31 July: The great Mall of the Emirates
After walking 17,445 steps from 11 - 6.15 we came home having bought nothing but a jar of marmalade which is a must-have for Peter's breakfast.
Friday is a public holiday in Dubai and when we started the great mall walk I thought that people wouldn't come out. By the time we tried to come home we couldn't get out because of the crowds, and when we did it was just to take a breath and dive into a taxi with air conditioning.
I was told that Dubai is the place to go shopping, and so it is for multi-millionaires. For us it was the place to ogle. Actually, truth to tell, Milford Mall is hard to beat.
Friday, 31 July 2015
Thursday, 30 July 2015
31 July: Dubai
We arrived here at 1.00am after flight delays. The airport is the 7th busiest in the world handling 70.4 million passengers last year and 2.37 million tons of cargo. Never have we experienced anything like the size of it. Peter did his 10,000 steps just getting out of it this morning.
Dubai is termed the shopping capital of the Middle East with over 70 shopping malls including the world's largest shopping centre, Dubai Mall. I found it interesting to discover that only 5% of the Emirates revenue comes from oil and gas. The oil reserves are expected to run out within 20 years. So they will be reliant on their real estate, construction, trade and financial services to maintain their economy. Tourism and gold are also major parts of their economy.
After looking at the cost of accommodation here we decided to go for the Airbnb option. We were greeted at the gated compound at 2am by a real Arab sheik who was most gracious considering the hour. We are very comfortably established in a large 3 roomed apartment with everything but a table and chairs. The owner had a new air con installed yesterday so that's a blessing. Even the water in the cold taps is hot. August is the hottest month of the year, and guess what, tomorrow is 1 August.
So in 38 C this morning, we have made our way up to the corner dairy for bread and milk. Sorry Peter, no marmalade. I'll put a couple of photos on FB so you can see where we are, then off shopping. Might be writing another blog tonight methinks. Never mind. Makes up for skipping one yesterday.
We arrived here at 1.00am after flight delays. The airport is the 7th busiest in the world handling 70.4 million passengers last year and 2.37 million tons of cargo. Never have we experienced anything like the size of it. Peter did his 10,000 steps just getting out of it this morning.
Dubai is termed the shopping capital of the Middle East with over 70 shopping malls including the world's largest shopping centre, Dubai Mall. I found it interesting to discover that only 5% of the Emirates revenue comes from oil and gas. The oil reserves are expected to run out within 20 years. So they will be reliant on their real estate, construction, trade and financial services to maintain their economy. Tourism and gold are also major parts of their economy.
After looking at the cost of accommodation here we decided to go for the Airbnb option. We were greeted at the gated compound at 2am by a real Arab sheik who was most gracious considering the hour. We are very comfortably established in a large 3 roomed apartment with everything but a table and chairs. The owner had a new air con installed yesterday so that's a blessing. Even the water in the cold taps is hot. August is the hottest month of the year, and guess what, tomorrow is 1 August.
So in 38 C this morning, we have made our way up to the corner dairy for bread and milk. Sorry Peter, no marmalade. I'll put a couple of photos on FB so you can see where we are, then off shopping. Might be writing another blog tonight methinks. Never mind. Makes up for skipping one yesterday.
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
29 July: Last day in Europe
After Peter's 20,000 steps in search of old planes yesterday we thought it wise to confine ourselves to the hop-on-hop-off adventure on the 3 lines around Budapest. Those of you on FB will have seen various photos of different examples of architecture at this stage of the city's reconstruction. The day started cold and overcast and deteriorated as it wore on, so we hopped off. Peter decided to have a blob out afternoon. We have a big day tomorrow flying to Dubai arriving there at midnight then having to get ourselves to yet another Airbnb.
That gave me a perfect opportunity to skive off into the long tourist street behind us here. Just one of the things I found was an organ recital at St Michael's Church. Yes I thought, let's go to that. So when he woke up Peter found himself visiting yet another incredible old church first built in 1230. It has the all too familiar history of buildings throughout Hungary and has been under restoration since 1999. I only wish I had thought to take my camera. The concert was an hour long ending with Bach's Tocatta & Fugue in D Minor. As we were coming out I found Peter trying to buy a CD of it from someone in the Church. Twenty years on and I've just discovered Peter's love of organ music. Fortunately I rescued him before he bought a disk. I have just that in my cabinet at home and play it at full volume when he goes out. Now I can start playing it when he's home.
