WWII RAF uniform but as we had a plane to catch, we could not wait for the next tour and had to opt for the audio guide. The War Rooms proved to be one of the highlights of the trip: like stepping back in time you can see . . . . . . the telephone exchange rooms and all the charts, plans and tote boards used to plot the movements of ships and aircraft. Notice the big island on the map is Sicily, this is where the Axis planes were based and mounted their attacks from and was subsequently the focus of the Allied attack, co-ordinated by Eisenhower and Montgomery in […]
Valletta, Mdina and Rabat: Thursday, 22nd – Friday, 23rd November 2018 Another trip on the three cities ferry across the harbour and we discovered that our Valletta passes only covered one return trip on the ferry [this is clearly stated on the ticket but we overlooked it]. We were told we would have to pay on the return trip but as all fares on the Maltese buses and ferries seem to be €1.50 per person, this will not have too serious an impact on our holiday budget. Our destination for a very filling, slap-up full English breakfast to sustain us for a day’s sightseeing was Il Bacino with harbour views. Replete, we headed to the bus station to board the 53 to Rabat and Mdina. For much of the journey, the bus ran parallel to the 26.5 km Wignacourt Aqueduct, which was built in the 17th century by the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the newly-built capital city Valletta. Mdina, [above – see more later] – a stunning fortified citadel – is the old capital of Malta and has just 300 inhabitants. Rabat – which means suburb in Semitic […]
Valletta: Tuesday, 20th – Wednesday, 21st November 2018 Arriving quite late on Tuesday, we checked in to our hotel and were pleased to have been given another free upgrade to a room with a balcony and a stunning view across the harbour. We are assuming this is an unexpected perk of travelling out of season when there are vacant rooms. The hotel was chosen for its history as it is said to be the longest established hotel in Valletta. When booking Robert read that various famous people had stayed here but at the time of writing we cannot find any confirmed celebrity guests to support this. The situation and the views are however excellent. We were advised by a very helpful receptionist where we could go to find a bar and enjoyed an al fresco beer, whilst hearing that it was snowing at home. This meteorological news encouraged Matilda to appreciate the winter sun break even more. After breakfast on the restaurant balcony in the sunshine… … we walked towards the main square and on to the bus garage to buy a day pass which is valid for 24 hours from the time you first use it. Not only has Valletta been […]
Maspalomas: Thursday, 15th – Friday, 16th November 2018 Robert has not previously wanted to commit to staying in one place for too long as he has always wanted to maximise the number of places we visit in a limited period of time. Now that we have more time at our disposal Matilda has been encouraging him to embrace the “two nights” concept so that she does less packing and has fewer travelling days. So on this trip it is two days per location and this seems to be going well. Thursday was the transfer day between the two locations on the island and we caught a local bus, for one hour, to travel the length of the island, north to south, to Maspalomas and our new hotel which boasts a pool, pool bar and spa complex . . . . . . .and the receptionist said we would have good views from our balcony. . . . . . across the golf course. The evening view of the hotel bar and pool was also impressive. Playa des Maspalomas and Playa des Ingles (Englishman’s beach) together offer visitors over six kilometres of sand. One version has it that Playa des Ingles was named […]
Las Palmas: Tuesday, 13th – Wednesday, 14th November 2018 We were not sure quite what to expect from Gran Canaria out of season and, over the first two days, Las Palmas turned out to be a city of two halves. Having been given a free upgrade by the hotel we very happily settled in to our suite on arrival. We then took our customary walk somewhere new for Robert to get his bearings. This took us along the sea front at Playa de Las Canteras, the longest beach on the island at almost four kilometres. The beach is protected by La Barra – a rocky strip running parallel with the shore -and the end where the breakers are more lively seems to be given over to surf schools. The sand lends itself to the creation of detailed and complex sculptures . . . . . . and Matilda judged the sea to be warmer than the hotel pool she had dabbled her fingers into earlier. We realise that we have had our expectations raised by the extraordinary beauty and style of some of the city squares we have visited in mainland Europe recently: Nancy, Krakov and Brugges spring to mind, but the […]
Monday, 29th October 2018 Robert enjoyed testing Alan’s levelling system to empty the tanks before we left Brugge to reduce the weight and maximise fuel economy. We had planned to go to a beer warehouse in Poperinge which Robert has visited several times before but we found it was closed on Mondays so a google search came up with Drunken Vandewoude, Brouwerijstraat 5, 8600 Diksmuide. A family run concern who were very welcoming, allowing Ralf to wander round the warehouse which offered a wide range of very tempting options. Even Alan didn’t seem capacious enough and the journey home was punctuated by the rattling of bottles. Walked today: 5.0 miles Driving distance today: 109.64 miles Total Tour Distance: 1,190 miles
Sunday, 28th October 2018 Our journey to Brugge was marked by a number of events. The first of these was a very stressful moment when we thought we might run out of fuel but thankfully managed to fill up by diverting off the main road. Secondly, having previously been directed down some very rural lanes which were not necessarily suitable for a motor home the size of Alan, we chose to ignore our sat nav directions. This accounts for the large loop north on today’s route. We then had to wait for the drawbridge to lower. Brugge is one of our favourite cities and it is always a pleasure to return. Is it the architecture, the canals, the Tin Tin merchandise, the beer, the bars or a combination of everything? This time, we were however, very mindful that Ralf had been scared by the horses hooves on the cobbles and is not really a “townie”. We did however feel he should be introduced to “Bar Bertie” as this is a favourite hostelry and a bit of a tradition for us when we visit this city. Whenever we visit with John and Belinda Robinson, although there are so many fabulous places […]
