From York, we headed to Edinburgh, where Jack, Tim, and I spent three days and two nights at my cousin Connie’s place. Our visit was more about catching up and reminiscing than sightseeing. Last time I saw her was in 2016 with her late husband Rick, who drove us around Scotland.…from Glasgow, to the Highlands,…
Tag: Travel Diary 2023
Bristol
Arrived in Bristol at night from the Cotswolds. Our first stop was dinner at the famous Pieminister. Nestled within Bristol’s city centre, Pieminister has been a beloved family venture since 2003. There were so many choices and so tasty Through the darkness of the night, we could still see the colour and vibrancy of Bristol….
Cotswolds – Castle Combe
After our European holiday last October 2023, Jack, Tim, and I embarked on a six-day road trip to visit my cousin in Edinburgh. With my son’s commitments sandwiching our travel dates, we had to keep it brief, but having Tim behind the wheel amidst such stunning scenery made it all worthwhile. En route, the picturesque…
Our last day in Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 6 Before leaving our Airbnb, I suggested to my husband that we visit this church I’d seen on Instagram known for its stunning azulejos. Luckily, it was close to where we were staying. The Capela das Almas, an 18th-century chapel on Rua Santa Catarina, boasts a striking blue façade adorned with over…
Day Trip to Aveiro
and to Costa Nova do Prado TRAVEL DIARY: AVEIRO & PRAIA DE COSTA NOVA Though the days were totally wet, we couldn’t pass up the chance to explore beyond Porto, so we opted for a day trip to Aveiro. The train journey from Sao Bento to Aveiro, lasting about an hour and twenty minutes, was…
Misty Adventures in Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 5 We took the Hop-On Hop-Off bus for the second day and our first stop was the Porto Cathedral. Perched on a hill overlooking the Duoro, Se do Porto is the most important cathedral and religious building in this city. Construction began in the 12th century and is mainly Baroque architecture but…
The Magic of Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 4 Due to the persistent rain in the morning and looking like the same for the following days, we opted for a two-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour, conveniently stopping near our airbnb. From the top seats of the double decker bus we saw some amazing misty sceneries and public art. By the time…
Still wandering in Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 3 BACK STORY: This is a continuation of my previous blog and this day, as I’ve said, it was pouring rain. While exploring, we stopped for lunch at a unique McDonald’s in downtown Porto, Portugal. Surprisingly, this restaurant, known as the McDonald’s Imperial, is housed in a historic café adorned with stunning…
Wandering in Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 2 Since we were in Porto, we started our day with, you guessed it right, Portuguese tarts. Had it in the cafe right in front of the Livraria Lello. Livraria Lello is celebrated for its stunning blend of Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles, making it a must-visit. Established in 1906, it’s among…
First impressions of Porto
TRAVEL DIARY: PORTO 1 After a brisk journey aboard the Alfa Pendular, Portugal’s flagship Pendolinoa high-speed train, we arrived in Porto just past midday, so we were starving from the trip. Near our Airbnb, we stumbled upon a nearby restaurant where, unsure of what to choose, we trusted the owner’s recommendations for our meal. Francesinha…
Fatima then and now
TRAVEL DIARY: FATIMA The story begins in the village of Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 1917. On that fateful day near that tiny village, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, appeared to three young peasant children: Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia; ages 10, 9 and 7… As Catholics, hubby and I were interested to visit…
Exploring the Magic of Sintra’s Most Iconic Landmark
TRAVEL DIARY: SINTRA 2 Having marveled at the grandeur of the Quinta de Regaelera in the morning, we continue on our walk and immerse ourselves with the enchanting beauty of the Pena Palace in Sintra. My daughter Pat first introduced me to this palace in 2017 through a photo from her solo European trip, urging…
A morning at Quinta da Regaleira
TAVEL DIARY: SINTRA 1 The Quinta da Regaleira is located near the historic centre of Sintra, Portugal. It is protected within the UNESCO World Heritage site and is a mix of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance architecture. It is an enchanting estate about half an hour from Lisbon. It was built by an eccentric Free…
From Belém’s pastries to Fado’s melodies
(and everything in Between) TRAVEL DIARY: LISBON 2 We started early and walked to the train station. Some interesting things to see and smell along the way. Like the protruding car, some souvenirs and chestnuts roasting … yum my fave! From the train window I saw these murals. I see that cat in a lot…
Navigating Lisbon’s Stairways and Alleys
TRAVEL DIARY: LISBON 1 Jack and I reached Lisbon from Barcelona via Vuelling airlines in approximately 2 hours. Upon arrival, we met up with Tim and Leigh, who had traveled from London. We took an Uber to our Airbnb and true to the forecast it rained the whole day. After putting our luggage down and…
Embracing Barcelona’s Charm: on Our Last Day
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 4: We had no precise plan for our last day in Barcelona except for the Banksy Museum. We headed off from our hotel and went on the direction of the Arc de Triomf which is a memorial arch in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as…
Go and See It Now
I’m a part of the Melbourne Urban Sketchers group, though I don’t regularly attend as their sessions are usually on Sundays, and Jack prefers to rest on that day. Additionally, I’m an active member of Urban Sketchers Casey, a more intimate group that meets every second Friday of the month, and I make an effort…
A walk through Dali’s Mind in Figueres
TRAVEL DIARY: FIGUERES About a 40 minute bus ride from Girona took us to Figueres, the home town of Salvador Dali. “I want my museum to be a single block, a labyrinth, a great surrealist object. It will be [a] totally theatrical museum. The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation…
Day tripping to Medieval Girona
TRAVEL DIARY: GIRONA Left our hotel early for Barcelona Nord. I organised this day trip via Get Your Guide. Met our guide at platform 17/18, left at 8:30 and arrived in Girona, Spain, in about an hour. Explored Girona with a local guide, who shared Game of Thrones Season 6 details which was shot there….
