Impressions of the trip

So that's it for this year.
Loved Istanbul - a bit chaotic, lots of touts trying to sell things, touristy and busy even in off season. But sitting in the park between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia in the sun was magical. We'll probably go back to Turkey, take in other parts of the country.
For me, Santorini was the highlight for a number of reasons. The weather was perfect, the views stunning, the volcano and Akrotiri historically interesting, the food good, the prices reasonable and the sunset over Oia one of life's great moments.
We're very likely to go back, probably to another Island or cruise around them.
Eastern Europe had its highs and lows. Not much in Bucharest but I'd never been to any of Eastern Europe so wanted to see it, and it was pretty much as I expected. Brasov was a good excursion to get out of the city to see some of the country on the train and visit a castle.
Prague was full of magnificent buildings in amazing condition and there was plenty to see. It was spoilt by the sheer number of people, but I can't really complain because we were part of it. The astronomical clock was interesting, the Charles Bridge a great sight and just wandering around the city marvelling at all the buildings was fascinating.
Krakow old town was very pleasant, the square was very nice and picturesque, and the castle good, plus the Da Vinci painting was worth seeing.
Didn't really see much of Warsaw, the old town square was probably the main attraction.
Riga and Tallinn were a pleasant surprise - both very pretty and interesting (but cold!). Also surprisingly busy with tourists. The buildings in Riga, although for the most part rebuilt after the war, were beautiful, especially (for me), the Art Nouveau area.
The old walls and red tiled roofs of Tallinn were interesting, and just walking around the old town was very pleasant.
Only spent a half day in Helsinki, not a lot to see there.
St Petersburg was much as I expected, but I may have been more impressed had I not been to Prague and Riga first. St Petersburg was a different scale to these 2, but a lot of the buildings were looking a bit neglected. Even part of the Hermitage museum had crumbling masonry outside. We passed a Palace just around the corner from the main square that was boarded up and covered in graffiti.
But there are so many incredible buildings and sights there, including the hermitage museum where every room was spectacular, plus the artwork impressive, a good collection.
Moscow was mainly a transport stop for us to fly from, so we didn't see much. Red Square was smaller than I expected, St Basil's Cathedral remarkable, GUM different to what I thought and the metro stations all elaborately designed.
Dubai was a rest stop for us to recover, disappointed the Burj Khalifa was so expensive - I just didn't think it was worth it.
Next year I have my long service leave - 3 months holiday.
However, we've decided that doing so many places and taking 4-5 weeks is too draining. Both of us have got ill at the end, and it happened to me the last 2 times as well, so we think we'll cut it back a bit next year.
We have been thinking of a couple of weeks in New Zealand, then back home for a spell, then some time in France, mainly Paris, over to England, Ireland, Scotland and perhaps Iceland, but staying longer in each place so we're not as rushed.

Day 31 - Dubai (last day)

Last day. Phew.
Woke up late, the jet lag probably kicked in. Went over to the mall to get what was now lunch. Found a Paul's patisserie (did I mention we like them?). I had a chicken and mushroom crepe with cheese sauce, Song had a chicken and salad sandwich. Sat there for a while then left the mall to do our only bit of sight seeing. Got a cab there, only to see a metro station almost next to it.
It was a historical house and mock up of a traditional village. It was also empty, I guess most people come here for the tower and the shopping (although the prices are cheaper in Melbourne).
The house was interesting, had lots of old photos of Dubai and old documents like an agreement from 1965 with Shell to extract oil. The photos showed that Dubai was basically a collection of traditional mud houses in 1950 with a population of around 3000. It's grown a bit since that.
Wandered around for a couple of hours, Song still ill, then took the metro back. Song went back to the hotel, I watched another movie.
Back to the hotel, sleep, flight tomorrow, last daily post of the trip.
Looking forward to getting back home now.

Day 30 - Dubai

Flight was 5 hours, didn't get any sleep. The Ukrainian woman next to me spent most of it applying make up and doing her hair and kept nudging me. Frankly, it wasn't worth the effort. One of the cabin crew looked remarkably like a younger Angelina Jolie, so that was nice. Arrived at 02:00, airport was busy but got through easily. Taxi took us to the hotel which was only 10 minutes away and he moaned for most of it because he'd been waiting an hour and wanted a longer trip - seems they are the same the world over. I put my violin away and paid him the $13.
We hadn't booked the hotel for this day, weren't sure what we would do, but he gave us a cheaper rate so we took it otherwise we would need to find something to do for 6 hours at 04:00 in the morning.
Slept like a log, woke up around 10:00 then out to a shopping mall to get something to eat. Walked out of the hotel into an oven - a big change from recent places. Luckily the mall was just around the corner, and it was huge, cool and busy. Went straight to the food court and both had an appalling excuse for a meal but since we both had blocked noses were fortunate we couldn't really taste it. Song had a noodle thing and I had a toasted sandwich, and the less said about it the better.
Not satisfied with the size of this mall, we got the metro to the Dubai Mall, apparently the largest in the world.
The metro was packed, realised it was Saturday. Got off and walked to the mall. And walked, then walked a bit more with the aid of travellators, then did a bit more walking till we eventually got there. The main reason for going was to go up the Burj tower, but the weather was a bit hazy so wandered around the mall. This was no ordinary mall - it had a carousel, a star atrium, a dinosaur skeleton, an ice rink, 2 waterfalls and an aquarium - with sharks and stuff. In the mall.
Walked through the replica souk and stopped for a coffee and ice cream.
Carried on and discovered the high end area of the mall where there was jewellery and watches on display that cost more than the house.
Decided we'd had enough,  on the way out I asked about going up the tower and was told it would cost about $130. If I booked for the next day it would be the bargain price of $80. I thought about it for about a second and said no thanks. I'd wanted to go up but not that much. I'd rather spend the money on a decent meal.
Song had a bath and I went back over to the mall to watch a movie, cost about the same as Australia.
Came out of the movie at 22:45 and the mall was still busy, including families with young kids, all the shops still open.

Day 29 - Moscow

Found out yesterday that Red Square is closed until May 9th so we won't be able to see that.
Woke up around 7:30, Song now has a cold and sore throat, I'm feeling a bit better. Don't know where she could have got it.
Warm and sunny again, but needed a jacket.
Went around the corner to a Paul's patisserie and had a coffee and pastry.
Decided to go to the Kremlin to see which museum we could visit, they were closed yesterday.
Turned out that they had opened Red Square, so we were able to get pictures of the cathedral and the other buildings.
Pottered around for a bit but decided we'd seen enough palaces and cathedrals so went and sat down in GUM for a while.
Went outside again for more photos, then back to the hotel to chill before getting the metro and train to the airport. We flew to Kiev first, had a 2 hour stop over then onto Dubai. Bought a sandwich at the Kiev airport, had to use a credit card because we didn't have any Ukrainian Hoojamits or whatever they use, and hoped I wouldn't see charges for a couple of military helicopters on it when I got the statement.
We arrive in Dubai at 0300 in the morning because our flight was changed, but haven't booked a hotel - we may see if they have a day or hour rate, or find a lounge at the airport, or just find a seat to get some sleep.

