Palm Beach - Near Cairns

In September we took off for a week at Palm Beach. It was a week spent with Anthony, Jenny and little Luke whilst Lauren and Tim joined us for about 4 days. A terrific family holiday.



Luke, who has several months of swimming lessons had a great time in the pool. No fear and as per the photo seemed to think there were no reasons for all the safety warnings.

Luke, and his dad, Pa and Uncle Tim spent a lot of time playing with the ball. Mum joined in to play "jumping into the pool for dad to catch me" which Luke thought was great.

We celebrated Lauren's birthday whilst in Palm Beach. Lots of walks down the beach and then celebrated father's Day at one of the local restaurants. Great time - particularly as everyone lives in different states and we don't get together very often. It was also great to spend some time with Luke where he could really get to know us all a bit.

Hamilton Island

By February, the Project we are working on was up and running. All bids reviewed, all contracts in place and work started. It had been a busy and full-out period since Ian had joined me in Brisbane and we decided we needed a couple of days off to rest and relax. It was also our 35th wedding anniversary which did deserve something more than just a dinner out with a glass of wine. so Ian had booked a surprise trip to Hamilton Island. this island is off the Queensland cost and part o the Whitsunday group.

We had a wonderful suite on the top floor of the Reef Hotel.

Great rooms , great views from two lovely balconies. the island had terrific restaurants and we both ate far too much. It was rather fun getting around as the island traffic system was based on golf carts - which Ian tried very hard to "hoon" around in.

Being there also gave us the idea of having a full family get together at somewhere similar later in the year.

Christmas in Madrid - Part 3 Christmas Day

The main meal of the Christmas season is usually held on Christmas Eve in Spain and as we had determined to "do what the Spaniards do" we had arranged for this meal to be taken at the Ritz Hotel. Therefore we packed up our bags and shifted across the square into the majestic Ritz Hotel for a couple of days. Our room was on the 1st floor - the window to the left of the flags. A lovely room,in a wonderful old hotel which truly had the best service we had so far encountered in our many hotel visits around the world.

Just to make you all very jealous Christmas Eve Gala Dinner menu was: Goose liver brochette and scampi wrapped with bacon and Boletus Edulis for appetizers; Toasted almond cream with marinated salmon for soup; Wild mushroom raviolis with its emulsion and Black Truffle from Soria; Grouper fillet with potato crust and basil puree; Traditional Ritz stuffed turkey; Apricot and yogurt gelatin with a sweet wine sauce, nuts and raspberries for desert; finally followed by Coffee and Traditional Christmas Delights. This was accompanied by Cattier Antique Champagne, Electio 05 (Xarel -lo) - D.O. Penedes, Dominio de Atauta 04 (Tinta del Pais) - D.O. Ribera del Duero, Quinta do Portal Vintage 00. Altogether a magnificent meal and one which we will remember for some time to come.
After such a meal, there was a need to exercise the following day - so we headed off to the Parque Del Buen Retiro. We had thought we would be the only people wandering around, but it seemed that many of the Spanish residents of Madrid also planned to spend some time on Christmas day looking around these lovely gardens. Brass bands played, the modern version of Punch and Judy were set up in several strategic places around the wide promenades, families followed children playing on new toys, and we just wandered around taking it all in.

The Crystal Palace with its reflective lake, hanging trees, fountain and wild ducks was well worth finding. As was the centre lake with its very impressive monument. As it is winter here, the trees were bare and have a beauty that is almost eerie - particularly when the day was so bright and crisp.

By mid afternoon we had walked off most of the morning's breakfast and some of last nights meal and decided it was time to head back to the hotel for hot coffee. The hotel had left a delightful surprise in our room of Christmas chocolate log, various other Christmas sweets and a bottle of Spanish sherry - so much for the coffee. That evening there was a very talented singing quartet who performed for a couple of hours in the Ritz Bar, which really topped the day off perfectly.

Whilst Christmas overseas, away from family will never seem to be a "real Christmas", Madrid certainly provided us with some memorable experiences and wonderful sights. The Ritz and the Western Palace Hotels were both great and the Christmas season lights and fireworks dazzling. A great way to spend the festive season if you cannot get home

Christmas in Madrid - Part 2 Day Trip to Toledo

A trip to Madrid, we had been told, should include a day trip to Toledo. So we arranged for a tour company to pick us up and take us about 1 hour out of Madrid and show us around this city. Historically, Toledo was the first capital city of Spain from the invasion of the Goths in the 6th century - up until 1560. With various groups conquering Spain during this period, the architecture of the city displays influences ranging from medieval, moorish, arabian, and gothic. It is a little like stepping back into a time-warp.

