Category: Uncategorized

Palm Coast Florida

28 April 2018

Yesterday afternoon I had booked an Airbnb in Ormond Beach only to arrive and find that my booking was cancelled by the host. When this happens Airbnb are quick to assist find an alternate property and, as was the case with me, it was difficult to find something last minute at the same price and Airbnb meet any additional cost for a property which might cost more than the original booking. I was so glad the Ormond Beach property cancelled as I would not have had the privilege of staying in the home of Lev and Galina. I have never met a Korean with a Russian accent before and I fell in love with Galina. Perhaps it is because she said my hair colour looked “flirty”.

Prior to my “Odyssey” I decided to stop colouring my hair as it is always difficult to manage when travelling and I also think it is time for me to accept my hair colour is “silvering”. Since this decision I have noticed how many women look beautiful, classy, sexy, quirky or all of this with going natural. I have found it very liberating.

After Galina and Lev gave me a wonderful breakfast of crepes and potato and bacon omelette I drove to the Bulow Plantation Ruins.

There wasn’t much of the ruins left as the plantion house was destroyed by fire.

The area is very pretty for hiking and swimming, although not sure I would go in for a swim.

Driving to my next Airbnb the at the Palm Coast I dropped into the Bulow Plantation RV Park. Similar concept to the Australian caravan park.

These quaint cabins are $US50 per night but they have no cooking facilities or bathroom.

I saw some of the 55+ communities I have been hearing about in my travels. I tried to get access to this one but no-one answered the access phone number.

There is a 55+ ( also known as “age-restricted”) community in Florida called “The Villages” and I would have liked to rent an Airbnb to experience this area which has a population of over 125,000. It is the fastest growing small city in the USA. One of the problems of these communities is if a grandparent becomes the carer of grandchildren there is 90 day time restriction. If a spouse under 55 is widowed, most often they are forced to sell the property. With 9 golf clubs, cinema, supermarkets and shops, the common mode of transport is golf buggies. I wouldn’t mind trying out this community for a few months each year.

This evening my host took me to the Moonrise Brewing Company for an amateur comedy night.

This is in the lovely European Village area.

Oviedo/Cassadaga Florida

27 April 2018

Oviedo is known for the downtown wild chickens roaming the streets. I had trouble working out where they might be and found the local library and thought they would be sure to have the information I was looking for. Just as I got out of the car I heard a rooster crowing. Couldn’t see him, nor the chickens but saw feed which is left out by the locals.

I do love the trees in these southern parts, with the hanging air moss.

I then drove to Cassadaga, a spiritual village of pyschics and mediums. Yes, I had my cards read and we will have to wait for the Fall or did she mean Australian Autumn to see if there is any credibility in what was read.

I will admit the village gave me a feeling of peace and serenity.

With street names of Spiritualist Street and Mediumship Way and Seance Crescent

Orlando via Oslo

26 April 2018

I am back in the USA so I can continue with my roadtrip.

I left my airbnb in Barcelona and took the Aerobus from the Placa Catalunya to the airport. This is such a convenient service. You can buy the 5.9EUR one way or 10.90EUR tickets online or at the vending machine at the bus stop and ou can use either cash or card. Or a taxi is around 30EUR.

The plane trip was uneventful except for being taken into a private room at the airport for a “random” security check at Oslo airport. I was half expecting to be asked to strip off. I can’t imagine what made me stand out but all of course was ok. Yes it was a curious route to take from Barcelona to Orlando. Flying into Oslo I almost hoped that I could miss my connecting flight to Orlando as the scenery from the plane was so pretty with a view of green pine trees and a frozen waterway with scattered snow in between the trees. I will put that on my list to visit one day.

I arrived in my Orlando air bnb at 11:00pm and will look at where my road trip takes me to tomorrow.

Barcelona

25 April 2018

In Australia this day is an important one of rememberance for all the ANZACS who served at Gallipoli in WWI and in all wars and peacekeeping services. I thank all who have fought to keep Australia a free nation.

On my last day in Barcelona I took it easy walking and taking in the city and surrounds.