What better way to end the day than a bottle of wine in an Italian restaurant.
Goodbye Budapest. It's been great discovering you. 😊
After Peter's 20,000 steps in search of old planes yesterday we thought it wise to confine ourselves to the hop-on-hop-off adventure on the 3 lines around Budapest. Those of you on FB will have seen various photos of different examples of architecture at this stage of the city's reconstruction. The day started cold and overcast and deteriorated as it wore on, so we hopped off. Peter decided to have a blob out afternoon. We have a big day tomorrow flying to Dubai arriving there at midnight then having to get ourselves to yet another Airbnb.
That gave me a perfect opportunity to skive off into the long tourist street behind us here. Just one of the things I found was an organ recital at St Michael's Church. Yes I thought, let's go to that. So when he woke up Peter found himself visiting yet another incredible old church first built in 1230. It has the all too familiar history of buildings throughout Hungary and has been under restoration since 1999. I only wish I had thought to take my camera. The concert was an hour long ending with Bach's Tocatta & Fugue in D Minor. As we were coming out I found Peter trying to buy a CD of it from someone in the Church. Twenty years on and I've just discovered Peter's love of organ music. Fortunately I rescued him before he bought a disk. I have just that in my cabinet at home and play it at full volume when he goes out. Now I can start playing it when he's home.
What better way to end the day than a bottle of wine in an Italian restaurant.
Goodbye Budapest. It's been great discovering you. 😊
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
28 July: Farewell Avalon with its Intercontinental Hotel - Hello Caisley/Lewis with their Airbnb.
I have sent through 2 FB postings today because the day was truly split in two. We checked out of the decadence of the hotel Avalon shouted us and then found our way to the St Stephen's Cathedral which was started in 1851 and finished in 1861. The dome was completed in 1889. The interior was totally breathtaking. Mind you, my breath is already taken by all the other phenomenal European cathedrals we have been introduced to.
As we continued wandering we discovered the Aria Hotel which is obviously for a different socioeconomic bracket from us. However I did my charming smile thing and the guard at the door escorted me into the foyer to take a photo. The carpet was woven as a piano keyboard leading to a central feature of a vertical digital keyboard that played by itself with the keys moving. Budapest is undergoing a comprehensive rebuild after its liberation from Communism, and the new creations are beyond description. You really must book yourself to visit Budapest in a couple of years. I'm sure it will rival Paris and Prague.
After coffee and the famed Ersterhaus cake, we caught a taxi to our Airbnb which is in Old Buda by yet another beautiful town square, souvenir shops and the #2 tram which appears to be free. Our Irish host was waiting for us and carried our 50kg of luggage up the stairs for us. Charming guy - as the Irish are.
Peter needed to go to the Budapest Technical Museum but I found I did not. So I slept soundly while Peter walked 20,000 steps to find the Museum is shut for renovations until 2018. He got 1 photo of 1 Russian bi-plane.
Tonight was our 20th anniversary and we thought it might be fun to do a Danube River dinner and cruise that was longer than the 10 minute one we had 12 days ago. This one was 2 hours!!!! Oh my, did we enjoy every one of those 120 Mins. We saw our Avalon Vista tied up at the wharf so she's been repaired. All she wants now is some water to cruise in. 😂
I have sent through 2 FB postings today because the day was truly split in two. We checked out of the decadence of the hotel Avalon shouted us and then found our way to the St Stephen's Cathedral which was started in 1851 and finished in 1861. The dome was completed in 1889. The interior was totally breathtaking. Mind you, my breath is already taken by all the other phenomenal European cathedrals we have been introduced to.
