After a scenic 4.5-hour drive from Bristol, we reached York around 7 p.m. Hungry from the journey, we headed to Riverside Farm near our hotel for a delicious dinner of traditional English Roast with mash and gravy. It was the ideal way to unwind after our travels. After dinner, we were all exhausted, so we…
Tag: walk
Tuesday Streetart 40 – Under Construction
The last time I visited Melbourne CBD, the roadside was undergoing construction, presumably for renewal, reconstruction, or extension. Surprisingly, instead of typical signage, it boasted charming street art featuring Australian animals. Adorable, isn’t it? I am linking this to Becky’s SquareRenew
Autumn Leaves
It’s Day 3 of Becky’s SquaresRenew and here is a symbol of change. The autumn leaves on the ground symbolize the beauty of transformation and renewal, as nature undergoes its seasonal cycle of change.
Succulents
This is a photo taken on the 14th of April while my sister and niece were still here in Melbourne having a holiday. These are succulents at the Cloudehill Garden & Nursery. For Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge – FOTD
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…
The Rocks
We explored Sydney’s oldest neighborhood, The Rocks, where we found olden style cobblestone streets intertwined with modern cafes and restaurants. The rich history of Sydney’s roots are seen in some of its public art. “First Impressions” is a sculpture located in Playfair Street in The Rocks. This sandstone relief was created by Bud Dumas in 1979…
Around town on our last day
TRAVEL DIARY: LISBON 4 Did you know that Uber fares are incredibly cheap in Portugal? We stumbled upon this discovery during our visit to Sintra when we opted for a taxi. Glad we found out because since then, Uber has become our go-to mode of transportation. So this was our last day in Lisbon and…
Tuesday Streetart – 34
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA I forgot where this streetart is actually located and I also don’t know who the artist is. I just know that it is from the streets of Melbourne. This street art got me thinking… it seems to reflect on how people are trapped by things like money, addiction, and social media. The image…
Discovering the charm of Obidos
TRAVEL DIARY: OBIDOS The next stop on our day trip is Obidos. This is one place not to be missed when in Lisbon … a gorgeous medieval town perched on top of a hill. As we entered the town through Porta da Vila, the main gate, we were greeted by a stunning balcony adorned with…
Wall Art in Frankston with Sis
I hadn’t originally planned any activities for my sister and niece on their first day in Melbourne, but it turned into quite a busy day. We ended up heading to Frankston beach to admire the stunning wall art from the recently concluded 2024 Big Picture Fest. I am linking this to Natalie’s Photographing Public Art…
Tuesday Streetart – 33
PARIS, FRANCE You’ll find amazing urban art all over Paris – just walk the streets with your eyes wide open. This is a mural by Cannibal Letters. Cannibal Letters, originally from Paris, has been honing his skills since 1999, using various names and working with different groups. In 2010, he settled on his current name….
Exploring Portugal’s Coastal Gem
TRAVEL DIARY: NAZARE As we were leaving Fatima, the rain started again. We resumed our journey toward Nazare approximately an hour’s drive ahead. Glad to see the blue skies as we were approaching town. Nazare is one of the most picturesque seaside towns in Portugal Proceeded to the market stalls. Legend has it that nobleman…
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…
Saturday Blue Skies in High Street
There are many High Streets in Melbourne, but the one I am talking about is the street that runs through the city’s inner north suburbs of Northcote, Thornbury and Preston. Surprising news this week, as Time Out magazine ranked High Street as the coolest street in the world. In my opinion it is not, but when…
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…
On our way to Sintra
Some drive by shots of DOORS on our way to Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra. Linked to Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge
Metal pelicans all in a row
Large metal sculptures of pelicans are set on raised platforms jn the Marriott Waters Recreation Reserve in Lyndhurst. Linked to Debbie’s 6WS
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…
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…
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…
London Public Art for a Cause
Discovered a Gorilla Trail in the heart of Covid Garden in London. Was disappointed that I just saw 3 instead of the 15 life size gorillas that was scattered there. This trail aims to show the beauty of this endangered species as well as educate the people on what is being done to help their…
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…
Paris, here we come…
TRAVEL DIARY: PARIS 1 We took the Eurostar from London to Paris on the 8th of October. The moment we emerged from the bustling Gare du Nord station in Paris we were greeted by a spectacular view and sunshine. The hotel we reserved on Belleville turned out to be small, but it wasn’t as tiny…
Finsbury Park doors
TRAVEL DIARY: LONDON Departed Melbourne on October 4th, I endured a challenging 25-hour flight (including stopovers and layovers), finally reaching Heathrow Airport in the early morning. Upon our early arrival in London at my son’s place, I resisted the urge to nap, aiming to maintain my sleep schedule. Instead, I took a stroll around my…