Christmas Shopping in Manchester

Some time ago, my wife expressed a wish to visit Manchester to do our Christmas shopping. We agreed in late October that we would go. However, in the meantime, life took a slight turn which affected the decision. We volunteered to take care of our friends' daughter on any occasion necessary during her younger brother, Mally's, hip operation in Alder Hey Children's hospital in Liverpool. Liz, his mum, would be staying with him in the hospital, and David, his father, would be shuttling between Anglesey and Liverpool. This meant waiting until we knew what day or days we might be required. There was a delay in Mally's return home because the hospital had to be sure he would be OK if released back to his foster parents' care.

During this period I had problems with COPD from which I often suffer. This entailed an x-ray and a subsequent doctor's appointment. When the doctor discussed the x-ray result with me I learned that my chest was free of infection but that my heart appeared to be slightly enlarged. the result was an appointment a week later to have an ECG done. Whilst I was not worried about this there was always the possibility that a further appointment might be necessary so we could not arrange our 2 days in Manchester until this was clear. However, the ECG gave a good result and an earlier colesterol blood test proved OK too.

So, now the way was clear to book the two days. No city centre rooms were available unless we were prepared to pay a silly price. So we booked in at a Rochdale hotel for one night, knowing we could dine there too. We drove to Manchester and parked outside House of Fraser where we began our shopping. We had a pleasant lunch at Cafe Rouge in Deansgate and explored Waterstones bookshop across the road. Next we walked across to St Anne's Square to the Christmas Market to see if it compared to last year's experience in Salzburg. It didn't!

As the afternoon wore on we completed our shopping and then went to the hotel to pack presents ready to deliver to our family in Castleton and Mildrow.

Next we called on our daughter who was, naturally, surprised to see us. We spent a short time with her and our grandaughter, Ellie and then drove over to deliver secret Christmas presents to our son's home. He was away on business but we delivered the parcels and I kept the girls entertained so they would not see where their mum was hiding our presents. It was lovely to see everyone.

We returned to our hotel to get ready for dinner. The rest of the evening involved dinner in a lovely Italian restaurant attached to the hotel. Next day we drove back to Manchester to continue shopping in the city centre. It was not long before we realised the centre was not a shadow of its former self so we left to continue in the Trafford Centre. We completed our shopping and had lunch during our stay in the Centre. At three o'clock we set off back to home in Anglesey.

The weather was very strange indeed. From large remaining puddl;es we could see there had been heavy rain in the afternoon. Spray was a hazard on the motorway and visibility was bad because there was the largest and lowest black cloud hovering above us as we drove. It was so dark we checked the time! But after a few miles it improved. We were homeward bound and the light was better in the west.

On arriving home we lit the fire and settled down with our feet up. They were really aching after all the walking we had done. It was good to be home and we decided we would not repeat the experience again. Manchester would not be a choice for Christmas shopping. Home is where the heart is and our hearts are firmly established in Anglesey.

Venice in Autumn 2009

We recently decided to spend 4,000 Air Miles and fly to Venice. To say it was eventful is not an overestimate. On Monday this week we checked in at Manchester Airport and found the flight was delayed due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft. It turned out that Zurich Airport had experienced fog that morning and many flights to and from there were delayed. Of course, we were concerned about arriving in Zurich in time to catch our onward flight to Venice. This is where Swiss Airlines excel!

As we approached Zurich Airport we received the usual information on the monitors telling us the gates from which our onward flights were leaving. Where passengers had completely missed their flights but there were later ones they were booked on them. If there was no possibility of flying on a Swiss flight passengers were directed to the transfer desk. Where the connection was still viable we were given the relevant gate numbers. We fell into the latter category as the flight was delayed by the earlier weather problems but was wanting to leave asap to try to make up time.
It is a long time since Pauline had walked that quickly as we changed flights! Only the other day she had experienced painful arthritis. We got to the aircraft which was a Fokker 100. As soon as we boarded the door was closed and take off was being organised. As we waited for the pilot to get permission to push back and start engines we saw the baggage man drive up and our suitcase was loaded. A few minutes later we were taking off for Venice Marco Polo Airport and the flight took 45 minutes.

On arrival we collected our suitcase and set off down the long walkway to the water bus station. A half hour later we were heading towards Venice across the lagoon. But by this time we had been visited by hundreds of mosquitos and Pauline, unknown to her, was bitten in many places. A little over an hour later we arrived at the San Zacarria landing stage and we disembarked and walked across the wide pavement to our hotel which was opposite. It was Hotel Paganelli, according to the badges on the coat hangers, a Best Western establishment.

We soon unpacked and went out for dinner close by. The food was very good indeed and we experienced some Prosecco Sur Lie for the first time. Later we returned to our room and went to sleep. In the night I experienced heartburn and had to take some tablets to deal with it. This disturbed my sleep to the point where I had to take a morning nap to counteract the feeling of being wiped out. Pauline went out alone and came back with a massive set of insect bites on principally her arms and legs. They were beginning to itch like mad! Not funny!

That afternoon we took it easy and just wandered around the streets and canals once the sun had lessened.

That night we discovered another restaurant and had another excellent meal. The waiter there explained how Venice was more humid than countries like Greece and experienced very little wind. This plus the fact that the whole airport and city was built on a swamp explained the large mosquito community. By this time, Pauline had bought some hydro cortisone cream to put on the bites but it was not as effective as hoped. Like the brave woman she is, Pauline endured the agony in order to get her money's worth out of the visit!