The city also boasts of a multi-cultural / multi-religious population made of the Christian majority with Jewish and Islamic members which has also influenced the buildings of the region.

The Cathedral was magnificent with its beautiful tower providing a wonderful balance to the main square which included the Bishop's residence. From this initial stopping point the tour took us through lovely old streets which have retained the cultural and historical character - partially through its World Heritage Listing in 1986 - but also because of the obvious pride its residents have for the place. Whilst it must be maddening for the locals to have bus loads of tourists wondering all over the roads....blocking traffic....and getting in the way, local drivers were extremely patient and accomodating.

The monastery was another wonderful gothic building, with an amazing internal cloister.

The day of our tour was extermely foggy. We had been told that the views from the old walled city were fantastic - unfortunately we did not see them. Therefore we missed seeing the famous bridges and and the views from the various outlooks on the old city walls.

We were able to enter into the old Jewish synagogues, with its lovely ceiling and its surprising christian altar. The most impressive interior was found in the City's church.

Carved stonework, a fabulous altar, and really impressive windows meant that this stop was one of the highlights of the tour.

The tour did come with the inevitable stop at the local jewlery stop and souvenir rest stop - but I suppose these are to be expected on the typical bus tour.
If we were making the trip again, we would hire a car and spend the day looking around on our own. The design of the city is such that it is almost impossible to get lost and if it is entered on one side - it is possible to walk through the historical area and exit the opposite side through the very imposing city gates.

Christmas in Madrid - Part 1

With only a few days of annual leave left after our long trip to Australia in September, we decided to have a European Christmas for 2007. With our regular Australian Christmas being warm to hot we are used to Christmas holidays soaking up the sun at the beach, picnics and bbqs with a seafood and salad Christmas lunch - so this year promised to be very different.
Taking the train from Malaga to Madrid allowed us to see a little of the country side during the three hour trip. We had booked into the Western Palace hotel for the first few days and the Ritz for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Both hotels were ideally placed - close to museums, major city squares, parks and transport.

The night we arrived we headed to a little restaurant "Botin" founded in 1725 and claiming to be the oldest in Europe.

Situated just off Plaza Mayor, it did not look much from the outside - however inside was great.....downstairs to a low roof cavern where the food and the service was memorable. Plus it is just one of those places you have to go to - just to say you have been.
The walk back to the hotel was through lovely little dark allyways and local squares which were lit up for Christmas with lots of families and couples around looking at the lights.

The next day was where we tried to take in some culture (and for those that know us well - we do occasionally attempt this - not always successfully - but we try). The Prada art museum beckoned and Ian went over and purchased tickets at 9am. We had been told that there would be a long wait......he was not sure if he just lucked out or if being early was the answer - but he was the only one there and had his tickets immediately - so we spent the day browsing the various sections of the museum, including a special exhibition dedicated to Velazquez. Neither of us know much about the art world but we do enjoy spending time at exhibitions and trying to get a handle on what the artist was attempting to portray.

I think both of us find the 16th to the 20th century traditional artists easier to understand than some of the modern pieces. However, we have spent some time over the last few years viewing Picasso and some of his contemporaries and are gradually learning a bit about them. Therefore the following afternoon we also trooped off to the Musea Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia - which is focused on Spanish modern artists. Ian was keen to see Picasso's Guernica which was painted in 1937 and included a series of sketches which demonstrated the development of the piece.

The evening was spent looking at the Christmas lights and having dinner at a nice little bistro we found on our walk. Once back in the Hotel, I "veged" whilst Ian went out to view the fireworks which were released over the Palace de Commicationes. Our window looked towards the square so I received a pretty good view of them also.

Madrid is a beautiful city with wonderful buildings, lovely parks and interesting little squares and laneways. The Plaza Mayor is known for its Christmas Markets which are set up each year in December. The square is lovely in its own right - but add the Christmas decorations and stalls and it was a nice way to spend the morning browsing.
The square is surrounded with wonderful cafes and small good shops which specialise in the hams and cheeses from Spain. Being Christmas weekend, they were busy with wives selecting the food for the Christmas Eve meal. The husbands, in the meantime, kept themselves busy either minding the kids at the stalls or stamp swapping, which seemed to occur at every light post in the square.

It was a great way to spend a morning and with the art museums from the day before and in the afternoon, left us very tired and foot sore but glad we had come.

Week trip - Netherlands and Italy November 19th 2007

Every now and again Ian's job takes him to an international destination for a few days. When possible I accompany him - call me the luggage. A recent trip to Amsterdam and Padova Italy provided an opportunity to have a quick look around Amsterdam, Milan and Venice.