Day 28 - Moscow

IUp at 05:00, day cold but sunny. Ordered a taxi which got us to the station in good time because there was no traffic - might be because it was May 01, I think it was a public holiday.
Train was packed, but comfortable and fast, took 3.5 hours.
Came out of the train station, had to walk around the corner, down a ramp, through some doors, down some steps, around another corner, and through some more doors to get to the metro. I've no idea why they couldn't just put in an escalator or tunnel to join it up.
Managed to get on the right train, but got off a stop early, got back on, then found the hotel easily, it was just by the station. Weather in Moscow was warm, it said 17C but felt warmer, especially after St Petersburg.
Left the hotel and walked around the corner to Arbat Street , a pleasant pedestrian street lined with restaurants, cafes and just about every portrait artist in Moscow.
Only needed a t shirt, carried on until we came to the Lenin library.
Followed the crowds and ended up outside the Kremlin, walked past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then carried on tailing the crowd through a small passage and ended up outside Gum, the famous Russian store, now home to all the luxury brands. Had a look through, decided not to buy anything, but Song went to the historical toilet and paid $2.55 and did a historical wee.
The building was very impressive.
It turned out that there had been a pro-Russian march through Red Square because of May Day so it was closed off. Hopefully it will be open tomorrow otherwise we won't be able to see it. As mentioned yesterday, we were supposed to be here for 3 days but our flight got changed so we've lost a day.
Got on the metro to go back to the hotel area to get something to eat.
The metro stations in Moscow are magnificent - huge chandeliers, marble, mosaics, statues etc.
Got off at a stop and realised we'd gone in the wrong direction, but luckily the station we ended up in had a shopping mall and we found a place, went for sushi which was actually good. Apparently one of the first foreign foods to arrive in Russia was sushi, so there are a lot of restaurants here.
Both feeling tired after the early start, went back to the hotel and relaxed. Walked 9.34 Km.

Day 27- St Petersburg

Got up late, around.09:00. Still feeling rough but not as bad as before so hopefully on the mend.
Last day in St Petersburg and just Moscow and Dubai to go, we're ready to come home now.
Weather was cold, but sunny.
Got the bus, then the metro to a monastery, a look around another cathedral, then saw that the second largest shopping mall in St Petersburg was nearby so walked there and had a coffee. I think the activity of the last few days had caught up with us, and we were both happy to sit there for a while and chill. Had a look around the place, it was basically a shopping mall so not too interesting.
Left and walked up Nesky road, took a bit longer than expected, about 40 minutes, to the same place we went to yesterday for lunch / dinner.
I had borsht to start then a chicken pie and mashed potatoes for main, Song had cabbage soup to start and the same salmon dish as the day before. No cake again.
Went outside to get on the bus, one came but we couldn't fit on, so had to wait for the next one and that was a bit of a squeeze.
Back at the hotel, just relaxed.
Walked 10.03 Km today.
Train to Moscow tomorrow - we only have one day there because our original flight was changed.

Day 26 - St Petersburg

Still feeling rotten, asked the girl at reception to write down in Russian "flu medicine" so I could go to a pharmacy later.
Had a decent breakfast, then on the bus to the Hermitage museum. When we arrived in the main square the military band was still going from yesterday.
Queued up for about 20 minutes, then in.
It's impossible to do the place justice here, it's huge. We skipped the Egyptian and Greek antiquities since we'd been to Athens, and went straight for the European art. Took in some Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Pissaro, Signac. The rooms themselves were works of art - huge chandeliers, decorated walls and ceilings, gold everywhere. There were beautiful green and blue malachite vases and tables.
The place was very busy but we managed to see the main things - including the 2 Da Vinci paintings.
The place was a maze, and we found ourselves back tracking a few times, then headed upstairs to more impressionists and other European art. There was hardly anyone on this floor, but there were paintings by Gauguin, Matisse and Picasso. At one stage Song and I had the Picasso gallery to ourselves. I was still not well, took most of the opportunities to sit down. I ached, had a headache and my nose couldn't decide whether to be blocked or running.
The upper level started to fill up with Japanese tour groups playing "my camera is bigger than yours" so we went downstairs.
Decided to have a whiz through the Egyptian area because the book said that the rooms were worth seeing.
Had a peep at the vases and other artifacts, found a tablet with hieroglyphics that I managed to translate a bit of :
"Day 7 - Cairo
Woke up at the 6th bell, down to breakfast of goat's cheese and camel meat... "
Decided we'd been on the go for a while, we went in at 10:50 and it was now 16:30, time to leave.
They don't allow food and drink inside so our first stop was to get something to eat. We didn't want to go somewhere too close to the museum so headed down the main street and saw a place that was pretty busy and right next to the bus stop so tried it.
I had beef stroganoff, Song had a fish salad to start and salmon for main. Song said hers was very good, I couldn't really taste mine.
They also had lots of cakes, but I couldn't face one but I promised the chocolate one I'd come back for it tomorrow.
Bus was packed, got off and went to a pharmacy for some drugs. I handed the piece of paper to the most miserable female assistant who sighed and dug out some medicine. I said I only wanted one of the 2 things, but she rang up both anyway. Tried again and she got the message, sighed again and pointed to the display.
Back to the hotel for a well-earned rest.
Walked 7.69 Km according to fitbit, but I reckon it's lying.

Day 25 - St Petersburg

Woke up around 8, didn't sleep very well, still had a temperature and headache. Breakfast was good, the usual fare. Caught a bus to the main square again, which was empty because the hermitage was closed, so got some good photos.
Walked over a bridge to the Peter and Paul Fortress. Another Sunny day, about 10C but warming up.
Fancied a cup of coffee so found a cafe, which fortunately had a menu outside which informed us a latte cost around $8. Decided I wasn't that desperate so walked through a park heading to a main road when Song spotted a cafe built into a grotto. It turned out this was a great find - number 39 in Tripadvisor and wonderful. We both had a home made pastry (still hot from the oven) and I had a large latte, all for about $9. What's more, the coffee tasted like coffee and not warm water that had once had a coffee bean dipped in it. As good as a Melbourne coffee.
Went into the Peter and Paul Fortress, bought a ticket for the cathedral and jail, and I wanted to visit the space exploration museum but it was closed for renovations, so I was pretty disappointed.
The cathedral was small, but had plenty of gold to make up for it. It is also the place where all the Russian Tsars were buried. There are the tombs of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Bob the pretty average.
I'm sure Putin has a spot marked out for himself.
Didn't spend too long inside, then went to the jail, known as the Russian Bastille, where they used to house political prisoners up to the 1920s.
It was interesting, but a bit of a con because it was 2 floors of identical cells, so once we'd seen one or two the rest held no interest. I have to say, the cells were pretty generous in size, I estimated about 6m by 3.5m. Not that I'd like to have stayed there, but they were roomy for a prison cell.
Wandered around the fortress for a bit longer, then out for something to eat.
Found a place from the Lonely Planet book again, traditional Georgian food.
We ordered a traditional Georgian salad (lettuce, cucumber, spring onion and a vinaigrette dressing) and a bread filled with cheese, spinach and greens. Both were good.
For main Song had Georgian sausage which came with a salad and soggy chips (most of which I ate). I had a traditional dish of chicken pieces with spices served in a pot with a sauce that was like ratatouille. Again, both were good. Despite being a bit under the weather, I had a local beer.
Sat there for a while then headed out, walking back towards the hotel.
Found ourselves back at the main square and there was a bit of a crowd. It turned out there was a full blown old style Soviet military parade going on, complete with thousands of leg-lifting, arm-swinging marching soldiers, a huge military band, armoured vehicles, rocket launchers, a choir and old men in big hats with lots of gold braid. Not sure what it was in aid of, but it was impressive and not something you see every day.
We left feeling in the mood to annex a former member state, but instead got on the bus back to the hotel.
Walked 14.39 km today.
Hermitage museum tomorrow.