Next day , after breakfast, we walked down to St Mark's Square and witnessed the cafes ripping off visitors to a high tune. Later the queues of visitors to St Mark's Basilica had grown less so we joined them and viewed the inside. It was dark and dismal and we were not impressed at all. There was a charge to ascend the stone staircase to the balcony and another for a visit to the golden altar backing. I think there was one too to see the treasury.

After this we had a walk round the streets and returned to the hotel to collect cameras etc. On the way there we are stopped by a well dressed man who asked if we would like a free boat ride to the island of Murano to see glass making. Is there really such a thing as a free ride we wondered. We told him we were going to our hotel and would return quite soon. Later we returned and located him again. He gave us two complimentary tickets for the speedboat and asked us to follow him. Soon we were bumping across the waves as we sped towards the island of Murano, famous as the place where Venetian glass is created.

We arrived at the private landing stage for the glass factory and were shown in to large area where two furnaces were roaring away and men of different ages and experience were creating glass objects. One young man took his molten glass from the furnace, rolled it on a steel table, and then shaped it with tongs to create a prancing horse. It was beautiful. Next he took another lump of glass from the furnace and turned into a beautiful bulbous vase in about two minutes.

Our next stage was to be ushered into the complex of showrooms to browse the creations displayed. Some objects we were ugly whilst others were tacky. But, for the most part there was a treasury of beautiful glass created by fine craftsmen. We bought a small vase and paid for it as it was carefully wrapped to withstand the journey home. We love it! We expected to be charged for the return trip to Venice itself but this was free too. We shared the speedboat with two of the loveliest Americans we have met - they were two gay men from Hawaii. Chatting with them and enjoying their company, the journey was soon completed.

It was later that day that Pauline and I went shopping for a leather handbag and eventually located the shop we had seen earlier. We also found a glass shop where we bought a Murano dish for a friend who had expressed a wish for some glassware. Along the way we found ourselves in many streets and by many canals we had not seen before. It was fascinating.

On Thursday we had to make our way back to the airport. It was a slow journey by water bus that edged its way slowly through thick fog on the lagoon. On arrival we found another delay with the arrival of our aircraft from Zurich! We had to exercise patience once more and hope the delay was Zurich weather again and that we would make our Manchester flight from Switzerland. Eventually we boarded the aircraft and flew to Zurich. On approach we learned that, whilst others were facing further delays we were lucky and should be able to catch the Manchester flight.

It was harder this time because Pauline found walking difficult with weeping blisters etc on her feet and legs. Eventually we were approaching the area for Terminal B and showed our passports. Next we had to go through security. A member of the Swiss Airlines staff called out for passengers for Manchester and asked the queueing passengers to allow us priority. It was a quick passage through security and then we were collected in a minibus which delivered us to the aircraft. Soon we were flying home on the last leg of our journey to Manchester to collect our car and drive back to Anglesey. Sadly, this time our suitcase didn't make it to the aircraft so we reported this to Global Baggage Solutions who arranged for it to be sent on to us. It arrived the following afternoon.

We had enjoyed our city break and looked forward to our evening meal at the Tre-Ysgowen Hotel and Spa, ten miles away to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It was to be a wonderful experience with excellent food cooked well and presented well. It was even less than we had paid in our favourite waterside restaurant in Venice!

Coming away from the Manchester check in area, Pauline noticed Mark Lawrenson, the football commentator and pundit, heading into the check in. As we boarded the aircraft later we found he was travelling on the same aircraft. He was sitting in Economy across the aisle from us. It turned out that he was flying via Zurich to Florence where Liverpool FC were playing that night. The Sky football commentator was flying Business Class!

We have had an eventful time this visit and we are glad too that we went. I suppose this qualifies as a success. Venice is lovely in parts and ugly in parts, particularly where scaffolding is covered in a tacky fashion to allow work not to impinge on the image of the World Heritage Site. It is also over expensive and most of its prices are nut justifiable. But there you are, if you want to see this special city you will have to accept the prices. So we did. But we refused to be ripped off by taking coffee in St Mark's Square like many others. There were very few tables occupied, even though string quartets were playing lovely music for the patrons.

Travels by others

I have just read an article on BBC News website telling how a plane had to land at Exeter and not Cardiff because it had been on the end of a lightning strike. people were invited to add their thoughts in terms of a complaint at landing short of their destination airport. In fact, the pilot selected Exeter because that is where FlyBe have their depot and the plane can be checked out thoroughly before continuing in service. The passengers were delayed but did continue by plane to Cardiff.
It is pleasing to hear of this sort of decision because the next passengers on the particular plane can travel safely in the knowledge that their plane is as airworthy as can be. Some years ago I travelled to Zakynthos by JAT as the TEA aircraft was marooned in Cyprus due to a fuel strike. The plane was not my first choice and the service on board was rubbish. The landing was rough and there was no reason for this. But we did get to Zakynthos and have a lovely holiday. If things work out safely we should say so and thank those who have taken trouble to get us there safely. Delays might be part of this scene but we get there safely. That is the good news.
I wish people would not moan so much and get on with living fruitfully.n It really is the best way!!!

August in Anghistri

In less than two weeks we shall be travelling to our favourite Greek island, Anghistri. It is a little known island among British travellers and is found in the Saronic Gulf, just 20 miles from Athens. There are about 700 residents but many more in the summer months. Tomorrow's maximum temperature is forecast to be 39 degrees Celsius or 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit! This is the first time we shall be there in August. Our usual visits have been in September.