Day 1 of the trip was spent in Amsterdam. This beautiful city has so much to see.....obviously a day just is not enough. Accompanied by friend Beth we decided to fit in viewing the Anne Frank's House museum, Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

Anne Frank's house is right in the middle of Amsterdam and was set up to display how the family hid during WWII. Walking through the building it was amazing that they were discovered as late as they were. The museum uses the words of the diary to explain the house and the circumstances the family were in.

Catching a tram across to the Rijksmuseum, we spent a couple of hours viewing old masterpieces, wonderful dolls houses and fabulous delftware. The delftware showed the heavy influence of the imports from the Dutch East India Company with its Asian influence affecting the type of designs and items produced. The old masterpieces clearly displayed the influence these Dutch masters had on the art world with their focus on light, reflection and depth. We followed with a trip through the Van Gogh Museum where impressionism was the focus. Beth's favorite piece was one of Van Gough's sunflower scenes which we actually found out was from a series designed to decorate a room in Van Gogh's house. That evening we again went into the centre of the city for a meal at a Thai restaurant just down from the red light district which anyone familiar with Amsterdam knows is one of the city's famed features.

Next day we were off to Padova (Padua) in Italy. This lovely walled city is situated along the Bachiglione River, between Verona and Venice. Much quieter than Venice and Milan it was a delightful place to stay for a couple of days with its historic Basilica di Sant'Antonio and beautiful old town centre. The shopping area was full of the Italian designer boutiques which was good for window shopping and adding to the Christmas "wish list" and finding a tourist agent which could sell me a train ticket to Milan for the following day.


Venturing by train to Milan was an interesting experience in itself. Having NO Italian language skills determining the correct station, platform and train was a bit hit and miss. However, thanks to the assistance of a nice couple who spoke as much English as I spoke Italian, I found my way into the correct seat, carriage and train. Two hours I arrived in Milan to catch up with friend Kathy who had settled in Milan three months earlier and provided company and guidance for the day. A short trip from the main central station and we arrived at the Duomo Cathedral. This spectacular building is awe-inspiring. The inside was covered with huge old master paintings and the stain glass windows were great - even with zero sun on a dismal winter day. From the cathedral square we were able to enter the "original Galleria". Again impressive architecture with glass archways and domes and a great place to warm up with a Caffe Latte (proper Italian style)

The entire area around the Cathedral was filled with architecturally interesting buildings. Walking along and finding ancient squares where buildings seemed to have been built from a series of different eras. This is definitely one area we will need to revisit and spend some serious time with a top guide book which will explain the buildings, their history and the cultural component of their existence. From here a quick visit to Kathy's place and another wonderful coffee and it was time to return to Padova for the evening.

Next day was another train trip - this time to Venice where it was COLD. My previous visit to Venice was disappointing. It was the middle of summer, the place was filled with people and we were on a bus tour which, in hindsight, was not the best way to see the city. This time, even though cold, I now saw why people love this water city. Taking a taxi down the main canal to St Marc's square, the water (much higher than last time) was lapping on the bottom steps of many of the centuries old palaces and museums. As I had seen St Marc's square previously I spent a couple of hours wondering around the narrow alleyways along the edge of the canal before catching another water taxi to the airport. Meeting up with Ian and the rest of the business guys we caught the plane back to Spain via about 40 minutes on the ground in Paris. Yes, we did make the connecting flight (just) and believe it or not - so did the luggage. My thoughts from this trip - we certainly need to return and spend some serious sightseeing time in all the cities visited during this week - just need to find the time.

Back to Oz -

The big event for this year was the wedding of our son Anthony to his lovely partner Jenny. This occasion occurred on the 22nd September on a wonderful spring day in Melbourne Australia. I suppose we got the easy end of the day. Being the grooms parents meant a fairly relaxed day, with our responsibilities confined to making sure the suits were ready, shirts ironed, shoes cleaned and the guys fed before the big event. As we were overseas our pre-wedding jobs were also light on as Jenny and Anthony with the help of Jen's parents had everything planned beautifully.

It was a great day with family and friends from England, Scotland, South Australia and of course Victoria (and Spain obviously) all joining the bride and groom celebrate their day. Whilst Nana and Pa Selway were able to make the day, unfortunately Gran and Pa Berki missed the event with Pa having major surgery a few days earlier. However, our trip back did provide us with the opportunity to catch up with them and help out a bit with hospital visits and making sure Gran had everything she needed whilst watching over Pa. Daughter Lauren was a great help taking on a house full of visitors, acting as usher and reader at the wedding and generally keeping everything sane for the month we were back in Australia.