Day 24 - St Petersburg

Last leg of the trip; St Petersburg, Moscow and Dubai the only stops now.
Up at 04:45, across to the station and onto the train. Wifi and power points, so watched some downloads. There wasn't much scenery. Trip took 3.3 hrs and we had our passports checked 3 times.
Lost another hour with a time zone change.
We were going to get a pick up by the hotel, but they wanted to charge $30, so we decided to use public transport. Apparently the taxis can be a bit dodgy, and there is also a tradition of flagging down any car and asking the driver to take you somewhere for a price, but we weren't game to try that.
We took the metro, down the longest escalator I've ever seen, I half expected to end up back in Melbourne. There was a stern lady in a booth at the top and bottom of the escalator (not the same one I think), whose job, it appeared, was to sit there and stare at the people and some CCTV screens all day. No wonder they looked miserable.
They did have a jaunty red hat though, so they had that going for them.
Outside the metro we asked a taxi driver how much to our hotel, he said 300 Roubles (about $9), Song offered 200, he declined so we got on a tram and hoped it was going the right way. Luckily they still employ conductors so I was able to point at the map, to which she replied "da", which means "yes".
I actually studied Russian for 2 years at high school, and "da" is about all I remember. To be fair, it was 30 years ago. I can still read Cyrillic though, so hopefully won't mistake "restaurant" for "Mafia den".
Got off at the nearest stop and dragged the cases up the worst street so far - past a couple of abandoned cars, people smoking in doorways, a woman drinking beer from a large bottle and a dead pigeon.
Luckily the room was ready so we could collapse for a while. The hotel was quite trendy - the walls of the corridors were decorated in what I believe youngsters call "street art".
Rested for a few minutes, and still feeling a bit woozy, headed out and opened the lonely planet map, and immediately discovered we had a lot to see. Weather was good - clear skies and about 17C.
Went into the Grand Choral Synagogue, walked past the Mariinsky Theatre, then along a canal, past the Yusopov Palace. Took some photos of Saint Isaac's Cathedral (didn't go in), round the corner to the Bronze Horseman, past the Admiralty, took pictures over the river of the Academy of Arts Museum, the Menshikov Palace, the Kunstkamera and the Rostral Columns. Ambled a bit more and came to the side of the Winter Palace and the Hermitage (I think it's the same thing) , into Palace Square, photos of Alexander Column, through the Triumphal Arch and into Nevsky Prospect. And this was all before lunch.
Found a place in the Lonely Planet guide and sat down in a heap. The waitress took us through the menu then said the magic words - all you can eat buffet. Now I like a challenge, so we went for one of those each. My strategy was to try a small piece of everything to determine what was edible and what was "a local delicacy", which I have found to mean "crap we can palm off on tourists".
Once I'd found what I liked, it was back to the buffet to load up on the nice things, elbowing the other customers out of the way.
Disappointed there was no dessert included, we finished up and went out again. Past the Singer building and down to the Church on the Spilled Blood, perhaps one of the most recognisable buildings in St Petersburg. Decided to go in, and were rewarded with an interior decorated completely in mosaic. Very impressive. It was a lot warmer now so managed to take off the jacket and just wear a t shirt.
Out of the church and made the bad decision to get a cup of coffee from a street vendor - a very small, watery, bitter latte for $4.
Sat in a park, looking at the Russian Museum, then past the Armenian Church of Saint Catherine, into another park to see a Statue of Catherine the Great.
Having now seen more sights in a day than in the last week, we felt a bit fatigued and decided to head back. Luckily we were on the right street to catch the tram so stood at what we thought was the tram stop and waited. 20 minutes later and no sign of a tram we flagged down the first bus that passed and did the pointing at the map trick again which solicited a "da", so we were happy.
A quick trip to the supermarket for supplies then back to the hotel.
Didn't wear the fitbit again today but we walked a long way.
I looked at some photos that Song had taken and there was some fat bloke in a lot of them. So despite all the walking I seemed to be balancing it out with the food intake.
Haven't decided what to do tomorrow yet, but the plan for tonight is to sleep a lot.

Day 23 - Tallinn and Helsinki

Had a temperature during the night and didn't sleep very well plus had a sore throat and ached a bit, felt like the flu. A bit annoying because I had a flu injection before we left.
Down to breakfast, not bad, then back to the room to pack up. We left the bags and went into the old town again. Took more photos, then on to the ferry to Helsinki. 2.5 hr trip, passed by watching some Tv downloads.
Hopped on a tram to the hotel then went out for dinner. We soon discovered Helsinki is expensive - we went to a tapas restaurant which was about number 14 in Tripadvisor, and a set menu for one was around 40 Euro. We decided to pass, then found another tapas place called Bar Celona (I see what they did there). We had 3 dishes each and that was over 12 Euro each. Pretty pricey for what we got, but the quality was good. Despite being number 605 out of 686 restaurants in Helsinki.
I was still feeling a bit rough, coughing and with a headache.
Wandered back to the hotel via a supermarket - we leave on the 06:12 train in the morning so got some supplies for the trip. We walked through the train station - it was a very good example of Art Deco architecture. We didn't have much time in Helsinki, but to be honest I don't think there is a lot to see.
For some reason we were given a hotel room designed for a wheelchair, so it was a bit bigger than a normal room and had a bath, which was just what I needed in my condition.
Train to Saint Petersburg tomorrow, have to get up at 04:30.

