Well how about a canal. We have succumbed to temptation and decided to go on a cruise to get away from the chilly winter we are experiencing. The only warm place is bed at present.
Anyway at the end of August we are going on a 14 day European cruise from Copenhagen to Kiel via the canal that links the Baltic and North Sea , then along the coast to Amsterdam, 3 French ports, Viga in Spain, then Gibralter, Mallorca and finally Barcelona. Will follow this with a week in Germany. We are very excited about it. It is a luxury cruise on the Azamara complete with butlker service and other frivolities. The price is about half of the normal price - the recession and swine flu are probably combining to put some people off travelling.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Wintery Weekend
Not so much wet and windy as frosty cold with clear blue sky days. As usual we made the most of the weekend with a day trip to Orewa by car this time as the bus whizzed past us at Victoria Park. Anyway it was useful to have the car to bring back a boot full of firewood from the backyard up there. Over the years branches have fallen off our beautiful protected pohutukawa trees, oak and willow tree keeping us warm, sawn up as firewood, in deepest Ponsonby.
Imbibed the atmosphere of bach and beach, enjoyed a visit from our neighbour over the back hedge. Afternoon tea included the remaining half of D's birthday cake, a madeira cake with a filling of hazelnut macaroon.We then motored home in time for dinner, a special German dish once more, of beef olives, stuffed with bacon, onion, mustard and gherkin, served with red cabbage and potato.
Went to Mass at the cathedral this morning at 11am, packed as usual, with beautiful singing. Went to the Maritime Museum afterwards as it has free entry for June. Enjoyed looking at all the Pacific outrigger canoes and other sailing craft. Then there is the replica of the steerage cabin space where early emigrants spent a lot of time on their months-long voyage to NZ and the more comfortable but still rather spartan cabin of the 1950s emigrants , such as the many thousands of Dutch people.
Enjoyed some freshly made seafood sushi at St Pierre's Downtown before going home for a read and a rest.
Imbibed the atmosphere of bach and beach, enjoyed a visit from our neighbour over the back hedge. Afternoon tea included the remaining half of D's birthday cake, a madeira cake with a filling of hazelnut macaroon.We then motored home in time for dinner, a special German dish once more, of beef olives, stuffed with bacon, onion, mustard and gherkin, served with red cabbage and potato.
Went to Mass at the cathedral this morning at 11am, packed as usual, with beautiful singing. Went to the Maritime Museum afterwards as it has free entry for June. Enjoyed looking at all the Pacific outrigger canoes and other sailing craft. Then there is the replica of the steerage cabin space where early emigrants spent a lot of time on their months-long voyage to NZ and the more comfortable but still rather spartan cabin of the 1950s emigrants , such as the many thousands of Dutch people.
Enjoyed some freshly made seafood sushi at St Pierre's Downtown before going home for a read and a rest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)