Bonjour mes ami from France, We have been on the road for a few days, making a very pleasant journey from Austria, to Germany, back to Austria, through Switzerland and now in France. For Australians, it seems remarkable that this is possible in two days. The road journey was made more engaging because of the …Read More
Gutentag nach Salzburg. Salzburg is a city in which one could easily be lulled into a belief that there were no issues in the world, like crime or environmental degradation or rudeness. We’ve spent two lovely days here in this very pleasant city on the Salzach River in northern Austria. Everything is …Read More
Guten Tag from Bavaria, The Schellenberg Eishohle (Ice Cave) is just shy of Salzburg and the German border. From the bottom of the valley, it appears like a tiny insignificant gap in the limestone mountain, way up in the sky. Access to the Ice Cave is after a steep drive up the foothills, a taxing …Read More
Gutentag dach Badgastein, We’ve come to another halt, this time in the mountains of Austria. The countryside of Austria is predictably scenic, but even more so than expected. a ferry but no water The road to Badgastein ended in brilliant sunshine at Mallnitz, which reposes peacefully in a perfect example of a hanging valley. The maps …Read More
Bongiorno from Toscana, It’s May 24th (Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday anniversary), and we are moving northwards through Italy. Just in passing, it’s worth noting my brief experience today with the Italian health system. This was an unscheduled visit to the Pronto Seccorso (casualty) at l’ospedale (the hospital). I had been suffering from a lingering respiratory infection which had deteriorated. …Read More
Bongiorno from Liguria, Pisa is a large city spreadeagled on the floodplain of the Arno River (le fiume Arno). The Leaning Tower has a gravitational pull for the casual tourist. And, it’s quite a sight. Thousands of tourists apparently concur. In fact, the famous Leaning Tower forms part of a large complex of majestic marble buildings. The …Read More
Bongiorno da Montaione! Our stay in Tuscany is coming to an end. And we’ve enjoyed every minute. In the meantime, there are still things to see and do. Armed with the keen appreciation of the fact that visiting the birthplace of a famous person usually yields nothing more than tacky holiday snaps and the collective …Read More
Bongiorno from Toscana, Picture the scene dear readers: we’re in a tastefully (let’s say, decorously) renovated stable overlooking verdant valley and sylvan hills (including the 14 towers of San Gimignano in the middle distance). 40 odd well-dressed people are at Nicoletta’s 61st birthday party, playing bridge on felt-topped tables with Nino acting as congenial host …Read More
Bongiorno from Italia, We’re enjoying our own version of Fellini’s Dolce Vita here. Every day presents another delight to follow all of the previous ones. Yes, we took Hamlet’s advice to Ophelia and got ourselves to a nunnery. This is our accommodation for the next three weeks; converted from its previous use. The lodgings are in …Read More
Bongiorno from Toscana, Next stop on the odyssey is a three-week stay in Iano, in the hills of Tuscany. The address – if you are interested in googling the map – is Podere le Monache, Iano, Montaine. The building has been converted from a nunnery and is offered for tourist accommodation by a local …Read More