Day 22 - Tallinn

First people at breakfast, loaded up then dragged the cases to the bus station. I do wish the Europeans would move on from cobblestones, they look nice but are murder to pull cases along. 4.5 hour trip on the bus, went quickly as I watched some downloaded Tv shows. The buses in Europe are really good - this one had a toilet, a free coffee machine, power points and wifi.
The scenery was mainly pine trees with a couple of lakes.
Got off the bus and decided to walk to the hotel instead of getting the tram, it was about 2 km.
I'm used to not knowing what day it is when travelling because the concept of a weekend loses its meaning - but I think I've been on the road a bit too long because I didn't know what country we were in. I thought we were still in Latvia, but we were now in Estonia. It doesn't help that there are no borders any more either, so you've no idea when you go from one country to another.
Checked into the hotel, then out to explore the town. Turned around and went back in to get Song's coat because it was pretty cold.
We were right between the old town and the new one, so went into the old one.
The walls and buildings were noticeably older than the other places we've been. The sun was shining but it was a lot colder than anywhere else so far.
Ambled around for a while,  taking photos. Some of the old city walls were still there, with impressive towers topped in orange tiles. I took photos. Again. There weren't too many tourists around.
Decided to get an early dinner, so went to the number one restaurant in Tallin.
I had oven baked goat's cheese which was served on a layer of  finely chopped capsicum and came with a cream sauce. It was very good. Song had a smoked fish salad. For main Song had grilled pork with potato and roast apple and pear. I had braised elk with pureed potato, carrot and a smoked wine sauce. I can honestly say it was the best braised elk I have ever had. Actually it was good, sort of like beef but with a slightly stronger taste. For the first time on the trip we also had dessert. Song had a sea buckthorn tart (no, we hadn't heard of it either). I had a chocolate pudding with ice cream. Mine was nice,  but nothing special. I also had a beer.
Still plenty of light left in the day this far North, we grabbed the map and did a whirlwind tour of the old town. Some buildings dating back to the 1300's, still in good condition  (relatively), the inevitable churches dotted around, and the Town Square.
Having seen just about everything, walked back to the hotel. Song relaxed in the room and I went out again to get the ferry tickets to Helsinki for tomorrow, we leave at 13:30 so don't have to rush.
Back at the hotel and I've picked up a sore throat - one or both of us always seem to pick up a bug when we travel. I hoped this wouldn't develop into something worse.
Don't know how far we walked today, I left my fitbit in the room, but I suspect it was around 6 Km.
Ferry to Helsinki tomorrow.

Impressions of Riga

Riga is quite small, so while it appeared that there was not a lot to see, in fact there are some interesting sights and the day and a half we spent here enabled us to visit pretty much everything without rushing. It's a very pretty and clean place, and although a lot of the buildings are not original having been rebuilt after the war, they've kept the same designs so look good. There was no graffiti, and the people were well dressed to the point of formal. I saw a lot of men in suits and elegantly dressed women, so I wondered if there was something going on I didn't know about.
I didn't know anything about Riga before we came (and apparently it's the city of culture 2014), and I found it to be vibrant and not as I imagined, which was a severe East European ex-Soviet city. There was no evidence of the huge square concrete buildings we saw in Romania, so either they didn't build any in the city or they pulled them down as soon as they could.
The city looks prosperous, and they are the most recent country to take on the Euro (January 2014). We went into 3 reasonably sized shopping malls, all looked recently built and were full of people.
If you fancy somewhere off the beaten track a bit, I'd recommend Riga, but probably come a bit later when it's warmer.

Day 21 - Riga

Up at 8, down to breakfast, and a good selection. Sticking to my principal of "I've paid for it, I'm going to eat it“, had toast, muesli, a pastry, coffee, orange juice (2), egg,  bacon and sausage. I couldn't see over my plate to see what Song had.
Outside the sun was shining but it was cold, 5C according to Google but felt colder to me. We went back to St. Peter's church and went inside - very empty compared to other churches we've been in. The walls were bare brick and only a few icons. Went up the tower, with the aid of a lift, and got some good photos of the city but it was very cold up there in the wind. The building was virtually destroyed during the war and rebuilt in 1973 to the same design. It seems a lot of Riga was damaged during the war but they've rebuilt the historic buildings.
Walked about a bit visiting the sights marked on the map then decided to visit a cafe to warm up and use wifi.
Out and up the road to the Freedom Monument, then into yet another church, this one had paintings on the ceilings and walls. Next up was a walk around the Art Nouveau area. Apparently Riga has some of the best Art Nouveau buildings. I would have to agree - some absolutely beautiful and stunning apartment blocks. I took some photos. As far as I know there were none that we could go inside, which was a pity.
After this we carried on walking, heading to the market. The map said it was on the other side of the town, but the distances the map showed were exaggerated and getting from one place to another didn't take as long as it looked. It had warmed up, but still needed the jacket.
Walked through the city to the market, and it was huge. Some of it was outside, but the bulk of it was in 4 old Zeppelin hangars. I think it's the biggest market I've ever seen.
Finished wandering, back to the hotel for a rest before dinner.
Same place as the day before, I had scallops to start and butterfish with roasted vegetables, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes - an unusual combination but it worked. Also had a beer. Song had salad with goat's cheese for starter and seafood pasta for main. Both were very good again.
Walked to the supermarket to pick up some nibbles for the 4.5 hour bus trip tomorrow, then back to the hotel to collapse. Walked 14.57 Km today.

Day 20 - Riga

Up at 07:00, down to breakfast and filled up, had just about everything on offer. Despite the hotel being disappointing generally, I have to say the breakfast was good.
Bus to the airport, 1.5 hr flight to Riga then another bus to the hotel. The weather was still great, sun shining, but noticeably colder.
Plopped down in the hotel for a while then out for a walk. The time was about 17:00, we'd lost an hour by going across a time zone.
Riga is quite small, and the map we had made things look a long way away, but we found ourselves right in the main square quite quickly. We decided not to explore too much because we have another full day tomorrow.  A lot of the buildings were destroyed during the war,  but have been rebuilt. So they look really good if not original. We found a restaurant mentioned in TripAdvisor which looked nice and had dinner.  I ordered a Caesar salad with smoked chicken to start and Song went for cream of vegetable soup. Both dishes were excellent. For main I had lamb shank cooked in the oven and Song had Confit of duck with roasted vegetables. Again, both were really good. We've not been too lucky with meals this trip, usually we find we can pick decent restaurants even if we stumble upon them, but so far we've not had a really good meal. This was though, and because we were impressed we booked a table for the following night.
Wandered down to the shopping centre and bought some groceries, then back to the hotel.
A full day in Riga tomorrow,  there are some things we can look at in more detail, or if we find we have some time on our hands we could have a sauna or I might go to the movies.
Only walked 6.2 km today.