Park Guell: a fairytale-like experience
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 3: Another place not to be missed when visiting Barcelona is Park Güell: it’s a fairytale-like experience featuring whimsical architecture, vibrant mosaics, and lush gardens meticulously crafted by Antoni Gaudí. Took an Uber to the Carretera del Carmel entrance of Park Güell. We chose the earliest available slot, I factored in my…
Exploring the Wonders Within and Beyond Sagrada Familia
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 2: It is not unusual to walk down the streets of Barcelona and not see art in whichever way or form. From Casa Batllo we walked about 10 minutes and we reached another of Gaudi’s masterpieces, Casa Mila, more popularly known as La Pedrera (meaning stone quarry in Catalan). We didn’t go…
A walk through Casa Batllo
TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 1: After tiring our legs out in Paris for four days, hubby and I opted for a more leisurely pace in Barcelona. Our plan: two key attractions at the most daily, with the rest of the time dedicated to leisurely strolls around the city. Walked approximately 25 minutes from our hotel to…
Parisian Art Exploration
TRAVEL DIARY: PARIS 3 On our final day in Paris, October 11th, we aimed to explore as many Art attractions as we could before leaving. Initially, our plan was to visit Sainte Chapelle, but without a prebooking, the lengthy queue stalled our progress for 30 minutes. We opted to change course and explore another destination…
Strolling Through the City: A Parisian Adventure
TRAVEL DIARY: PARIS 2 On October 10th, we embarked on the Batobus, eager to explore multiple stops with the flexibility of hopping on and off. Linked to Jo’s Monday Walk First stop: Jardin des Plantes. Walked by without going in—hubby and I weren’t too interested. Went past the Botanical Gardens… This is the stop where…
A day in Montmartre
TRAVEL DIARY: MONTMARTRE 9th of October, our day started off early with breakfast at our hotel at 8 am. It wasn’t the usual buffet breakfast but wow was it so yum and healthy-ish. Great start of the day. Went on the metro just a 1 minute walk from our hotel. Emerged from this Metro station…
Looking up, looking down in Sintra
Situated only 25km from Lisbon, Sintra is a picturesque town that has extravagant palaces, ancient castles and stunning scenery. One of the most popular day trip from Lisbon that people take is to see the colorful Palácio da Pena. This spectacular castle is located high in the Sintra Mountains and is considered one of Portugal’s…
Back in Ilocos Sur
(Road Trip Part 4) TRAVEL DIARY: VIGAN The last time we were here was in October of 2016. This is the UNESCO World Heritage City of Vigan, Established in the 16th century, this is the best-preserved Spanish colonial town in Asia. Calle Crisologo, the main street that is only open to pedestrians and horse drawn…
Last Day in Santiago
(Road Trip Part 3) TRAVEL DIARY: SANTIAGO 3 It is our last day in Santiago, Ilocos Sur so I wanted to have a time all to myself for a change. I wandered off around the grounds of Vitalis Villas before breakfast and savoured the sun, the wind and the sky. I didn’t realise it but…
Along the Seaside
(Road Trip part 2) TRAVEL DIARY: SANTIAGO 2 On our second day in Ilocos Sur, only three of us went for our walk bright and early to catch the sunrise, while the others were still fast asleep. The ambiance of the place may be very different from my previous post but it is owned by…
Santorini of the North
(Road Trip part 1) TRAVEL DIARY: SANTIAGO 1 I haven’t been to Greece so when my sister and nephew suggested that we go for a few days in this place said to be the Santorini of the North, then I didn’t hesitate on agreeing to go. This is quite a new experience for all of…