As we continued wandering we discovered the Aria Hotel which is obviously for a different socioeconomic bracket from us. However I did my charming smile thing and the guard at the door escorted me into the foyer to take a photo. The carpet was woven as a piano keyboard leading to a central feature of a vertical digital keyboard that played by itself with the keys moving. Budapest is undergoing a comprehensive rebuild after its liberation from Communism, and the new creations are beyond description. You really must book yourself to visit Budapest in a couple of years. I'm sure it will rival Paris and Prague.
After coffee and the famed Ersterhaus cake, we caught a taxi to our Airbnb which is in Old Buda by yet another beautiful town square, souvenir shops and the #2 tram which appears to be free. Our Irish host was waiting for us and carried our 50kg of luggage up the stairs for us. Charming guy - as the Irish are.
Peter needed to go to the Budapest Technical Museum but I found I did not. So I slept soundly while Peter walked 20,000 steps to find the Museum is shut for renovations until 2018. He got 1 photo of 1 Russian bi-plane.
Tonight was our 20th anniversary and we thought it might be fun to do a Danube River dinner and cruise that was longer than the 10 minute one we had 12 days ago. This one was 2 hours!!!! Oh my, did we enjoy every one of those 120 Mins. We saw our Avalon Vista tied up at the wharf so she's been repaired. All she wants now is some water to cruise in. 😂
Monday, 27 July 2015
27 July: Budapest (2)
Today Avalon offered us a coach trip into surrounding countryside. 60% of Hungary is totally flat agricultural land producing sunflowers, paprika, acacia trees for honey and wines. The feature of acacia honey is that it does not crystalise, but they also produce chestnut honey and linden tree honey. Hungary is dominated by the Volga and Danube Rivers. The latter floods regularly (not this week though).The biggest flood recorded was in 2013. Cruises couldn't run then either because the boats couldn't fit under the bridges.
Our first port of call was at Esztergom which used to be the capital of Hungary. This is the Suzuki manufacturing and Volkswagen Centre. It is dominated by the Catholic religion and is famous for its Basilica built in the 19th century overlooking the Danube.
We then drove on to Visegrad which was the royal seat of Hungary in 12 th century. In 1335 it was the venue for the royal congress of Hungary, Slovakia and Poland to find a trade route to circumnavigate Vienna which was demanding extortionate taxes. Those 3 countries still hold annual conferences to reinforce alliance.
We were greeted by a band of Knights of the Order of St George who played a fanfare and then led us to the Solomon Tower for bulls' blood wine (Peter and I went for the Apple juice) before the tournament. This whole area was restored in 1980 and is now used for international entertainment. After the tournament Peter tried his hand at several of the games but found them a tad harder than they looked.
This was followed by a magnificent medieval banquet. All so much fun!
Most of us slept coming back to our hotel later in the afternoon by which time it was raining!!!! The temperature had dropped 20 degrees also. Very good for some fleeting shopping before dinner.
Today Avalon offered us a coach trip into surrounding countryside. 60% of Hungary is totally flat agricultural land producing sunflowers, paprika, acacia trees for honey and wines. The feature of acacia honey is that it does not crystalise, but they also produce chestnut honey and linden tree honey. Hungary is dominated by the Volga and Danube Rivers. The latter floods regularly (not this week though).The biggest flood recorded was in 2013. Cruises couldn't run then either because the boats couldn't fit under the bridges.
Our first port of call was at Esztergom which used to be the capital of Hungary. This is the Suzuki manufacturing and Volkswagen Centre. It is dominated by the Catholic religion and is famous for its Basilica built in the 19th century overlooking the Danube.
We then drove on to Visegrad which was the royal seat of Hungary in 12 th century. In 1335 it was the venue for the royal congress of Hungary, Slovakia and Poland to find a trade route to circumnavigate Vienna which was demanding extortionate taxes. Those 3 countries still hold annual conferences to reinforce alliance.
We were greeted by a band of Knights of the Order of St George who played a fanfare and then led us to the Solomon Tower for bulls' blood wine (Peter and I went for the Apple juice) before the tournament. This whole area was restored in 1980 and is now used for international entertainment. After the tournament Peter tried his hand at several of the games but found them a tad harder than they looked.
This was followed by a magnificent medieval banquet. All so much fun!