Day 19 - Krakow and Warsaw

Woke up around 07:30 but by the time we'd packed up and got ready was about 09:00. Walked outside into a perfect day - sunshine, blue sky and about 22C.
Skipped breakfast so that we could get to the castle early and beat the crowds - the square was empty again, it seems most tourists are late risers. Dashed past a tour group going up the hill and got tickets straight away. There were a few people waiting for it to open but we didn't have to wait long. The painting was in a small room, so we stood there looking at it for a couple of minutes then went outside to read the blurb about it. After learning a bit more about the painting went back in to have another look, and every one else had gone. So it was just me, Song and a security guard and the Da Vinci painting. Amazing. Stared for a few more minutes then left. Went into an exhibition of Oriental Art but it was quite small and mainly carpets and pots so felt a bit let down, but again we were the only people in it.
Left the castle via some catacombs down a spiral staircase, stopped to have a photo taken at a fire breathing dragon, then back to the main square for brunch. I ordered the English breakfast, Song ordered the chef's special then we swapped because we each thought the other's looked better. I think I got the best end of the deal; it was bacon, egg, tomato, lettuce in a bun.
Dash back to the hotel to check out, left the bags there and went over the road to the train station which also housed a huge shopping mall. It had been shut over Easter and now it was like a new world - lots of people and all the shops open. Sat down for an ice cream - they like their ice cream here - and used the wifi. Almost every cafe, restaurant, hotel and train station in Europe has free wifi; it's about time Melbourne and places like Chadstone had it.
Got on the train, found our compartment, and would you know it, there was a couple with a baby in it. Not content with plaguing me on planes, they've now discovered that I also use the train. When we got in it was asleep, and I hoped it would stay that way for the next three hours.
Yeah, that didn't last long. Wasn't too bad, and I put my earphones on and watched some Tv.
The Warsaw hotel was just down the road from the station so didn't take long to get there. It was around 18:00 so checked in and walked into the old town. Warsaw was only intended to be a transport stop, we catch a plane to Riga tomorrow morning.
It was still very warm and lots of people around. The town square was very nice, some old decorated buildings and restaurants around the edge. Didn't stay long and walked back to the hotel. It was a 5 star joint, but not very good at all - if we wanted internet in the room we had to pay extra, the service was poor (we had to take our bags to the room ourselves) and the shower was a hose connected to the tap and there was no pressure. I'm not trying to sound precious, but when you pay for a 5 star hotel you should get the service and facilities. Bad review coming up.
Anyway, breakfast is included so we'll go mad. Walked 17.23 km today.
Flying to Riga tomorrow.

Day 18 - Krakow

Woke up around 07:30 to bright sunshine, temperature about 9C but supposed to get to 20 later. Left the jacket behind and went with a fashionable jumper over T shirt combo.
Walked 10 minutes to the main square for breakfast, not as many people around so got some good photos in the sun with no crowds. Sat in a restaurant in the square for breakfast; I had the French one again of croissants and jam, Song had the English with eggs, bacon, sausages and mushrooms. All for about $15, which was pretty good for such a tourist spot.
There are lots of tour places offering visits to Auschwitz, but we didn't really fancy that, and to me it's not something that should be a tourist attraction.
Walked to the Warwel Castle , up a bit of a hill, but there were good views across the river.
We'd mainly come to see a Da Vinci painting, but that part was closed on Mondays so we decided to change our train ticket to Warsaw to a later time and come back the next day to see the painting - there aren't too many Da Vinci paintings around so need to take the opportunity when you can. In the meantime 2 exhibitions were open and were free, so as we never look a gift horse in the mouth, took up the offer. One exhibition was of the old castle, the original 14th century ruins. The other was of weapons and armour very similar to what we'd seen before in Prague so were glad we didn't pay for it.
The castle itself was impressive, similar to Prague - it housed a cathedral and several other buildings, but not as big as Prague.
Had a look around the cathedral, which was ok as far as cathedrals go.
Walked back down to the main square, T shirt weather now, around 20C, and stopped in a touristy place for lunch. Song had a traditional Krakow salad with sausage, I had the Cracow special of pork and bacon, and I've no idea why Krakow was spelt differently on the same menu. I also had a beer, continuing my quest to have a beer at every stop (although I failed in Romania, one day we were too busy, the others it was too cold). Both meals were about $9 each, again quite cheap for where we are. Had a stroll through the Cloth Hall in the main square which was closed yesterday, and was now selling jewellery and souvenirs, so Song was happy. Went back to the hotel to relax for a bit and to pick up the passport so Song could buy some jewellery and get the tax back. Weather still mild and lots of people around. While Song was in a jewelers I saw an ice cream shop that had a big queue so thought it must be good. It was, and it was cheap too, $3.50 for 2 cones with 2 scoops.
Went back to the hotel for the night. Tomorrow we're going back to the castle to look at the Da Vinci painting then getting the train to Warsaw.
Walked 11.92 Km today.

Day 17 - Krakow

This is the half way point of our trip.
Didn't sleep well, the bed was a bit small and the motion of the train was like being on a plane experiencing constant turbulence. Still, it was better than just a seat. Train arrived at 06:30 and the hotel was just around the corner from the station. As usual, Song did a brilliant job with the booking - a really good hotel right near the attractions and the transport,  in this case just over the road from the station.
Couldn't check in till 15:00 which was a bit of a blow because I was hoping to have a shower, feeling a bit icky. Dropped the cases and trundled down the road to the market square. The sky was overcast and it was cold, about 7C. It was about 07:00 and Easter Sunday and everything was closed, we hoped stuff would start to open otherwise it would make for a boring day. Song was hungry and I was feeling jet lagged (or train lagged) so the sooner we could find somewhere to sit and eat the better. Found the market square and the cafes were closed but with signs of activity - yay! They didn't open until 08:00 so did a circuit of the square and by the time we'd finished it was 08:00 so we practically kicked in the door of the first one we saw. I ordered a French breakfast - 2 croissants with jam and coffee that came with the world's smallest milk jug and was virtually black but I needed it to wake me up. Song ordered eggs, ham and cheese and tea. Settled into an armchair and decided to see how long we could stay before the staff gave us dirty looks. We could see the sun had now come out but were still reluctant to leave too soon. Ordered another tea and coffee when we could see the staff talking amongst themselves and pointing at us.
Finally left the cafe and exited into the main square where the sun was shining and crowds were buzzing, the cafes all open.
Walked down to the Jewish quarter, visited a Jewish cemetery that had been destroyed during the war by the Nazis but was rebuilt. The walls had been made up of the broken tombstones.
We carried on and made our way across a bridge to the old town. There wasn't much to see as far as we could tell. Hopped on a tram back to the main square where the market stalls were in full swing and crowds were filling the restaurants, a big change from when we arrived when it was empty. Had a local sausage each from a stall then walked back to the hotel via the Barbican gate and checked in at around 13:00. The room was very modern - a Samsung tablet that controlled the heating, Tv and lighting. I had great fun turning the toilet light on and off. Song wasn't as amused as I was.
Decided we were too tired to go out again so chilled out in the room playing with the lights. Walked 11.91 Km today.