The reception was held at the Park Hyatt in the city and was great, with the speeches by Anthony's mates, Simon (Jen's Dad) and Anthony being amongst some of the best. Jenny looked wonderful, the bridesmaid were lovely and the guys did pretty good on the appearance front as well. Altogether a terrific day (even if it did seem a long time coming) and Ian and I could not be happier in welcoming Jenny officially into the family (mind you she has been accepted as part of the family for quite some time).

After 4 weeks of excitement and emotion, it was time to get back on the planes for the long haul back. Due to work Ian flew straight through to Spain whilst I took the opportunity to stop over and have another week in Kuala Lumpur as it was my last chance to see everyone for this year. Another great week and then time for a rest back in Spain

Week Break in Singapore 27 July

I joined Ian in Singapore for his last week. Whilst Malaysia has colour, traffic, character and its associated frustrations, Singapore "works". It is the only airport I have experienced where immigration and customs is a smooth, SHORT process. Whilst Ian spent everyday working (and most of the evenings as well) I had plenty of time to explore, shop and stock up various items I have found difficult to find in Spain (most likely due to my inability to converse in the Spanish language).

Ian and I headed out to my favorite dining spot in Boat Quay which has salt and pepper soft shell crab. I have tried this dish in many countries and it is only in Singapore that they seem to get it just right. We caught the national day firework practise which was very impressive and partially made up for missing the Malaysian fireworks competition being run in September to commemorate their 50th birthday. We also tried out the Thai food on the opposite site of the river this trip, the view was terrific with the old cafes and Asian boats reflected in the river, backed by high rise towers and fireworks against the dark sky.

The Hilton Hotel on the corner of Scotts and Orchard Roads sells the "best" Margarita - see the picture of Ian with his coke spider and the SIZE of the frozen Margarita I was served. From this corner it is possible to just sit and watch the world of Singapore pass by.

It was the end of sale time in Singapore and I was able to pick up a few shirts for Ian as well as some great designer baby clothes for my niece. At sale time some of these lovely little items are as cheap as Target (KMart style store) bits and pieces back home. I was also able to locate some study books that I was having trouble sourcing in Spain.....so a successful week. As we were staying at the Park Hyatt on Scotts Road, getting around the shopping area is very easy, with walking bridges and underground trains within 50 meters of the hotel. The only disappointment was the spa treatment I had whilst there. Malaysian spas are generally very Asian and very good. The Singapore Spa seemed to cater for the Western type of customer and the massage was rather soft and did not leave me with the same sense of well-being usually achieved from an Asian style Spa. Not to worry - I'll make up for it in KL in October

Week Break in Kuala Lumpur July 20th

A three week work stint in Singapore for Ian provided a great opportunity for me to tag along and pop up to Malaysia for a week to catch up with some of the "breakfast group". Our time living in KL was spent in the apartment block connected to the Prince Hotel which provided a residence lounge as part of the facilities. Many of the "long termers" became close friends, and would meet in the lounge regularly for breakfast and arrange shopping, lunches etc etc etc. So it was terrific to catch up with some of the ladies (and little Sienna) and ofcourse Meg (who is now pregnant) and hear the "KL news".

Good friends Monica and David provided accomodation, and Monica and Pilar kept me company on the inevitable shopping trips. Kuala Lumpur must be one of the shopping capitals of the world. It provides a mix of latest top designer fashions, local cultural buys, wonderful asian antiques and curiosities, great food and, of-course China Town. THE shopping place is KLCC. Sitting at the base of the twin towers, this centre includes a couple of department stores as well as the big name designer shops - plus has some great coffee places. The Prince is located one street away from Bukit Bintang - a street which is made up of shopping centres. Lot 10, KL Plaza, Starhill, BB Plaza, and the soon to be opened Pavilion. So the week was spent visiting all the old haunts and catching up with the sales.

It did seem strange to be back in KL with so many of the old faces no longer there. However, the old habit of meeting down in Eccochino Restaraunt continues with David and DJ joining the ladies for dinner. One of the downsides to Malaysia (and many other areas of Asia) is the risk of contracting Dengue Fever through mosquitos. Monica had several stings early in my visit and towards the end of my time with her was feeling unwell. A couple of days after leaving KL, she was hospitalised with Dengue Fever. She has recovered, returned to the Prince and is soon to be on her way to a holiday "down under".

It was a great week, stocked up on goodies, caught up with good friends, checked out the old haunts and will be back in early October to see the guys at the pool bar - Rodzie, Linda, and Tommy