The Big Event!

Here’s some photos from Paul and Maki’s 20th Anniversary celebration

Riversdale Christmas party!

Bit of a gathering

Hi All

We had a bit of a get together for a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon in Mt Martha on the weekend. 

Sold

One way to forget the season

Mon and Andrew

Photos for those that couldn’t see them

French France

we had an amazing holiday in France at a caravan park - almost exactly like going to the cotter.   Pools and bouncy castles and delicious pizzas all on site, plus a bike ride round the beautiful countryside, beaches and scrummy seafood.  Abi worked on her best French’s bonjour! and Beth made it clear she doesn’t like long car journeys.  

Day 3 in Oslo

This day was a bit random. A relaxing start then a walk to find a coffee shop which had a barista who had been the world champion a few years ago. I had a very nice coffee but Dad asked for tea and they served no tea! Coffee only - how pretentious!  We then went for a tram ride to a sculpture garden which was a bit amazing- more than 200 sculptures created by one man.  They were mostly nude human figures lining a walkway about 800 metres long. It was quite amazing. Some pictures:

After this, Dad went into town to visit the Civic Centre and I went for a long walk through the suburbs looking for coffee and wool shops.  On the way I walked through the Palace gardens and found these creatures. 

and that was some of Oslo. 

2 of our Days in Oslo

We arrived around 9.00 in the morning  after an uneventful cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo.  It was very pleasant sitting in the cabin which was at the front and looking out at the coastline. One night was enough for me though- I wasn’t fussed about having breakfast with 200 other people. We could have it in the cabin Our apartment in Oslo was a 15 minute tram ride out of the city. It was a good spot with a couple of supermarkets, coffee shop and bakery. We did our usual shop for supplies then went back into town for a walk around the city.   Quite a modern place, pedestrian streets with lots of tourist shops, open squares and an attractive harbour.  We visited the Nobel Peace Museum which was a bit interesting with a short story of all Peace Prize winners and a couple of other exhibitions and a shop! I don’t know what happened but I didn’t take one photo! So you will have to visit yourself to see what is like but just be prepared for the expense- a coffee was $8.  We ate at home but even that was more expensive.  The good thing in Scandinavia, and other countries in Europe they give a discount for Seniors.  It was just a bit irksome when they didn’t even ask for proof of age!

The next day was a lovely day - sun was shining and not too hot. We caught a ferry across to a sort of peninsula where there were 5 museums, 4 of which we visited and they were terrific.  First we started with the Folk Museum which had homes from centuries ago to recent day apartment blocks . There was a small village with shops and houses. 

tony in the Main Street of the transported town.

this is how you all slept and ate in the one room!

washing in the kitchen 

pigs in mud!

the Stave church from 12th century!

inside the church 

the Viking museum - there was a super film about the Vikings here. 

Kon-tiki museum - the original boat. 

there was another great museum called the Fram museum which was about the first people to reach the South Pole.  There was the real Fram ship which was used in the Antarctic and we were able to walk through i. So interesting to see the little cabins, kitchen etc.

A sculpture in the harbour.  The Scandinavians have some great works throughout their cities.

This was the Opera House - another amazing building on the harbour.

a church on one of the walks.  It was the oldest building in Oslo.

Odds and ends

This blog is just odd photos -

a sea of bikes - it is very flat so easy to ride and many, many people do. Lots of bikes with front loafers for the children

one of the many swimming pools built along the old port and they are pretty popular. Some areas have various heights of diving boards. 

our hotel room 

I rather fancied these tiles in the funny little bathroom. 

even a couch in the room. 

another room- this is on the boat

the view from our cabin. We were in commodore class which gave us access to the lounge - free drinks and chips!

catching up on the news. 

enjoying the deck??

now onto Oslo.....

Day 3 in Copenhagen

Another sunny day in Denmark. I can’t believe I am whingeing about the weather being too hot in Scandinavia!  I thought it was safe to come here as it was so far north!   Of course it is still only 28 degrees!  Today, we wandered in our own direction- Dad went off to do the Carlsberg tour whilst I went to have a look at Christiania, a hippy happening place here and to the other extreme, a palace. 

Chrustiania is an old military base which was taken over by squatters who smoke cannabis and you can buy it there - I think it is illegal now. It is quite something to see. very hippy with lots of colourful  houses, actually everything is painted. You are not allowed to take photos here - that’s the rule of the community. 

After this little excursion, I went to visit the Rosenborg palace where the Danish Crown Jewels were held. It was quite different in that the rooms were paneled in dark wood but still very ornate. I took some photos but of course they don’t do the palace great justice. L

The animals weigh 300lb and all silver! 

Someone has been busy with the needle and thread! 

I took this as I thought it looked so modest for a palace

After this, I wen off to meet Dad to catch the ferry for our cruise.