Impressions of Prague

I liked Prague, and would recommend a visit, but don't come in peak season unless you like crowds.
The architecture is amazing - almost every building in the old town is around 4 storeys with carvings or paintings or statues and are all very well maintained. The main tourist area is fairly compact and easy to walk around (although we don't mind walking), and the public transport is very good. The trams go everywhere and there are several types of ticket to buy. When walking in the old town, almost every time you turn a corner you see a magnificent building with decorations of some kind.
The main problem is the crowds of tourists - we accidentally timed it perfectly. We got there when the weather was good (although changeable) and the crowds hadn't really arrived so we could take decent photos and visit the sights relatively easily. The last day we were there it was manic, and I wouldn't want to be there in peak season. We did manage to avoid a lot of them by going down back streets.
Prague is definitely one of the best preserved European cities and not too expensive. We spent 4 full days there and saw everything we wanted without having to rush.

Day 16 - Prague

Last day in Prague. Had a late breakfast and went back to the room to pack and charge all the gizmos because we wouldn't be getting the train till 22:00. Sun was shining and it was warming up. Walked down through the castle and past the cathedral, and there were about 3 times as many tourists compared to when we looked around. There were long queues for the buildings we just walked into a couple of days earlier. Carried on walking and up 244 steps to a park to take photos of the bridges. Back down to the tram stop then into the old town for a haircut. Weather was warm now, had to take off our jackets. Found a salon that was run by Asians and looked reasonable. There was also a young American couple in there so I was quite confident I wouldn't be scalped. They did a good job but Song had to intervene in the middle to ask him to cut it shorter.  It cost $14 and included a wash so was good value. Walked over the bridge and got some good photos of the Charles Bridge and the castle. We could see the Charles Bridge was full of people.
Stopped at a restaurant just next to the bridge which was very touristy and pricey but we were hungry. We usually go off the beaten track or use Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet books to find something to eat, but sometimes we succumb to the pull of the tourist trap. Another nice Art Deco interior, and quite busy. We shared a plate of olives and a large bottle of Perrier. Song had roast chicken breast on mashed potatoes , I had goulash with onion and dumplings. Both meals were OK, nothing special but filling. We idled for a while using the wifi then set off to Wencleslas Square.
Carried on down the road and came into the square. Not sure why they call it a square, it's a long road that ends in the museum. The buildings that line it are impressive, lots of ornate carvings, statues and paintings. I was amazed that so much has survived considering the violence and political upheaval Europe has experienced. Took more photos then went back to a jewelry shop Song wanted to revisit via the Astronomical Clock that was about to chime so stood with about 3000 other tourists to watch and saw the mechanical things this time. Didn't buy anything in the jewellers and walked a bit further and came across the Jewish area where there are a couple of synagogues. Feeling as if we'd walked enough, sat down for a beer. I think we got ripped off because the bill said 89 and she charged 100 - I think she added the discretionary tip herself but I wasn't in the mood to argue.
Went back to the main street and had dinner at Cafe Louvre. Song had spinach rolls with vegetables, I had sirloin of pork with Lyon potatoes. Both meals were pretty good. I also had a nice dark beer. We each had a dessert - Song had a raspberry cake and I had a caramel sundae with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, and paramedics were standing by just in case my heart gave out. The meal cost $32, which was really good value considering it's a touristy place.
Took the tram back to the hotel, popped down to the castle to take some more photos, then a taxi to the train station. We had a sleeping compartment which was pretty neat - 2 bunk beds, a sink and a place to store the luggage. It was pretty small, but it was fun - I felt like I was on the Orient Express and expected a French (Belgian actually) detective to appear. We'd been on the go all day so hopefully would sleep well. Walked 15.67 Km today.

Day 15 - Prague

Late breakfast again, then out to a cold, grey day, drizzle and overcast, a big change from yesterday. Round the corner to pick up train tickets to Krakow for tomorrow, then down to the Charles Bridge again and over the river.
Wandered along some back streets relatively free of tourists, the rain light but steady. Stopped in a few antique shops then had a look in the Bethlehem Chapel. Didn't take long, then round the corner and into the Cafe Louvre for coffee and cake. I had a pot of coffee and Song had a pot of tea, each one making about 3 cups. We shared an apple stroudel with vanilla custard and whipped cream. All that came to about $9 - I had to check the bill because I couldn't believe it was so cheap. The place was very nice, decorated in an Art Deco style and the serving staff all dressed in waistcoats and bow ties. Down to the metro to go to the National Art Gallery. Got on a tram but it started to go a different way to where I expected, and a guy told us that the routes had changed because it was Easter (Good Friday). So got off, went back a couple of stops and managed to find the gallery. According to the Lonely Planet book, the gallery was mostly modern art (which we don't really like) but also had a Van Gogh, Klimt, Picasso and some impressionist works so we went in, especially since it was warm and dry inside. Took the slow lift up to the top floor and were greeted by exactly the type of art we don't like. If the rest was the same we'd be out of there in about 30 minutes. Whizzed round the floor and down to the next and things improved. Quite a few impressionist works. As we walked around we realised there were only about 20 people in the place. It was almost as if we had a private viewing, in some sections it was only the 2 of us.
They actually had a decent collection - quite a few Picasso, some Gauguin, Cezanne, Latrec, Monet etc.
The next floor was contemporary art and some of it was rubbish - literally, one piece was a couple of burnt mattresses - and some were rather disturbing. We went through it in record time, then the last floor was a selection of European works which were generally good.
We spent a lot longer in the gallery than we expected, around 3 and a half hours.
Back to the main area of the city and discovered the trains stopped running at 17:30 because of maintenance work, but the trams were really good so it wasn't an issue. Looked for something for dinner but since Song wasn't too enamoured of the local cuisine found a Vietnamese restaurant instead. We each had a large bowl of noodle soup for about $5 each.
Back on a tram to the hotel, both of us pretty tired.
Walked 14.22 Km today.
Another full day in Prague tomorrow,  then on a sleeper train to Krakow at 22:30.

