After almost a year without taking a plane anywhere, we bit the bullet and decided on a road trip around Tasmania. It took a while to persuade hubby but with much cajoling he finally agreed.
We flew straight to Hobart from Perth for the start of our trip. I had booked three nights at Grand Chancellor right on the waterfront. It seemed like everyone in Australia had the same thought. Hobart was buzzing and almost every restaurant was booked solid. Luckily I had prebooked a couple of places before we arrived.
Great views from our roomUp on Mt Wellington
We did the blue bus tour to Mt Wellington with a very chatty knowledgeable driver. On the way back he dropped us off at the Cascade Brewery for lunch and a pint. We then hopped on the red bus back into town.
Click on a photo for slide show On the top deck with the wind in our hair
This was just part of our first day in Hobart. Posting from my iPad which isn’t my favourite way to post!
This week Dr. B has posed the challenge of bridges. I remember posting some bridges earlier, but here goes again!
Arched glass bridge, Kings Park, Perth WA
Standing 52 metres high, the rusted steel structure finish was designed to blend in with the trees in the gardens. It provides a potent reminder of the rusted steel of camps, farms and mines in the Western Australian bush at the time of Federation. Source: Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Macclesfield Bridge
There is a short story about Macclesfield Bridge. In October 1874 a barge containing coffee and nuts exploded under this bridge. The bridge was destroyed and three men were killed, but the iron columns were left intact. The explosion could be heard from a mile away and caused uproar among the animals at the nearby London Zoo. (Posted as part of My A to Z Travel Challenge – L is for London – Part Two – 🏴)
Long Chim in Perth is situated in the heritage listed State Building, Cathedral Square. This 140 year old building once housed Public Offices, a Police Court and cellblock, Treasury, Survey Department, GPO, Immigration Offices, office of the Premier and Cabinet, Lands Department and Titles Building. Just recently this building has been renovated to include upmarket bars, cafes and retail spaces, including the luxury COMO The Treasury Hotel.
We recently went for a pre-Christmas dinner to Long Chim to sample the tantalising Thai delights.
The decoration is “unfinished” crumbling brick work with funky murals on the walls. The umbrellas hanging from the ceiling on entry reminded me of Thai street markets.
To start
CRUNCHY PRAWNS herbs shallots chilli
GRILLED PORK SKEWERS
FRIED CHICKEN WINGS shallots cumin dark soy
Hubby said I would never eat prawns like this if he cooked them 🤣, but it felt rude not to try them. Complete with eyes and tail, I ate quite a few.
PINEAPPLE CURRY OF PORK coconut cream betel leaves
RICE NOODLES WITH CHINESE BROCCOLI soy egg bean curd
A perfect way to start our Christmas celebrations
Long Chim is a great place to go for celebrations with large groups. It has a warm and friendly atmosphere and the waitstaff are friendly and quick. Our food was on the table soon after we had ordered it. The menu is perfect for large groups as the dishes are good for sharing. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
After finishing dinner we had a wander around the city to have a look at the beautiful Christmas decorations. I think Perth has done a fantastic job this year.
We drove through Kings Park on our way home to look at the Perth Skyline all lit up.
Nagasaki was part of our 9 day road trip through the Kyushu Islands a few years ago and we spent two very busy days and nights here. There were four of us on the road trip, me, hubby and our two good friends Cheryl and Vaughan. Vaughan and hubby did all of the driving.
We stayed at a hotel called Hotel Monterey, a great location and decorated in a Spanish Villa style.
Our first night was spent at Dejima Wharf, I’d read that it was quite lively and had a few restaurants. Maybe it had just opened or not been open for long but there didn’t seem to be that many places to choose from. We opted for a seafood restaurant where we sat outside and could cook our own seafood. I have to say it wasn’t such a great dinner as half the things we were served I couldn’t identify and the small bbq didn’t seem adequate to cook anything properly.
Cheers!
After dinner we found a bar upstairs called St. Andrews Jigger Inn, playing live music and everyone singing along, we even got up to have a dance!
The next morning with heavy heads we had a cooked breakfast at the Hotel Monterey and headed out to explore.
Former Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank
Nagasaki has a very international feel to it, with many Dutch, Portuguese and English buildings still standing. We headed first up to Hollander Slope, so called because many Dutch people lived here from around 1600.
Old Dejima Seminary
From here we took a tram to another historical building, Glover House and Gardens.