Our eldest granddaughter, Ellie, is coming with us and we are really looking forward to introducing her to the Greek people we know. Clearly, we have an extra responsibility to keep out of the sun as much as possible, and that is a good thing. We usually take lunch late so that we are indoors during the hottest part of the day.

Once more we are flying with Swiss Airlines from Manchester. We first fly to Zurich and then on to Athens using an Airbus. On arrival at Athens we need to get our luggage as quickly as possible to catch the express bus down to the port of Piraeus in order to board the 6.30pm Flying Dolphin hydrofoil via Aegina to Anghistri. These days we are able to disembark at Megalohori, the village in which we stay each time we go. Our friend and host, Christos, will meet us at the port and drive us and our luggage to Hotel Boulas.

On the island there are only four villages: Megalohori, Skala, Metochi and Limenaria. Megalohori (meaning "the great place") is the island capital, whilst Skala is basically a resort. Metochi and Limenaria are villages which have changed very little over the years. Metochi now has a number of holiday homes for wealthy UK residents, but Limenaria is completely Greek in every way. Most of the island comprises pine trees and is therefore a great fire risk each year. The fire engine can be seen on patrol every day in readiness as is the case on most islands. If the pine trees should catch light it would be necessary to call out the airborne fire fighters with their seaplanes which can scoop out sea water to extinguish the flames. Fire is an ever present fear in Greece. Lunch for the crew of the fire engine is usually taken in the shade of trees by the tiny church of St Barbara on the road to Limenaria.

Our favourite place to take lunch is further along this road at a beauty spot known as Aponisos with its vistas over to the Peloponnese. Here there is just one taverna using diesel power for its equipment as no electricity supply extends this far. With the growth of the port at Megalohori, many rich Greeks now visit the island in their motor yachts so the standard of cuisine has risen at Aponisos. You can buy some excellent seafood and wash it down with classy wines from Greek vineyards.

There are a few tavernas in Megalohori and loads at Skala together with cocktail bars like the Copa Cabana and the Quattro. One taverna in Skala overlooks the port there so you can people watch if a ferry is calling. There are also lovely views over to the larger island of Aegina.

If you take the ferry over there you can get a bus as far as the Temple of Aphaia which is a very well preserved temple with huge Doric columns. Travelling to the terminus would bring you to the resort of Aghia Marina which is a large semi circular bay with a sandy beach. Another small pretty place is Perdika with views of the tiny islet of Moni. Here you can have lunch right where the private yachts moor. One year we witnessed a fight between two Greek young men. You never know how any single day will be so you just take whatever comes. There was also a time when our entertainment was watching a group of young Italians trying to berth their sailing yacht. Eventually they achieved their objective and we all clapped!

All in all our holidays in the Saronic Gulf have been pure pleasure and so laid back as to be horizontal.

A Visit to Suffolk

Pauline had long held a wish to visit Suffolk and last week we did just that. We drove as far as Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire where we once lived for four years. A friend and former neighbour was our host for the night. Next day we continued via Ely to Suffolk. Stopping in Ely for about an hour, I was able to show Pauline what I had once seen in 1971, the cathedral. On that earlier occasion I remember the nave was completely clear of all seats and the great organ was being tuned. On this day I truly learned how deep a note the organ could create!

Today the chairs were all out and the east end of the cathedral was roped off whilst a Bollywood film was shot! However, we were able to gaze at the beautiful octagon tower with all its decoration. It was a marvellous scene. Then we returned to the car and continued to make our way to Suffolk. So that we did not arrive before 4.00pm as per the rules at our holiday cottage in Friston, we drove down to Aldeburgh where we strolled along the top of the shingle beach. Then we completed our journey as we arrived at our home for the next seven days.

In the cottage we found various leaflets telling us what Suffolk had to offer and this resulted in the following day with a visit to Orford, a short distance away. This tiny river port cum boating haven delighted us and we made plans to return before the end of our stay. The following day the weather was very doubtful as we arrived at Sutton Hoo just outside Woodbridge. The weather prevented our taking a guided tour round the many burial mounds there so we restricted our efforts within the confines of the exhibition centre run by the National Trust. It was fascinating to see photos of the famous ship burial discovered on the outbreak of war in 1939.

On the following day we drove to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston in Norfolk so that I could take pictures of the houses that were once occupied by members of my family and whom I had never met. Apart from one elusive family member no others appear to be in existence. The visit gave us the chance to visit the two houses preserved down by the docks. In previous days there was a huge community in Great Yarmouth known as "The Rows" with tiny terraced houses built close to each other. Some very interesting architectural features had been preserved and we could see something of life when this vibrant community was extant.

Suffolk was the focus of our stay and so the rest of our times we spent discovering many extremely attractive old towns and villages. I have never seen so many Tudor framed houses before. One very interesting village used to be virtually a city until a violent storm in the 14th century dragged many tons of gravel to close up its harbour and eroded the cliffs so that a huge part of the city/town fell into the sea. The village is Dunwich where a local museum exists to tell the story of how Old Dunwich fell into the sea over the centuries. We bought a fascinating and very informative DVD that told how it had all happened.

We walked along the beach at Dunwich and took some lovely photos of the fishing boats pulled up the shingle bank above the sandy beach. Southwold was included on our itinerary as well as many other river and coast towns and villages.

But the most beautiful place was Flatford Mill on the River Stour. This, of course, was where John Constable painted a number of lovely landscapes. Interestingly, Flatford Mill was owned at that time by Constable's father. In the famous picture, the Haywain, stands a cottage known as Willy Bott's Cottage. It is still there and you can see it in the photo at the head of this blog. There is still a lock on the river which is really a navigation at this point but the lock is a new one and located in another place. the dry dock where Constable painted the boat building work is still there and can still be flooded and emptied as previously. The mill is still there, of course, and is quite a large building.