Grandma’s It!

Copenhagen - day 2

I went for a bit of a walk around our hotel in the morning and found interesting streets and shops. We were out of town but still an easy walk into the Centre. Good to be out a little as you see a bit more of the people who live there other than the tourists and you find better places to eat. 

Aftrr that we went for a walk around the town, visited 2 of the local palaces, had some lunch on the pier, walked some more. At the end of the walk, we visited the famous Tivoli gardens. I am not sure what I was expecting but we weren’t so impressed. It was like an up- market Luna Park with flowers and grass, rides, eating venues etc You had to pay for the rides which would make it expensive with kids. There were little concert venues for performances at different times of the day, some of which were free. We had a walk through and left as we had had enough for that day so had a drink and tea then back to the hotel. 

Some snaps of Copenhagen-  

the Radhus (town hall)   we went inside - pretty impressive space. 

Hans Christian Andersen- people sit on his knee and have their photo taken. I had to ask people around me if I could have a turn without anyone posing in front of him!  People almost jostle each other trying to get a turn in front of all these statues.  Instagram/ Facebook has a lot to answer for!!

statues....

skyline of Copenhagen 

and again.

and a fountain 

and these are new shoes- every home should have them!!

this was the Danish Queen’s birthday present - there were about 12 of these magnificent tapestries. It is amazing what they look like new. 

the pretty harbour with the coloured houses 

More skyline

Changing of the guard - it happens at most palaces

Europeans love a statue

Especially of their King’s on horseback

Not sure where this one was - or why I took it?

Finals tickets

Image that Dan emailed through

Pop at the Park

You wouldn’t believe it, it still works!!!!

it’s still like new!!

Onto Scandinavia

we caught the train to Brighton Tuesday afternoon, stayed the night with Dominic and Emma who dropped us at Gatwick airport early the next morning where we caught the plane to Copenhagen. 

We stayed in a hotel about 15 minutes walk from the station which was in the Centre of town. The hotel was a bit quirky with a funny four poster bed but it was roomy. It did have a little fridge in the room with beer but unfortunately, it didn’t work so didn’t keep the beer cold!   

Copenhagen was very interesting. We went for a trip around the harbour and were quite overwhelmed by the magnificent new architecture such as opera house, banks etc.  the whole area had been rejuvenated and was filled with people strolling, swimming in the river, eating at restaurants and cafes. We did lots of strolling ourselves on the way back to the hotel. 

Some snaps from the boat

The opera house  

This just got real

The last day in Scotland

I forgot to show you where we stayed for the last 2 nights in Scotland - does it look like a castle?

not quite but it was very pleasant.  It was a bit out in the middle of nowhere but not that it mattered as Dominic and Dad were driving to the Open and the day after that we were leaving. 

This is a view of the skyline in the south of Scotland -  

An old cemetery  

And a new cemetery!  Will it look like the one above in a hundred years?

Now off to Stirling to see a castle. The kings of Scotland resided here. It is at a very high point in the landscape so it had great views for miles. It was interesting as they have done a lot of work renovating (do you renovate a castle?) and the colors of murals were brilliant, even the outside walls would have been a special yellow render so must have looked pretty amazing. 

Me in the queens bedroom 

This is part of a set of tapestries which took 13 years to complete. They were glorious- I am inspired to start doing the packets of cross-stitch I have at home.  The others were even more brilliant. 

The original colour of the castle 

Robert the Bruce - I don’t think he was Mel Gibson in disguise. 

the church where James VI was crowned

this is one of the first Bibles of King James and is supposed to have been printed around 1611?? And it just sitting there for everyone to touch!

the Boys Club - the caption says ‘ Quarelling is not allowed’!

and another reminder!

and that is that for Scotland - back to Romsey for 10 days. 

A day in Edinburgh

so I had a walk around The town which we visited a few years ago. It is a great place. Lots to see and of course, lots of people!  I visited the writers Museum which featured 3 major authors - Robbie Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Interesting exhibits of their personal writings and memorabilia. 

Other than that particular museum, I walked the streets and through the gardens. A funny thing was the number of cashmere/wool/tartan shops on the Royal Mile starting at the Castle.  Another was the number of statues so I took a few snaps. 

 This bear had something to do with the army. With some statues, people stand in front of them or climb over them and you just have to include them!

This is John Knox - he was a firebrand evangelist!

they like to dress people in Roman togas. 

A Scottish soldier 

The Scottish Bobbie who stood by his masters grave for years - and people rub his nose for some reason so it has become shiny. 

The statues have white heads as the birds sit and poop on them!   

Note the white head. A job for someone! 

Another Roman? 

And there were so many more. In between times I visited a couple of my museums- Harvey Nicholas and Jenner’s department stores. These museums sell their exhibits- not that I bought anything!