Arc de Triomf (Arco de Truiunfo)

Parc d’lestació Del Nord

The flowers of this tree fly around like cotton wool. I don’t think it is very good for my allergy but pretty.

Bus terminal

Sheryl and I stumbled across the best place for lunch. Mónibèric is a cured ham bar.

4.5EUR gets you a baguette with Iberian ham (prosciutto) and a glass of beer or wine or soft drink. Orange juice is extra. I had the local Cava, Sheryl had a beer.

Tent city protesting against violation of constitutional rights. Derechosgarantizados.org

These caught my attention.

You can’t sell or buy marijuana legally but you can grow and smoke it.

Rubber duckies!!

Can anyone understand this sign?

La Boqueria Barcelona(Barcelona Market)

This is the end of my trip to Barcelona. Tomorrow I return to my USA (Odyssey) road trip. Gracias merci Barcelona and Catalonia. I had a ball. Until we meet again.

Gothic Quarter Catalunya and Gaudi tour

24 April 2018

I did a free walking tour with Free Walking Tours Barcelona. Kim and Sheryl came along and we met another person from the cruise, Gloria. These are my favourite tours. You pay what you think the tour was worth at the end.

First stop the Roman Ruins.

William the Hairy the founder of Catalonia.

Sculpture celebrating the sport of Human Towers.

Some of the sites in the old part of Catalunya (Catalonia)

We had lunch in Bilbao Berria, a “pintxos” which is similar to a sushi train concept but delicious Spanish food. We have to open a place like this in Sydney.

This cost EUR5.85.

In the afternoon I did the Gaudi Free Walking Tour.

I cannot find the words to describe these brilliant works of art.

His first and last City commissioned piece.

Palau Gueĺĺ

Casa Batlló

Casa Milà La Pedrera.

Sagrada Famiglia overloads the optic senses. What to photograph? And the photograph doesn’t capture the feeling of this conglomerate of architecture.

We went to farewell Denny with a drink on his balcony overlooking La Rambla. Slowly parting ways with our cruise friends.

Montserrat Monastery Spain

23 April 2018

On the way to meet friends to go to Montserrat, I experienced Barcelona’s celebration of

St Jordi’s (St George) Day, a celebration similar to St Valentine’s Day, with a twist. The men give a rose to the woman they love, be it their partner, sister or friend and the woman gives the man a book.
The Red Cross (Crue Roja) had a stall selling roses and I introduced myself as a fellow volunteer. At the same moment, Denny (whom I met on the 15 day Transatlantic cruise) saw the stall and did the same thing. Bumping into each other in Barcelona, Denny and I discovered we had another thing in common, working for Emergency Services, not just dancing and travelling.

I then met up with friends for my adventure to Montserrat.

You can take a train to the Montserrat Monastery which costs 16EUR each way or have a friend like Stu who drove Taria, Sheryl, Kim and I, stopping off for some of the most spectacular views which photos do not do justice.

At Montserrat we were so in awe we took our time taking everything in.

I got my obligatory police photo.

The Basilica with the Black Madonna was packed with people to hear the boys choir singing.

There are so many trails you could spend a week here. We took theSant Joan Funicularto enjoy the views of Montserrat and Catalunya and to explore some of the walking trails.

We then took a slow walk up the mountain along the hermitage path to Sant Joan Chapel.

This is quite exhausting and the farmers markets were calling so we decided to put together a picnic before we returned to Barcelona.

We had a picnic feast of prosciutto, figs, potato omelette, several cheeses, nougat and fresh baguette.

Highly recommend at least a whole day at Montserrat but I would have enjoyed at least 3 days there. There is a lovely reasonably priced hostel at Montserrat.

Barcelona

22 April 2018

After 1.5 hours sleep I was awoken for the last time by cruise director, Andre’s announcements.

I disembarked, easily found a taxi to my Airbnb 6 minutes walk to Las Ramblas a perfectly central part of Barcelona. If you come to this amazing city it is a must to stay within walking distance of Las Ramblas.

My sons told me I would love it here and they are so right.