Glover House
Glover House was built by Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish merchant who arrived in Japan from Shanghai in 1859. He set up his own trading company, Glover and Co. Glover House is a western style building with imported furniture from Scotland and England. The carpenter is purportedly Koyama Hide who built the Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs. Source: Visit Nagasaki
From the balcony of Glover House
Koi Pond
Nagasaki is a big cruise ship port as you can see from above photo.
There is some Japanese influence in the rooms, but mostly it is of the old heavy wooden style favoured during the 1800s in England.
In this bottom right photo my hubby is with the Japanese gardener, and while I popped to the ladies he struck up a conversation with her. He speaks fairly fluent Japanese and she was so taken aback by him that she dropped everything and bombarded him with questions about his life, they found out that they were exactly the same age, even with the same month, now that’s a coincidence!
With the morning over and our visit to Glover House done, hubby said it was his turn now and he wanted first to go to the Sakamoto International Cemetery and then lastly the Peace Park and A Bomb Museum.
Sakamoto International Cemetery
Trying to find our way to the Cemetery was a bit of a nightmare, but we eventually found it tucked away at the back of some houses.
I wish I had taken more photos of the cemetery but felt a bit morbid doing this. Cemeteries in other countries with foreigners are so interesting. It makes you realise how determined people were hundreds of years ago and how easy we have it today. It would have taken them weeks or months to arrive at their destination and we complain about an hour delay to our plane!
Nagasaki Peace Park
It feels appropriate to be writing this post now as is the 75th anniversary of the Atomic Bomb on 9 August. It was the second bomb to be dropped by the United States after Japan still refused to surrender after Hiroshima. The exact number of people killed will never be known as all records were destroyed and many bodies were totally obliterated.
To walk around the museum is very sobering to see the destruction and devastation that was caused that day. Of course there is no mention of Japan’s part in WWII.
After experiencing that nightmarish war, that blood-curdling carnage, that unendurable horror, Who could walk away without praying for peace? This statue was created as a signpost in the struggle for global harmony. Standing ten meters tall, it conveys the profundity of knowledge and the beauty of health and virility. The right hand points to the atomic bomb, the left hand points to peace, and the face prays deeply for the victims of war. Transcending the barriers of race and evoking the qualities of Buddha and God, it is a symbol of the greatest determination ever known in the history of Nagasaki and the highest hope of all mankind.— Seibo Kitamura (Spring 1995)
Nagasaki to Kagoshima 6 June 2017 By now I think our two drivers were getting the hang of the roads and tolls! It was especially useful to be able to input a telephone number into the satnav instead of the actual address – very helpful considering how all the Japanese places were spelt. Because if…
This post features Camden to Little Venice and also Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross
The North
Continuing the journey into London through my eyes! We’ll be travelling to the North and then to the West.
Camden Lock to Little Venice
This is a walk I’ve wanted to do for a while, but it’s hard to get my dear hubby interested in anything that doesn’t involve shops, even though he is a big walker and I’m not! We decided to give Camden Market a miss as it has become far too touristy. We took the tube and the bus to get to Camden Station, and then walked towards the start of the Regent’s Canal.
Shop fronts and art along the way
Thai Gift ShopVans Shoe ShopRayBan Shop Civil Rights Quote
Then it was onto the canal to begin our walk. The map said it would take approximately 40 minutes but part of the footpath was closed so after a long detour, it was close to an hour before we finally finished.
Starting the walkI wonder who’s in The Dog HouseSt. Mark’s Church in the background.
I could have taken so many more photos as the colours were amazing. What I really would have liked would be to look around one! Most we saw were all really well kept and a few had small gardens at the front. I imagine it would be quite damp in the English Autumn and Winter on board.
It was such an interesting walk and we walked under many bridges along the way and saw some unusual sights as well.
Under the Bridges
Red Shopping Bag always at the ready! Macclesfield Bridge
There is a short story about Macclesfield Bridge. In October 1874 a barge containing coffee and nuts exploded under this bridge. The bridge was destroyed and three men were killed, but the iron columns were left intact. The explosion could be heard from a mile away and caused uproar among the animals at the nearby London Zoo.
Strange and funny sights
A life size cow on the balconyA smoking monk in a leaking boatMen overboard!
Towards Little Venice you start seeing the most spectacular houses rather than the apartments near Camden. I definitely would have liked a tour around one of these houses.
Fabulous Houses
Just near the end of the Regent’s Canal we came across the famous Feng Shang Princess Floating Restaurant. A wonderful handcrafted red pagoda sits right on the canal bank.
And so ends our walk to Little Venice, which is in the West. The canal now becomes the Grand Union Canal and hopefully if I can persuade Anthony we can do this next time we visit London.
♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️♦️
Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross
Source: Visitlondon.com
Another day, another visit to London. This time it was Anthony’s choice. The reason he chose this place was, lo and behold, a designer shop he had found online and he had seen a waistcoat he fancied. At first I wasn’t very impressed about going all the way to King’s Cross, but was in for a nice surprise when we arrived.
Coal Drops Yard dates back to the 1850’s when London was powered by coal. The unusual buildings were designed to handle 8 million tonnes of coal which were delivered to the capital every year.
Now it is home to many designer boutiques, restaurants and apartment buildings. It is located alongside the Regent’s Canal.
Man on a Mission
Afternoon aperitif
Grade II Listed Cast Iron framework now luxury apartmentsSt. Pancras LockFloating Book Shop
I really enjoyed our day here and it’s well worth a visit if you are ever in this area. It seems that more of London is being resurrected every year with great new projects that incorporate old derelict buildings.
That’s all from the North!
I’ll finish with a quote from a very famous designer
My Square of the Day for Square Perspectives hosted by Becky from The Life of B is a photo of The Montcalm Signature Tower in Shoreditch, London. The Hotel M by Montcalm is situated in this building. The architecture is amazing and it looks like it has been squashed between the adjacent buildings.
After another gourmet breakfast at the Taj Krishna we set off with a driver and guide to the Chowmahalla Palace.
Chowmahallat means “four palaces” in Dakhini Urdu and is the palace of the former Nizams of Hyderabad. The history of this palace is fascinating, not just because of the building of the palace but the financial wrangling between the heirs that was the downfall of this palace.
At one point in the seventies there were 476 legal heirs to this Estate.
Finally in 2005 Princess Esra (the first wife of Prince Mukkaram Jah) decided to start renovations. Prince Mukkaram Jah fled to Perth in the seventies and lived on a sheep farm in the Australian Outback. He married four more times after Princess Esra. I’ve included a few links to this post as there is so much more interesting history to read.
In front of the palace Waiting to start our tour
Top: Ladies sweeping the grass Middle: Through one of the ornate window frames Bottom: Ornamental pond in front of the palace
Top: Prince Mukkaram Jah with his father Middle and Bottom: The magnificent crystal chandeliers made of Belgian glass
Top: One of the beautiful corridors inside the palace Middle: Palace Courtyard Bottom: The clocktower above the main gate – Khilwat Clock, which has been ticking for 251 years and is wound weekly by expert clock repairers
We practically had the whole place to ourselves and had a fantastic tour around the palace. No visit to Hyderabad would be complete without a visit here!
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Charminar Bazaar
Charminar was our next stop but not before we had some lunch. I must say I was a bit wary about what we would eat, knowing it would probably me far too hot for Maddy and me! But not to worry as our driver took us to a great little restaurant called Masqati Nizam Hotel. This was such a friendly restaurant with westerners and locals alike. We had a delicious biryani and we were both able to eat it.
This was on the wall depicting a time many decades before!
And then it was out onto the street to explore the market in all its glory! After the peace and tranquility of the Palace it was a great shock to the senses. Not for Anthony though as these are places he thrives in.
It was impossible to just stroll around as all the roads were dug up in various places for no reason I could see whatsoever. Piles and piles of rubble to stumble over or around.
Maddy and I picked up some lovely scarves, after the requisite bartering of course.
Charminar Monument built in 1591, this is also a Mosque The monument is located in the heart of old city and it is believed that Hyderabad was measured in four directions from Charminar for administrative purposes.
Anthony in his element! Market and street scenes
So many to choose from!
Dates, pineapples and bananas
Pomegranates and grapes
A quick stop at the Nizam Palace Museum to see all the beautiful silver and artefacts and then back to the hotel for a quick freshen up before dinner.
What a very interesting day it was, more places for your itinerary for Hyderabad.
Hyderabad is the only place I’ve actually been to in India, and we spent a week here over two years ago. Five days probably would have been enough but with plane timetables we decided to add the two extra days for rest and relaxation! We travelled with my son Laurence and his girlfriend Maddy in January, so the weather was just perfect. We stayed at the Taj Krishna, a beautiful hotel in the Banjara Hills.
The view from our window
Our very comfy bed!
Relaxing on the patio and Maddy enjoying a first class cooked breakfast
The reason we chose Hyderabad was because my dear hubby had recently read a book called “The White Mughals” by William Dalrymple. It’s a book about the warm relations that existed between the British and some Indians in the 18th and early 19th century, when one in three British men in India was married to an Indian woman.