The River Stour Trust operate an electric launch along this stretch of the river and we could not resist a sail in it. we were very interested in the local wild life we could see. Lots of damsel flies flashed their blue bodies like tiny kingfishers as they flitted across the boat. We heard from the helmsman how the river bank was worn down with cattle arriving to drink the water. He told us that at the height of the tourist season hey sometimes failed to take the launch the full distance because so many people were our in the hired rowing boats.

As with our trip to Great Yarmouth we made another visit to Norfolk as we went to see Swaffham where the TV mystery film, Kingdom, is made. After this I got my treat by being able to travel to Thetford and visit Grimes Graves which is the name of a prehistoric flint mine under the care of English heritage. A number of years ago I did a year's course in Archaeology in which we studied prehistory. It included information about these flint mines. I was therefore fascinated to climb down the 32 rung ladder into the bottom of the shaft to see what the real thing looked like.

All in all we had a most amazing time exploring East Anglia and when we got back we had many photos to be loaded onto my PC. Nopw we can look back on a wonderful holiday and look forward to our next holiday in August when we go to Greece for three weeks.

The Great Orme Tramway

On 4th April we had some shopping to do at a store in Llandudno. Once the purchases had been made we decided to see if we could ride up the Great Orme Tramway. This pleased me because it was my wife's suggestion. I had always wondered what the tram way experience would be like. Once we had parked the car we walked over to Victoria Station, the town terminus of the tramway where a tramcar was almost full of travellers. The fare was a little over £10 for the two of us (no concessions). We went over to the tramcar and found the last available double seat.

The tramcars are blue and open ended with a glazed door between the attendant and the passengers. This is fascinating because the side windows are unglazed! Just before the tram moved forward there was the sound of a telephone. It was fitted to the tram. The attendant answered the phone and spoke to the caller. He replaced the receiver and then the tram began to move.

Slowly we ascended the steep street, closed to other vehicles except those requiring access. We next passed people sitting outside a pub and then crossed over the next street to begin the main climb. As I was sure the tram was electrically powered I was confused at the lack of a motor sound.

Eventually we arrived at the Half Way Station where it was necessary to alight and walk through the station to catch one of the trams that worked the upper section. Once we were all aboard the attendant turned to the front seat passengers and said, "I'll shut the door - it will keep out the draught." Much laughter was the reply to his joke, a reference to the unglazed side windows. Steadily we climbed and, just had happened on the lower section we slowed to move past the descending tramcar.

By this time I had worked out the means of propulsion. At the Halfway Station there was a control centre from where the trams were hauled by steel cables running in a groove below the tramway surface. the telephone call earlier had been to enquire of the attendant how many passengers were travelling. The controllers at Halfway Station would then make the relevant decision as to how much power was needed to haul the vehicle. The interesting side to this is that whilst each controller makes a phone call for the same reason the one dealing with the upper section hauls the car with less power than the one dealing with the lower section. This is because the lower section is the steepest and therefore requires more power to haul the cars.

At the top we were able to take a look at the visitor centre which gave details of the wildlife to be seen on the peninsular and something of the tramway's history. Alternatively we could also have visited the cafe at the summit some yards away. After a visit to the exhibition we took the descending car and made our slow way to the bottom of the hill.

Having returned to the car we found the entrance to the toll road which circumvents the Great Orme and did the tour. As it was out of season no one asked us for a toll. We then drove slowly anticlockwise round the hill. Almost 2 years previously we had sailed on the Balmoral, a preserved pleasure craft, past this spot and noticed a preserved motor coach using this road. As we returned to standard roads we agreed it had all been worthwhile.

Since coming to live in Anglesey we have grown to love our visits to Llandudno. It is a place that really lacks only one thing - sufficient parking spaces. There is a pier, a wide promenade, large hotels, a theatre (Venue Cymru), lots of quality shops and bags of fresh air. A short distance away at Llandudno Junction are many out of town shopping locations covering just about everything people will need. All in all it is a jewel in the North Wales crown.

Aberystwyth

Yesterday we travelled to Aberystwyth. I had previously visited the town but Pauline had not. Therefore we drove there so she could see what she thought of the place.

As far as accessibility is concerned it does not score very well. There is a rail link but it is downgraded to single line working. The train we saw travelling there was a 2 coach 158 which is not ideal for long distance work. I think all trains involve a change. The time is something like 4.5 hours of a journey from Bangor, Gwynedd. The road there has no dual carriageway at all as is the case for the entire A470 which passes north to south along the central spine of the principality. So you can say that many places are inaccessible to a degree. To travel to Cardiff it is probably best to fly from Anglesey Airport (RAF Valley).

On arrival there are considerable parking difficulties unless you have a disabled blue badge. Most of the streets are quite narrow and camels can be seen passing through needles! The promenade is narrow and the beach is uninspiring. It is partly sand and partly shingle. What hotels exist on the sea front looking unwelcoming and poorly maintained. The pier is a short and pretty ugly affair.

One would be wrong to think of the town as a seaside resort as it lacks those sort of facility. There is a lovely funicular railway at the opposite end of the sea front to the pier and this seems very well maintained. The shops are mostly the traditional shops as opposed to the modern shopping estates which is probably a good thing.