First I contacted friends from the ship Stu and Sheryl and found them staying 6 minutes from me, close to Las Ramblas. We met up and went for a sangria and tapas in Las Ramblas.

We looked up and found Denny staying at The International Cool Hotel Las Ramblas. Where else would Denny stay!!

Then went for a drink here. I can’t remember what it’s called or where it is. I went here again next day and found it is called Placa Reial.

I left here to go to my place as I was exhausted. It took 2 hours to do a 10 minute walk as I got lost but found a rooftop bar at the Hotel Colon.

With this view.

Still lost.

Back at the Cathedral again and it is a lot later. I kept losing GPS signal in the Gothic quarter. I now know to stick to the main roads when going back to where I am staying as the city is a rabbit warren.

Nearly back at my Airbnb as the Palau de la Musica is nearby.

I got hungry after all that walking so had dinner at 10:00pm.

What a day!!!

Final Day transatlantic cruise NCL Epic

21 April 2018

The last day of my 15 day transatlantic cruise is a sea day and sadly has come to an end.

However, Firstly I woke at 7:30am to watch my NRL game to find out that it would be televised live on the ship at 9:30am so I was able to get another 2 hours sleep. Unfortunately my Wests Tigers were beaten in the last minute to Newcastle Knights.

This disappointed me for a short time as I quickly remembered I needed to get in an enjoy my last day of this cruise where I visited lovely parts of the world and had fun onboard the Norwegian Epic.

One fun game played onboard was LRC (left right centre) it was the best $3 spent on each sea day. With the opportunity to win up to $200 and socialising with fun people. When we were down to me and another person fighting for the pot I had sweaty hands and felt a lot of pressure especially with 50 people chanting my name. Unfortunately I did not win the money but felt the love of many people.

Last dinner at the Manhattan room with Sarah Stu and Denny.

Final night of dancing with these friends.

Wonderful friends were made on this cruise. Luckily many will be getting off in Barcelona tomorrow so we can wean ourselves off the separation.

Malaga Spain

20 April 2018

Day 13 of this wonderful cruise took us to Malaga, Spain. Sheryl, Grant, Sylvia, Kim and I paid a taxi driver 80EUR for a two (2) hour tour of the city. Our taxi driver (tour guide) Jose Luis took us to the Castillo Gibralfaro de Malaga (Gibralfaro Castle in Malaga)

The Basilica Real y Santuario de Santa Maria de la Victoria has a crypt which is described as the scariest. What do you think?

Then upstairs there is “Heaven”

The museum has interesting artifacts including a velvet cloak hand stitched with silver thread.

Alcazaba of Malaga (sounds like something out of Harry Potter) is a foryress palace in the middle of Malaga.

A must do is have a drink and feed at El Pimpi, the oldest tapas bar in Malaga and owned by Antonio Banderas.

French contemporary art museum Pompidou Malaga

Dinner with these funsters Stu, Danny and Sarah.

After dancing in the Bliss every night could not pass up a snack at O’Sheehan’s. I worked up an appetite dancing as always at the Glow party. Then a quick snack with Alex at 4:00am because I had to be up for the Wests Tigers v Newcastle Knights NRL match at 7:30am.

Gibraltar UK

19 April 2018

I was excited about exploring the Rock of Gibraltar. I was looking forward to getting a photo of African coast from the top of the rock. I walked into town to get the cable car to the top of the rock hoping that by the time I got to town the walk would warm me up. It was so cold, windy and cloudy and I was inappropriately dressed so I returned to the ship to change clothing. With warmer clothes and 1.5 hours later I found the cable car queue was so long I was concerned I would not get back to the ship in time before sailaway. I explored the town instead. I find it very interesting that this is a British colony and the first language is Spanish. The currency accepted in all the stores is USD, EUR and Pounds.

The Trafalgar Cemetery is a tranquil spot.

The red telephone boxes are a novelty. You can see how cold I was here.

Have a giggle with one of my accent misunderstandings. Every time I say I am going to party many Americans think I am saying I am going to the potty.

Once back at the ship in the sheltered area of the Spice H2O deck you can see the temperature was quite different.