Most of us slept coming back to our hotel later in the afternoon by which time it was raining!!!! The temperature had dropped 20 degrees also. Very good for some fleeting shopping before dinner.
Sunday, 26 July 2015
26 July: Vienna - Budapest
How very sad we were to be waving farewell to Vienna in Austria and facing the 2 1/2 hour drive to Budapest in Hungary. Legend has it that the mythical eagle, the Turul led people from the Middle East to this area about 1200 years ago. Those Turkish people were illiterate, had no legal system and practised polygamy with their hareems. However in order to be accepted here they were forced by the sword into Christianity and monogamy.
Hungary has a population of 10 million people today and is gradually recovering economically thus able to rebuild its city. There are 3 parts to the city: Old Buda and Buda are built on the hills and peopled by the wealthy; Pest (pronounced pesht) is on the plains on the other side of the Danube and peopled by the workers. It was in 1849 that the Chain Bridge was built, thus creating one city of Budapest. There have since been anothrr 5 bridges across the Danube all of which were destroyed in WWII, but now they are restored to their former glory. One of their primary products is paprika which acts as a preservative.
Our group has had to be split into 3 which is very sad as we have lost contact with the friends we had made who are at the Hilton in Buda. We are down in the Intercontinental in Pest by the river. After a sumptuous lunch our bus took us on a tour of the entire city. Tonight we have repeated that tour but turned it into a fairy tale. It all looks like a movie set. Apparently storms are raging out west from here. It has been pouring with rain in Switzerland for 4 days thus recovering the water level of the Rhine so those cruises are able to go ahead. However there is no sign of rain here and the Danube is out of access.
Tomorrow we are scheduled to board our coach at 8.30 am and go to the Visegrad Medieval Tournament with lunch. So much food and so little sleep!!!! 😂
How very sad we were to be waving farewell to Vienna in Austria and facing the 2 1/2 hour drive to Budapest in Hungary. Legend has it that the mythical eagle, the Turul led people from the Middle East to this area about 1200 years ago. Those Turkish people were illiterate, had no legal system and practised polygamy with their hareems. However in order to be accepted here they were forced by the sword into Christianity and monogamy.
Hungary has a population of 10 million people today and is gradually recovering economically thus able to rebuild its city. There are 3 parts to the city: Old Buda and Buda are built on the hills and peopled by the wealthy; Pest (pronounced pesht) is on the plains on the other side of the Danube and peopled by the workers. It was in 1849 that the Chain Bridge was built, thus creating one city of Budapest. There have since been anothrr 5 bridges across the Danube all of which were destroyed in WWII, but now they are restored to their former glory. One of their primary products is paprika which acts as a preservative.
Our group has had to be split into 3 which is very sad as we have lost contact with the friends we had made who are at the Hilton in Buda. We are down in the Intercontinental in Pest by the river. After a sumptuous lunch our bus took us on a tour of the entire city. Tonight we have repeated that tour but turned it into a fairy tale. It all looks like a movie set. Apparently storms are raging out west from here. It has been pouring with rain in Switzerland for 4 days thus recovering the water level of the Rhine so those cruises are able to go ahead. However there is no sign of rain here and the Danube is out of access.
Tomorrow we are scheduled to board our coach at 8.30 am and go to the Visegrad Medieval Tournament with lunch. So much food and so little sleep!!!! 😂
Saturday, 25 July 2015
25 July: Last waltz in Vienna
At 8.30 am our coaches pulled out en route to the southern sector of the Venetian Woods. After an hour's enchanting drive we arrived at the Monastery of Heiligenkteutz (Holy Cross) which has been inhabited by the Cistertian Order since 1133. It lies in the heart of the Woods and currently houses 83 monks who have made a musical recording which has sold 2 million copies and overtaken Madonna. The Medieval architecture was breath-taking. I have only put a couple of photos on FB because the choice was just too difficult.