Day 14 - Prague

Had a bit of a lie in, down to breakfast around 09:00. Walked outside into glorious sunshine, temperature about 7C. Popped back to the castle to take some photos in the sun.
Walked back and around the corner and headed towards the Church of St Nicholas. We tend to visit churches when in Europe because some of the architecture and interiors are amazing. This was one of the more impressive ones. Full of marble columns, with each column housing a huge statue of a bishop, or angels and so on. Almost all had garnishings of gold, and the pulpit was similarly full of bling. I do have a bit of a problem with this though; did someone say "How can we serve you Oh Lord?" To which he replied "Tell you what, build me  a load of big-arsed churches and fill them with gold and silver stuff, statues and paintings, that'll do".
Out of the church and down the road, back to the Charles Bridge and more photos but this time with the sun out. Wandered through the narrow streets, a lot of the buildings had paintings or etchings or statues on them and were very well maintained. Quite a few tourists now. Carried on to the Astronomical Clock and the old town square. I had wanted to get there for 11:00 to see it chime, but Song decided to stop and look in every jewellery shop window and there were quite a few.
We got to the clock around 11:30 so wandered around the old town square. There were lots of stalls selling food and touristy stuff and the crowd started to build up. We got a good position in front of the clock and waited 10 minutes until it chimed. By now the crowd had grown to a couple of thousand. There were a few statues that moved which was cute, and a couple of doors above the clock opened and more figures moved. Unfortunately I was too busy videoing the others to see it so we'll have to go back. I couldn't figure out how to tell the time, as far as I could tell it was 10 past Jupiter.
Walked around the area a bit and stumbled upon the main shopping street so had a look up and down, then went looking for a cafe mentioned in The Age but couldn't find it, so ended up in another Paul's French cafe and had a baguette and a cake each. Sat for a while longer , we'd really been on the go since we started the holiday so we could slow down a bit for a few days. Full up, we set off again towards an antique shop mentioned in the Lonely Planet book. Found it but it was a bit disappointing, so just wandered around the area looking in every antique and jewellery shop in Prague. Carried on meandering around, the city is very beautiful, the buildings quite grand.
Eventually had enough, especially since we still had 2 full days, so took the train and tram back to the hotel. However, I felt it was beer O'clock so went round the corner to a restaurant and ordered a dark beer. Sat at the top of the Nerodova road, the domes of St Nicholas church in front of me and Segwaying tourists swooping past, I was in a happy place.
More sights tomorrow.
Walked 15.72 Km today.

Day 13 - Prague

Up at 05:00 - I don't get up this early when I'm not on holiday - taxi to the airport. Arrived in good time, enough to have breakfast (expensive but we had to use up the Romanian Lei). The plane had about 20 people on it so quick to get on and had a row of seats each.
Arrived in Prague, hopped on the bus and paid this time, then onto a train, then a tram, then walked about 500M to the hotel. Phew!
The room wasn't ready but we sat in the restaurant and had a cup of tea, then went out. It was cold, probably about 5C, and overcast. The hotel is about a 3 minute walk from the Castle, so we headed towards it. Out the front, but not too close, was a small group of shops selling the usual tourist fare and some food stands. I have to say they got the balance right - it wasn't tacky, they weren't pushy, and it was good to have the opportunity to buy something to eat or a souvenir. Every other place we've been has been inundated with pushy touts.
We got there in time for the changing of the guard, but so did about 200 other tourists so we couldn't get close. Went in through the gate and there were still more tourists.
The castle is more like a small village surrounded by walls. There is a massive cathedral, a smaller church, a palace, and lots of shops and cafes.
We bought a ticket for the main attractions and the first on the list was St Vitas Cathedral. We've seen a lot of Cathedrals and Churches in our travels, and I think this is one of the best. My favorite is still the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, but this one was very impressive. Huge on the inside, with beautiful stained glass windows. An ornate pulpit, and a silver (I think) shrine (I think).
We came out of the Cathedral and into another Chapel, St. George's Basilica, which was built in 920. Had a quick zip around that, then onto the Picture Gallery which was just pictures and uniforms of the various military units. Not too engrossing. Crossed over the road and went down into an exhibition on the story of Prague Castle. This had loads of artifacts from the history of the castle, including Mammoth bones. It was a large collection and a bit too much to take in. Next up was the old Royal Palace. We entered into a huge hall, then wandered around the place. The ceiling in one room was painted with the coats of arms of various families, which was interesting.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest in the room. The receptionist took us down a flight of stairs, outside into a courtyard with a view of a park, down some more stairs and finally to our room which had a small entrance hall, a study area, the large bedroom and the separate bathroom. I couldn't believe how big the place was considering it was right next to the castle.
Chilled out for a couple of hours then back to the castle to visit the other rooms we'd paid for.
First up was the Golden Lane, a small lane way with houses and shops built against the castle wall. Some were in use, others were mocked up as they would have been when in use, like a goldsmiths and a guard's house. All of them were tiny.
Running along the top of these buildings was a corridor which was used to defend the castle but now housed dozens of suits of armour and weapons. I found this quite interesting, but Song didn't.
Our final building was Rosenberg Palace, which was set up as a refuge for noble women who had fallen on hard times.
That was it for our ticket, so left the castle and walked down the steps to head for the Charles Bridge. If you've seen a picture of Prague then it probably had this Bridge in it, it's the one with statues on it. It was full of bloody tourists like us, so took photos as best we could. Apparently the best way to get photos is to get up before dawn and go there. Nope.
Starting to feel a bit hungry, we dug out the Lonely Planet guide and picked a decent restaurant that was close. They were booked but squeezed us in as long as we didn't stay too long. As usual, I ordered something local. To start I chose a sheep's cheese spread with whole meal toast. Song had vegetable soup served in a bread bowl. For main I tried Wild Boar shoulder ragu with mushrooms and a traditional potato dish.
The cheese was nice, basically tasted like cream cheese. The Boar was not what I expected and really tasted like beef. I thought it would be more of a gamey taste. The potato thing was very bland and was more like a heavy sponge cake and pretty tasteless.
Song ordered traditional Czech pancakes made from cabbage, sausage and herbs but which were more like a fritata and were also bland. Pretty disappointing to be honest. However, the evening wasn't completely wasted because we also had a couple of local beers. Prague is famous for its beers apparently, so I decided to try some. I ordered the house beer, which was nice. Song ordered a mix of light and dark, which reminded me of Kilkenny. Song didn't drink much so I had to reluctantly finish it off.
The meal cost about $50 which was actually very good value - the restaurant was in the same street as all the designer shops like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex etc so I assume is a bit posh. It's just a pity we didn't really enjoy the food.
More sights tomorrow, and I walked 14.92 Km today. We're here for 4 full days so can take it a bit easy.

Impressions of Romania

To be honest, it was much as I expected, since we've been to other East European countries. There was a lot of graffiti, although probably about the same as Melbourne, and a lot of abandoned buildings. The people were helpful, asking if we needed help at the train and bus stations.
The economy seems more depressed than Greece or Turkey, the infrastructure in a bit of disrepair but there were plenty of works going on so they are making an effort.
On the train trip to Brasov we saw a lot of rubbish just dumped by the side of the roads which is pretty unsightly - I suspect that either they don't collect it outside the city or they have to pay for it so they just load up the car and have a family day out.
There isn't much to see in Bucharest really, just the Athenaeum (which we never got to go in) and the old town which only takes about half an hour to walk around unless you stop for something to eat or drink.
I'm glad we took the trip to Brasov, it was good to see a bit more of the country and the snow covered hills.
It's unlikely we'll be coming back.