The only food outlet I have tried is "Le Figaro" next door to the Cambrian Hotel. I have to admit that when I last ate there it was on the house as I was advising the owner, Mike Fisher, on a business matter. But we ate there yesterday at our own expense and we were delighted with the standard of the food offered. The midday food was good and wholesome and the evening offering looked very good indeed. As for the wine list it took in the whole world and offered a wide variety of different quality of wine. This impressed us greatly for we love wine.

Travelling through Snowdonia is not the greatest experience with such narrow roads. We followed the Welsh Highland railway for quite a distance and there was a works train standing in the station at Rhy Ddu. Once we gained the A487 which strikes south near Dolgellau it was different mountain scenery. The road winds for most of the way and passes through a narrow pass which feels claustrophobic. But some of the vistas were quite delightful. Machynllyth proved to be quite an attractive old market town with a clock tower as a prominent feature there.

At one point we passed a sign directing tourists to the Corris Railway just outside Corris Uchaf. I know nothing of the railway but think it might be worth a visit for the railway enthusiast. There is an attraction called King Arthur's Labyrinth just off the main road but it looks like a contrived affait which would not sit well with some.

On the journey home we chose to travel via Porthmadoc and this proved a good choice. It is probably a slight detour but we thought it well worthwhile as the weight of traffic was less. After passing over the con between Boston Lodge Locomotive Works and Harbour Station on the Ffestiniog Railway we crossed the short street rail section of the Welsh Highland Railway which is due to run into Harbour Station this autumn.

We made good time and felt so much better once we had crossed the Britannia Bridge to our lovely Anglesey. It was good to be home but, despite not giving many marks to Aberystwyth, we had enjoyed the day out.

A trip to London

On Wednesday 26th February we took the train to London. At Christmas Pauline had bought a couple of books about ancient Babylon, having heard about an exhibition being run at the British Museum under the title, Babylon. It was also an opportunity to meet up with our son who has been working in London for a number of months.

The Arriva 175 pulled into Bangor station that afternoon and we found our seats, having stowed the luggage. It was a pleasant journey travelling along the North Wales coastline in a smooth-running train. I was reminded of my late teens in the 60s when I travelled by train to and from Bangor from Manchester Exchange station (now gone). I used to attend a youth conference each Easter holiday as a delegate from my Congregational church in Nelson, Lancashire. In those days the journey was behind a steam locomotive!

We arrived on time at Chester and changed trains. When our train came into the platform it turned out to a Virgin Super Voyager. This is the train which, although diesel-powered, tilts at high speeds on bends. There were five coaches and we searched for our seats with difficulty as the computer had not set the coach letters. This was because another set of five coaches was added to the train. A member of the railway staff advised us that, despite having reserved seats, we might care to join the second (front in terms of travelling direction) set where the coaches were empty. This we did and enjoyed a lovely quiet journey to Crewe and then Milton Keynes to London Euston.

As Pauline felt very tired we took a taxi to our hotel in South Kensington. This proved twice as expensive as the Underground! The hotel room was pleasant and eventually our son, David, came to see us. Soon we were sitting in Carluccio's Caffe across the road from South Kensington tube station. The food was excellent and we really enjoyed the evening.

Next day we made our way by tube to Russell Square and walked across to the British Museum. We checked in at the desk for Babylon and went in to see the exhibition. The exhibits were extremely interesting and presented many thought challenges. I was taken by the ancient "time capsules" the builders placed in their great buildings. They were tapered cylinders with cuneiform writing impressed into the clay from which they were made and spoke of the greatness of all involved in the building.

There was a picture of Belshazzar's feast and next to it a depiction of the writing appearing on the wall, "You have been weighed in the balance and been found wanting." Another picture captioned above was that of Daniel in the Lions' Den. Seven snarling beasts are confronting Daniel who stands with his hands bound behind him in the calmest stance one could imagine. It was real food for thought!

But soon we had seen all the exhibits and were disappointed that there were not more to see. We adjourned to the cafe for a bite to eat as it was now lunchtime. Having taken our fill we set off for the shops as Pauline wanted some clothes for my brother's wedding which is in April. Eventually we found M & S where we bought the necessary items. It was now mid to late afternoon and we took afternoon tea in M & S. We had tea and cake and the taste was excellent.

Our train was to leave at 8.10pm from Euston. How would we spend the time till then. We rode the tube back to Euston and went into the station bar. There on a balcony we had drinks and did some people-watching! It was a long wait but we were so tired it did not matter and we had books to read anyway.

Eventually we went to board the train and retrace our journey back to Bangor where our car was parked. The train was well patronised but we got through the journey relatively easily. It a little after 1.00am when we got to bed. It had been interesting, tiring etc but it was over. We do not really wish to make another London journey. Whilst there we saw people stressed out and wearing the most miserable faces. Our vote goes to our lovely island of Anglesey!

2007 at Holmenkollen

Whilst this posting is out of sync with the other postings I think it is worth including.

As you know, we like to travel to celebrate occasions and this was certainly special as it celebrated Pauline's 60th birthday. When planning what to do or where to go, Pauline asked if it was possible to make a trip to see World Cup Ski Jumping somewhere in Europe. On checking the weekend 17 to 18th March I discovered that the World Cup ski jumpers would be at Holmenkollen, just outside Oslo in Norway. It was easy to organise because the venue was just outside a city with an airport.

Therefore I went onto the Internet and booked two return flights from Manchester to Oslo which went via Heathrow. Next I found a suitable hotel and the deal was on. On Saturday 17th March 2007 we left Manchester Airport on the Heathrow Shuttle where we changed terminals to fly on to Oslo. The flying was great, as always, but Heathrow Airport was an experience we did not care for. The staff there are the rudest, bad mannered and disinterested people I have come across in terms of customer care. But that was not allowed to spoil the weekend.