We then drove on to Baden which means a little town for bathing. This dates back to Roman times. They made use of the
sulphorus hot springs for underfloor heating. We drove past the house in which Schubert gained the inspiration for his songs "Winter Journey" from the lime trees we saw growing in the garden. For most of us the highlight was the tour through one of the 88 houses Beethoven lived in. You'll see his harpsichord and very untidy desk on FB. It was in this house that he composed his 9th symphony.
After a magnificent lunch provided by a local restaurant we drove back to our Hilton hotel.
Before we left on this memorable tour daughter-in-law Stephanie instructed us to visit the famous chocolate shop in Vienna. At that stage we thought we would only be in Vienna overnight so we didn't pay attention. With the extraordinary change of plans we needed further directions so Mark said it was by the Opera House. We had a few hours spare before our Viennese concert, so we hopped on a bus. Fortunately we had bought a 2day ticket so off we went in search of one Opera House. Hummmm. Having found it we thought we'd better look at it so we finished up doing a grand conducted tour right through! ! What a bonus that was! 🙌
However we were really searching for this chocolate shop, so after we'd toured this incredible building which was nearly entirely destroyed at the end of WWII and which now houses 2,300 people for their 65 performances, we set out in earnest for this shop.
Peter found it. He has a very long nose for a good chocolate. You'll see his fully restored smile on FB. After all that of course, we absolutely HAD to have an iced chocolate in the adjacent cafe. Well, if you ever want the ultimate iced chocolate, that's where you'll find it.
Back to the hotel, change for dinner, and then board the coaches again to attend the Royal Waltz Concert at the Museum of Natural History. We were just spell-bound listening to the tunes of the Strauss family waltzes and polkas interspersed with bursts of Mozart's temper. A soprano and baritone plus two dancers added variety to the 8 member orchestra. All beyond description.
Back to the hotel and pack to have our bags ready for a 6 am pickup to go to Budapest.
At 8.30 am our coaches pulled out en route to the southern sector of the Venetian Woods. After an hour's enchanting drive we arrived at the Monastery of Heiligenkteutz (Holy Cross) which has been inhabited by the Cistertian Order since 1133. It lies in the heart of the Woods and currently houses 83 monks who have made a musical recording which has sold 2 million copies and overtaken Madonna. The Medieval architecture was breath-taking. I have only put a couple of photos on FB because the choice was just too difficult.
We then drove on to Baden which means a little town for bathing. This dates back to Roman times. They made use of the
sulphorus hot springs for underfloor heating. We drove past the house in which Schubert gained the inspiration for his songs "Winter Journey" from the lime trees we saw growing in the garden. For most of us the highlight was the tour through one of the 88 houses Beethoven lived in. You'll see his harpsichord and very untidy desk on FB. It was in this house that he composed his 9th symphony.
After a magnificent lunch provided by a local restaurant we drove back to our Hilton hotel.
Before we left on this memorable tour daughter-in-law Stephanie instructed us to visit the famous chocolate shop in Vienna. At that stage we thought we would only be in Vienna overnight so we didn't pay attention. With the extraordinary change of plans we needed further directions so Mark said it was by the Opera House. We had a few hours spare before our Viennese concert, so we hopped on a bus. Fortunately we had bought a 2day ticket so off we went in search of one Opera House. Hummmm. Having found it we thought we'd better look at it so we finished up doing a grand conducted tour right through! ! What a bonus that was! 🙌
However we were really searching for this chocolate shop, so after we'd toured this incredible building which was nearly entirely destroyed at the end of WWII and which now houses 2,300 people for their 65 performances, we set out in earnest for this shop.
Peter found it. He has a very long nose for a good chocolate. You'll see his fully restored smile on FB. After all that of course, we absolutely HAD to have an iced chocolate in the adjacent cafe. Well, if you ever want the ultimate iced chocolate, that's where you'll find it.
Back to the hotel, change for dinner, and then board the coaches again to attend the Royal Waltz Concert at the Museum of Natural History. We were just spell-bound listening to the tunes of the Strauss family waltzes and polkas interspersed with bursts of Mozart's temper. A soprano and baritone plus two dancers added variety to the 8 member orchestra. All beyond description.
Back to the hotel and pack to have our bags ready for a 6 am pickup to go to Budapest.
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