Anthony was interested to see if all the great palaces and houses that were built during this time were still standing. Sadly we found that many of these grand buildings are in great decay and not accessible. Some have been turned into colleges and hospitals, but there doesn’t seem to be the demand or need to renovate these beautiful old buildings.
Golkonda Fort
This was one of the places that I had read was easy to get around and you could do it on your own! Once we arrived there in our taxi and were dropped off, madness and mayhem greeted us. We managed to cross a very busy road complete with cattle, goats and schoolchildren and wandered up to the entrance gate. We didn’t have to look far before an avid tour guide stepped into our path, offering to lead us around the fort with a detailed history. After Anthony had bargained a good price, we headed off.
Maddy and Laurence leading the schoolgirls! The entrance to Golkonda Fort
Golkonda Fort has a history reaching back into the 12th Century. A shepherd boy was once walking on this hill where he came across a God idol, the King that time decided to built a fort on the hill, which then came to be known as Golconda (Shepherd’s Hill) Fort.
With perimeters of around 11 kilometers, the fort has 15 to 18 foot high walls. It has huge gates that have pointed iron spikes on them. This protected the fort from Elephants damaging the fort as well as enemy attacks.
There is a great sound system in the Fort and the sound of clapping at the entrance can be heard a kilometre away. This was apparently used for communication purposes and to alert the King of any attack. (Source: Hyderabad Tourism)
As far as I could see we were the only “Westerners” here and we were stopped every few steps to have our photos taken. I think it was mostly Maddy they were interested in! I made a joke about the one with Laurence in saying they would probably photoshop him out! 😆
On top of the world with views of sprawling Hyderabad
One of the many semi circular bastions; underground arches; on top of the fort and sitting under one of the derelict arches
Whispering walls; through the window; Women at rest; a view through an archway
This was a fantastic place to visit and our guide was extremely informative, very chatty and funny! He even guessed my age correctly, which was a bit rude I thought.
Our driver was waiting patiently to drive us back to our hotel. On the way back we stopped by Hussain Sagar Lake and stopped to take a photo. As we stepped out of the car three young men approached Laurence and asked to see his ear! Then just grabbed it and it looked like they were about to pierce it, but he jerked back and said “hey get off me”. Our driver said they just wanted to syringe it! Very random.
Gautama Buddha in the middle of the heart shaped lake
Dinner that night was at a restaurant called Paradise, very popular with ex-pats so the concierge told us. It’s famous for Biryani. Even though I asked for the mildest one it was still far too hot for me! Anthony and Laurence also struggled and they like a hot curry.
On a sunny day a few weeks ago I took my parents and nephew who are over from the UK for a stroll around the harbour. All restaurants, cafes and pubs were only open for takeaways during this time. Many people were out and about enjoying the last of the Autumn sun, trying to stick to the social distancing! It is an easy 30 minute drive from Perth down the freeway and also just 30 minutes from where I live.
Fremantle is mostly known for its maritime history but is also a very popular tourist spot and is home to the famous Cappuccino Strip.
Weekdays are definitely less busy than the weekends and we found a parking spot in no time right on the harbour front.
On top is the famous Joe’s Fish Shack a great restaurant with harbour views Bottom pic: The Fremantle Tourist Wheel
We stopped and bought drinks from the e-bike cafe and while we were waiting for our order, I noticed the most beautiful painting on the wall at the back of the cafe. It was painted by a lady called Maria Bowers who has now sadly passed away.
A fantastic backdrop for these e-bikes.
E-bikes are a fun way to get around Fremantle. Not that we took this opportunity with my parents both in their 80’s! I believe you can hire or buy these bikes.
Some of the quirky sculptures and artwork around Fremantle
Kidogo Arthouse Situated in the charming 1884 heritage-listed Old Kerosene Store on Bathers Beach, Fremantle
Round House
The Fremantle Roundhouse is the oldest public building in the state of Western Australia. Opened in January 1831, it was built to hold any person convicted of a crime in the settlement until 1886. Since then it’s been a Police Lock up, accommodation for the Water Police, and a storage facility for the Fremantle Ports. (Source: helloperth.com.au)
The view from the top of the Round House
The fishing boats that are still in use in the harbour
Little Creatures Brewery popular with both locals and tourists. Apparently a former crocodile farm, but now a brewery. It’s a great place to have a casual drink, lunch or dinner. You can also take a tour of the brewery.
That’s all we had time for during this trip, but there’s so much more to do in Fremantle.
Some links below of other things to see and do in this town. (Please check during Covid opening times to these places)