We arrived at Oslo's airport to find it a very attractive place indeed with very pleasant and welcoming staff. As we left the main concourse we quickly found the terminus for the Flytoget which is the express rail service to Oslo. (Flytoget is pronounced "Flee to get") At Oslo central Station we took a taxi to the hotel and noticed how expensive the fare was. This was typical of Norway - but we already had a clue suggesting prices were expensive there. The Flytoget runs like silk and silently too. It is even quieter and more comfortable than the RER in Paris.

That evening we needed to eat so chose a restaurant from our guide book and took a tram there. Oslo trams are modern and very comfortable. You buy your ticket at a local shop before boarding the tram. The restaurant proved to be fully booked so we tried one across the square and they had a table. Being lovers of fish and seafood we ordered Turbot and accompanied it with a bottle of house wine. Both were excellent. We had an excellent meal served by very friendly staff who made us feel welcome. When it came to paying the bill I waited for a shock and got one. This meal for two people cost £165.00! We put it down to experience.

After breakfast the following day we made our way to central Station to catch the T Bane train to Holmenkollen. This is the Oslo equivalent of the London Underground. The train slowly climbed the hills above the city until we reached the station at Holmenkollen. From there we followed the crowds up to the ski stadium. We could see the high tower marking the start of the inrun way above our heads as we climbed the hill. Norwegian soldiers were on hand to keep order and help people find their way. But this was unlike soccer in the UK. There was no trouble and the crowds were very well behaved. The liveliest nationality were the Poles who had come to support their amazing ski jumper, Adam Malysz (pronounced Mowish). They were the largest contingent of all.

The biggest shock was that we would be sitting on cold concrete as there were no seats at all. The only spectators with seats assembled in the Royal Box with King Harald, a keen supporter of skiing. Over lunchtime in the hospitality tent we met a group of young people from Australia, Poland and Greece. We had a wonderful time chatting to them. At the end of lunch we emerged to find the opening ceremony had just begun. Way above us, but below the inrun, assembled a brass band. Each country represented in the competition had its flag carried at speed down the outrun by a skier. We walked round to our booked are for spectators and settled down to watch the event.

the earlier ski jumpers were lesser known names in the sport but eventually we began to see the stars jumping. Each time a Polish skier came down the Polish contingent cheered like mad. It was now time for the final jumper in Round One to go. It was the great Adam Malysz! The poles went wild as he hurtled down the inrun. Suddenly, on leaving the inrun he was blown by a strong rogue wind and had to fight to save himself. Instead of coming in first he came in 50th! Then, to add insult to injury, the competition was halted and became a single round event.

Other competitions were cancelled as the winds at the take off point increased and swirled around. It was time to leave. The crowds slowly left the stadium for the train station and eventually we boarded a train to Oslo. Everyone on board was in a good mood and the Poles were calling out the name of their hero. There was no violence and no drunkenness. This was very unlike the scene after a match in the UK.

That evening, on the advice of the hotel receptionist, we had a pizza at a local bar and thoroughly enjoyed our food once more. Early next morning we rose and walked down to Central Station to get the Flytoget to Oslo Airport. We had breakfast at the airport and then boarded our aircraft for Heathrow. Once more we endured the Heathrow experience and took the Shuttle back to Manchester. From Manchester Airport we drove to Rochdale for a family celebration at our son's house to mark this special day when Pauline actually attained the age of 60 years.

The next day we drove home to Anglesey and settled down into a sedate life once more. It had been what we wanted - a special experience!

Since our visit to Holmenkollen there has been only one further World Cup Ski Jumping competition there. After the 2008 event contractors moved in to demolish the ski jump and build a better one. It is due to be ready for the 2010 season.

Salzburg at Christmas

I have always said that I have been unlucky in having a birthday one week before Christmas Day. As a child I found it restricted the amount spent on my presents with the two events so close. This year saw my 65th birthday on 18th December 2008. We like to celebrate special occasions with travel. So it was that we decided to have a few days in Salzburg, the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! We flew from Manchester Airport on Monday 15th December and returned on Friday 19th December.

I hoped for a magical time in Salzburg and I was not disappointed. Throughout Advent there are the Christmas Markets and also real ice skating in Mozart Plaz! We arrived at our hotel by taxi from the airport and checked into room 501. There was a TV of gigantic proportions and a minibar with pricey drinks. We found it best to place a glass each of tap water in the fridge and leave it to chill. After all, if you wanted a drink you could get one in the bar at a reasonable price. The hotel had also a 350 seat cinema, the Mozart Kino, and had an Italian Restaurant next door with direct internal access for guests. It was full of antique furniture on the landings etc. Right next to our room was a staircase kept out of use because it was adorned with the most amazing Baroque-style murals from top to bottom.

We dined in the Italian place that night and awoke next morning ready to explore the Aldstadt or Old Town. We walked in what we thought was the right direction and found Mozart Plaz with it's skating rink. The local children were having a wonderful time skating around at great speeds. One small boy was kitted out with a full ice hockey strip and shields. To the left we spotted the Christmas Market in Residenz Plaz. We had been to the Christmas Markets in Manchester staffed by German traders but this was huge in comparison and I have never seen so many different Christmas decorations. There was a large fountain protected by a great glass and aluminium frame. It must have been impressive in summer. In one place they were completely renovating a magnificent fountain and this was not to be complete until later in 2009. Great hoardings prevented one from seeing anything happening there.