Thursday, 25th – Friday 26th October 2018 Our heartfelt thanks to Richard and Mandie who kindly welcomed the Travelling Herd back to Königspad for two nights on our journey homewards. Even though Richard had work the next day and Mandie had a serious dental appointment, they took us to their local and joined us in raising several glasses to Ian, Robert’s big brother, who had been treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for the last two years and sadly died in the early hours of Wednesday and hence the reason why we are cutting this trip short and returning to the UK earlier than originally planned. Matilda and Robert were both impressed by the Dutch system of running a tab – the barman simply drew lines and five bar gates on a bar mat to record the number of drinks consumed. Although Ralf has a passport, he still had to be de-wormed a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of five days before returning to the UK. So, on Friday morning we walked him to the local vet. Matilda was pleased that her knowledge of German allowed her to identify the Dierenkliniek. We are not sure what cues Ralf picked up […]
Saturday, 27th October 2018 In the fifteenth century, apparently Duke John II wanted to thank the people of Lier for their support during his struggle against the people of Mechelen. They were allowed to choose their own reward and he offered them two options. The people of Lier were tasked with choosing between a university or a cattle market. The duke coined the phrase ”the sheep heads”: so you know which option the good citizens chose. We did, however, feel it was an apt destination for the Travelling Herd. We had inadvertently stumbled upon another UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Beguinage at Lier. We learnt that a beguinage is an architectural complex created to house beguines – lay religious women who lived in a community without taking vows or retiring from the world. The residents were often widows or unmarried women who supported themselves by crafts such as lace-making or embroidery. The Lier beguinage was established in 1258 and now comprises 11 alleys and 162 houses. Walking through the alleys does seem like stepping back in time and the style and topology of these buildings are reminiscent of alms houses found in England. The town itself is also charming […]
Wednesday, 24th October 2018 As the aire was spacious and flat Robert demanded that Matilda try out the e-bike, which she has been studiously avoiding ever since he bought it. She is, as you can see, not a confident cyclist and is particularly concerned about her safety on the “wrong side of the road.” The journey started with a short diversion into Luxembourg to top up with cheap fuel and then on to Aachen. It was a longer drive than usual today across bridges passing high over valleys and through hills covered with conifers laden with cones and deciduous trees turning the warm shades of autumn. The mist low enough to conceal the blades of the wind turbines at the top of their rotation and a fine drizzle. It is reassuring, if reassuring is the right word, that the UK does not have a monopoly on roadworks which stretch for miles with little apparent activity. The Dom [cathedral] was the first World Heritage Site in Germany and the oldest part, Charlemagne’s Palace, was built between AD 794 and AD 810. Charlemagne himself is buried here in the town he made capital of his Frankish empire in 794. The Dom is […]
Tuesday, 23rd October 2018 Trier lays claim to being the oldest city in Germany having been capital of the Western Roman Empire in the third century. Several of its buildings have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it is also the birthplace of Karl Marx. We left our aire on the banks of the Moselle and made our way into town, past the remains of an ancient synagogue, . . . . . . .the Kaiserthermen [Roman Imperial Baths – dogs not allowed] and the ornate eighteenth century Rococo Kurfürstliches Palais [Palace of the Electors]. . . . . . to the Konstantin Basilika [Imperial Throne Room]. The Basilika was originally built about AD 310 as the Aula Palatina or audience hall of the Roman Imperial Residence of Constantine the Great. Modified many times since Rome fell, it has subsequently been used by the Frankish counts of this district and then by local archbishops. Latterly it was restored to its original size and has been a Protestant Church since 1856. It was burnt out in 1944 during WWII but it was rededicated as a place of worship in 1956. We alternated going inside with staying outside in the comparative […]
Monday, 22nd October 2018 When we embarked on this trip we knew that we had a maximum of eight weeks in which to travel before we needed to return home for our long-awaited trip to Iceland in search of the Northern Lights. We were also aware of a couple of things which might make us head home sooner than planned. Fortunately motorhoming gives us this flexibility and as one of these has materialised, over the next week we will be heading north and retracing our steps, albeit via different cities, to return to England. Sorting out the rubbish as we left Saverne we found that the sound of a bottle falling into the large municipal recycling bin frightened Ralf. He also didn’t like being put back in Alan in case Matilda went somewhere without him. We have also found that the Navigon sat nav system can be a little unpredictable. The pronunciation of some of the place names is almost incomprehensible, being a combination of the English pronunciation of letters and that of the local country. It also sometimes chooses a very questionable route for us to follow. Today, it tried to get us to join the motorway via the back […]