We walked through the archway into what was called Dom Plaz (Cathedral Place) and behold there was yet another Christmas Market going on! The weather was quite cold so we opted for the local Christmas central heating - gluwein. It was delicious and acted as a true winter warmer. Later we discovered a 300 year old coffee house known as Tomasellis. We found its no smoking room and sat down at a table with an elderly Austrian lady who beckoned us over to join her. The tradition here was that the male waiters took orders for drinks and the ladies dressed in black dresses with white lace aprons brought gateaux. The coffee was served in the local tradition with a small glass of cold water. This goes back to the time when Turkish coffee was served and many grains entered the mouth of the drinker. The water was introduced to wash away the grains. The tradition has simply continued. The internal decorations in the coffee house were timeless with much wood panelling. The atmosphere was genteel and quiet. Just the ticket!

Near the coffee house we saw the local Fiakers drawn up in lines. These were two-horse carriages which were available to take visitors on a tour of the Aldstadt. We could not resist taking a ride and the driver gave us a commentary as we went along. He pointed out old churches and told us there were 41 of them in Salzburg alone. We drove past the Horse Ponds which had originally been used for washing the Prince-Archbishop's horses many years before. It was a magical ride and we did not regret it for a second.

On our second day we decided to take the Funicular Railway up to the Hohen-Salzburg, high above the Old Town. This is possibly the largest fortress in Europe and there was plenty to se up there. One interesting feature was the museum of marionettes. There were numerous glass cases showing beautifully crafted marionettes collectively forming the cast of an opera or musical. Close by was the church of St George which acted as the fortress chapel for all who found themselves up there in times gone by. A few yards from this was a 300 years old lime tree. As we walked round we came to the point where we were able to see the surrounding countryside. In front of us was a green area with paths forming a cross. At this crossing was a small white cottage which used to be the abode of the public executioner!

As we came round to the final quarter of the fortress we saw a full size model of a bull painted grey on one side and black and white on the other. A plaque on the wall explained this to us. Many years ago at the time of a siege of the fortress the people were getting close to running out of food. The fortress commandant suggested a plan to convince the enemy below that they still had plenty of food left. They walked the last remaining bull across in front of the soldiers below. During the night they painted the bull a different colour and allowed it to graze along the battlements. The next night they washed the paint off and painted it a different colour. The next day the bull was grazing along the battlements. This was repeated for a few days and the enemy were convinced that a herd of bulls still existed up in the fortress and gave up and left the area! To this day Salzburgers have been irreverently referred to as "bull washers"!

On 18th December (my birthday) it began to snow. We had booked on a trip up to the mountains and lakes above Salzburg. This became a tour of the locations used by Robert Wise, producer of "The Sound of Music" film. In the foggy snowy weather we saw the mansion used as the Von Trapp residence for exterior shots. It looked out over the lake into which Maria and the children fell from their rowing boat. Then we drove to a park where the city authority had relocated the glass gazebo used for the song, "Sixteen, going on Seventeen." Later we started up the road that led to the mountains and here we became stuck in the snow. Some friendly motorists helped by pushing the minibus up the hill until it gained traction again. After stopping at a village used in the opening shots of the hillsides we went on to see the church in the small town of Mondsee.

This church (more like a cathedral) was that used for the wedding scene and the whole building took my breath away! I walked to the great altar and then turned back down the aisle towards the great organ. Someone was practising on the instrument and was playing Bach's Toccata and fugue. Wow! It is only my favourite piece of organ music! We went back over the street and had a drink and a strudel in the local coffee shop and this was excellent in quality. Then we were driven back to Salzburg and dropped off close to our hotel.

That night we had a wonderful meal at a restaurant we had patronised on the Tuesday evening. It's name was the Alt Salzburg (Old Salzburg). They specialised in Austrian food and we thought it was amazing. On the Tuesday we had ordered Tafelspitz, which is a rump steak boiled with vegetables. The steak fell apart just as a quality grilled steak would do at home! On the Thursday we decided in favour of duck breast. This is a dish we often have at home and it compared very well indeed. Also featured on the menu are fish such as River Char which were tempting too. We would recommend this establishment to any visitor to Salzburg. It is slightly off the centre of the Aldstadt but only minutes away. It is built into the Monchberg which is the steep hill on which the Hohen-Salzburg sits. The staff were very friendly and we had a quality evening.

The next morning saw us taking a taxi back to the airport for our short 45 minute flight to Zurich and then our flight to Manchester. It had been wonderful. On reaching Manchester I felt a little cold as we located our car for the drive home. Two days later I was in hospital with pneumonia! But that's another story.

Greece again

Returning to our favourite island, Anghistri, this year we had devised a plan to include a visit to the island of Rhodes as we had never been there but heard much about it. Of course, we organised it in a very expensive way - but you live and learn. We booked two flights from Athens to Rhodes in the middle of our holiday. We should have used our common sense and organised a week in Rhodes with a follow on to Athens from where we could have returned to the UK after 3 weeks in Anghistri.

However, we went to Anghistri and took a week off to fly from Athens to Rhodes. One good thing was that we were able to locate an excellent cafe in the airport at Athens called the Olive Tree. This was useful on our return flight to Manchester. The quality of the food and drink there was excellent and we recommend it.

On arrival at Rhodes Airport, we took a taxi to our hotel in Rhodes Town. Its name was Hotel Sylvia and was a relatively cheap and comfortable place. Our only criticism was that the shower in the bathroom sent water all over the floor and this did not drain away immediately. Hence, one found it necessary wade when using the loo in the middle of the night! However, the location of the hotel was very good as it was only five minutes from the Old Town of Rhodes.

When we made our first tour of part of the mediaeval quarter we were absolutely amazed at it all. The walls that surrounded the Old Town were thicker and higher than anything we had seen. These walls were pierced by about nine gates, so the way in was always close by. The place dates back to 1309 when the Knights of St John Hospitaller captured the island and made it their headquarters. The Order had begun in Jerusalem and the island was a useful base camp or last stopping place for pilgrims wishing to visit Jerusalem.

You can see from the photograph that it remains quite a stronghold today. Within the city there is a street called Ippoton which is also known as the Street of the Knights. This street rises to the top of the city where stands the Palace of the Grand Masters. On either side and at the bottom of Ippoton are the various Inns. Each inn was there to accommodate important guests of the knights from each country. At the bottom of the street in a square stands the Inn of the Tongue of England which is now a taverna. The Inns of the Tongue of Provence, Italy etc are used as consulates for the appropriate country.

The head of the Order was known as Grand Master and there are a number of old pictures remaining of these Grand Masters still in existence. The Grand Master's Palace fell into disrepair over the years following its prime use. By mid 19th century its upper storey had collapsed. As recently as 1937 the Governor of the Dodecanese initiated a programme of "reconstruction". To be truthful the reason for this was the provision of a summer palace for Mussolini. As it was not possible to know the original lay out of the buildings much was assumed. When I visited the Palace in August 2008 I saw many items which clearly never had any place there at all. There were church pews to match those seen in old pictures of the establishment and many mosaics which had been taken from various Dodecanese islands to grace the floor of the Grand Master's Palace.

The stone used for reconstruction beautifully matched the surviving stone from the original buildings. The problem was that it stood out as modern because it was too smooth and precisely cut. All in all the Palace was a disappointment to me, but the remainder of the old city was quite wonderful. The entire city (or Old Town) is in use today for cultural, commercial and domestic purposes which is a good thing.

We went into the Old Town many times whilst in Rhodes and each time it was a joy to be there. But we also wished to see two places we had heard or read about. Firstly there was the ancient Lindos further up the coast. Our trip there was a disappointment because it had become "wall to wall tourism." On the other hand we certainly enjoyed our visit to the smaller island of Symi. First of all we sailed into a lovely harbour with a beautiful monastery at the middle. Above the monastery was an open bell tower and as a response to the ship's hooter the bells rang out a pretty tune of welcome.

It was possible to stay for a little while and wander round the village there. It was enchanting. Then we rejoined the ship to sail round Symi to its capital. It is an understatement to say that the entry to the harbour there is breathtaking. The entire town is built on a steep slope surrounding the harbour and much of it comprises neo-classical frontages of properties once occupied by wealthy sea captains. The rest of our time there was enjoyable as we sat down to traditional Greek food in a taverna.

We flew back to Athens having had an amazing seven days in Rhodes. We had seen the mediaeval buildings of the Old Town, the beauty of Symi and the sight of cruise ships coming and going each day. It had been a wonderful time.

On arrival back in Anghistri at the port of Mandraki I could not contact Christos, our host at Hotel Boulas. It turned out that I had the telephone number for his house and not the hotel. How were we to get our heavy suitcase up the steep hill to the village of Megalohori? Then I saw an advert for Takis, the scooter hire man. He is a good friend and I rang him to ask if he could collect us in the harbour. "Wait there and I will collect you." said Taki. A few minutes later we were being taken up to the village in his petrol tanker! You see, Taki is also the proprietor of the only petrol station in Anghistri.

Having travelled there nay times over the past 20 years we have made friends with a number of people resident on the island so we are never stuck in an emergency. Friends like this are worth their weight in gold! We stayed the rest of our time there and came home just after a weekend of heavy rain. It had been a memorable stay once more.

We started in Greece

For many years Pauline and I have had a dream of travelling to many places we have heard of but not visited. It was in 2006 on the occasion of our Ruby Wedding that we made a start. Each year we had chosen a single destination for a holiday. It was usually a case of travelling as far as Anghistri, a Greek island, just 20 miles from Athens in the Saronic Gulf.

In 2006 we thought we might like to visit other islands in Greece whilst out there on holiday. We booked in at the Boulas Hotel in Anghistri for a whole month. I knew I would become "stir crazy" simply staying there so we took the ferry to the nearby island of Aegina and bought two tickets to the island of Poros about 2 hours sail from there. On arrival we found a "tourist office" which was actually the local office of a Scandinavian tour company. As luck would have it they were able to provide three nights in a lovely hotel in Poros.

During our stay there we booked two seats on a Mini Classical Tour which took us over to the Peloponnese and toured Epidavros Ancient Theatre, Naplion, former capital of Greece, Mycenae and Corinth. Eventually we returned to Anghistri and after a few more days we got two reservations on a flight to Crete. In Crete we took a taxi from Iraklion Airport to the resort village of Elounda where we managed to get a double room for 4 nights. We hired a car locally and toured this part of the island as well as taking a trip to Georgeopolis near Chania where we had stayed some fifteen years earlier.

Returning to Anghistri we continued our holiday there until it was time to come home. We met Greeks who reminded us of the father in the film, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." They kept on explaining words we used by showing their Greek derivatives! We found good eating places and pleasant towns and villages wherever we went. This gave us a taste for more travel and two years later we had a month in Anghistri with a break in Rhodes for a week. But that is the subject of a further blog.