Day 12- Brasov and Bran Castle

Another decent breakfast spread, then out to our first rainy day. Temperature was about 6C, so a miserable day but we never worry about the weather because there's nothing we can do about it. We walked about 2 minutes to the Black Church but the guy said it didn't open till 10 so wouldn't let us in. It was 09:55. Didn't want to wait in the rain so went round the corner and had a coffee. Walked down the main shopping street and took a cab to the bus station to go to Bran Castle. The bus had enough crucifixes and pictures of Jesus stuck on the windscreen for the driver to open his own church, and it was a wonder he could see out. The trip took about 40 minutes and when we got there it was even colder and still raining.
The castle wasn't huge but sat upon some rock and looked imposing. Walked up the hill keeping ahead of a tour group and explored the castle. It was full of labyrinthine corridors and staircases, and pretty spartan inside. I don't think it would have been particularly comfortable to live there. There were lots of items about Dracula, and I knew that the story was loosely based on Vlad the Impaler by Bram Stoker, but I didn't know what link the castle has. As far as I could make out, Stoker made him come from Transylvania and this is a castle in Transylvania so that's the link.
It was quite interesting, we spent about an hour inside then back down the hill to the bus back to Brasov.
Went into the Black Church and wasn't impressed - not as impressive or interesting as others we've visited, and were only in there for about 5 minutes. Back out into the cold and looked for somewhere to eat. They still allow smoking inside restaurants in Romania, so we went into a couple and immediately walked out if it was too overpowering. Found an Irish pub that had a separate non smoking area which was bearable, but it had two important aspects - warmth and wifi. I ordered a burger, Song had sausages and mashed potatoes.
Took a cab to the train station only to find the train we intended to take was delayed so bought tickets for the next available which was an hour and twenty minutes away. Luckily there was a shopping mall over the road so we went there and had a coffee and used the wifi until time to get the train.
Back to the same hotel in Bucharest as before and sleep, up at 05:00 for the flight to Prague.
Walked 8.88 Km today.

Day 11 - Bucharest

Down to the biggest breakfast buffet I've seen for a long time, so filled up and headed out. Glorious day, sun shining and about 19C. Ambled up the road to Victory Square (I think every East European capital has to have one), which was a large area with some big square buildings but not particularly noteworthy. Walked around a park for a bit then set off for the old town down Victory Street which the hotel receptionist said was a nice walk. His definition of nice is different to mine because it was pretty grotty, lined with grand houses that were in disrepair and crumbling. I think whenever there was a sniff of revolution the rich owners ran away and abandoned them. However, soon we came to the posh part - Hilton hotel and upmarket shops. We also found the number one attraction in Bucharest, the Athenaeum. But it was closed on Mondays so only managed to take photos from outside. Carried on down the road and spotted a Paul's patisserie - a French chain we always visit when in France, so popped in for a coffee and cake. A lot of the buildings around had Art Nouveau features and were very impressive.
Found the old town, a pedestrianized area with cobbled streets and quaint buildings, and wall to wall bars and restaurants with tables set up outside. The sun was shining and I was very tempted to sit down and have a beer but we were pressed for time so took some photos and walked around a bit. The area is definitely more pleasant than the surrounding streets and geared up to tourists and young people.
Hopped on a metro train back to the hotel, then got off at the next stop having got on the wrong train - the first misstep of the trip so far. Picked up some gear from the hotel and went to the main station and the train to Brasov. Pulling out of the station and seeing lots of graffiti reminded me that we had seen none in Istanbul or Greece. The train had a power point so settled in to watch some downloads and look at the views.
The train was the fast one, which I think meant that it didn't stop at as many stations because it didn't go very fast. The train made its way through the mountains, through villages that had seen better days, and with snow still on the ground. I've just read that Brasov is in Transylvania, and it's a full moon tonight! No, wait, that's Werewolves, so we should be ok. I'll make Song sleep near the window just in case.
Arrived at Brasov around 20:00, wasn't as cold as we expected, but decided to stay in and look around tomorrow.
Walked 12.74 km today.

Day 10 - Athens

Early start again; up at 04:30, airport at 05:30, flight at 06:30, landed at 07:30. Popped over the road to the airport hotel to see how much it would cost to stay there for the day but it was pricey and we couldn't check in till 12:00 so took the train to the city.
We were feeling pretty hungry so found a nice cafe and ordered a big breakfast. We were there for quite a while, so ordered an extra coffee so as not to feel guilty. Especially since we found a power point and recharged our phones. I just about managed to resist taking off my boots and putting on my slippers. We were there for about 2 and a half hours, so left a decent tip and posted a glowing review on Tripadvisor.
The place was busy, all the cafes full and lots of people. Carrying on through the crowds we found a small church in the middle of the main shopping street, with lots of people going in and out, so had a look. All the walls and ceiling were painted with frescoes, so took a few photos.
We stumbled upon the Athens Flea Market, and despite not needing any went in. There were lots of bric-a-brac stalls selling old typewriters, vinyl records and old books etc. There were also several army surplus shops. I asked one guy if he had any camouflage jackets. He said yes, but he couldn't find them. Boom tish.
Pushing through the throngs of people, past full cafes and restaurants, and being clobbered by shopping bags, I wondered how the economy was in such a bad way. Like Spain last year, there were lots of tourists and it was very busy.
We came across Hadrian's Library, but didn't go in. I'd borrowed a book in 132AD and forgot to return it and the fine would be massive.
Having worked up an appetite we stopped at what seemed to be the most popular bakery in Greece, but managed to secure a table. Song had an egg and bacon roll and I had a custard croissant. Gourmet fare indeed.
Suitably stuffed, we got the train back to the airport and the plane to Bucharest. The flight wasn't full so we could stretch out and it only took a couple of hours. Hopped on the bus to the city and asked where the ticket machine was. "The airport" said a girl. By this time we were hurtling down the freeway so hoped there were no ticket inspectors.
Completing our free bus ride, we took the metro to the hotel, got off at the right stop and dragged the cases down some dodgy looking streets.
Tomorrow we're looking around Bucharest and have booked a hotel in a town called Brasov, but not sure if we'll go there because it's a 3 hour train trip.

Impressions of Santorini

I was blown away by Santorini. All I knew of it before we went was that it had some beaches and churches with blue roofs.
The first morning as we walked up the steps to the cliff through the narrow alley lined with tourist and kebab shops I didn't think it was different to other similar places. Then we turned a corner and saw the view of the volcano ahead, the town of Oia on top of the cliffs to the right and islands off in the distance in the early morning light. I don't know if I've seen a better view.
The scenery is magnificent from all over the island, with stunning views out to sea. The people are friendly - the local corner store was left empty but open, the owner was up the road renovating his hotel and popped down to the shop if he saw anyone. In the meantime anyone could have taken what they wanted and walked off. Our host at the hotel was great, giving us a carafe of wine on arrival and dropping us off at the airport at 05:30 in the morning.
Almost all of the buildings on the island were immaculate, clean, and all look freshly painted. Considering that they are mostly white, that's quite an achievement. A lot were being renovated and painted in preparation for the Summer.
We only spent 2 days there but managed to see most of what we wanted, the highlight for me the sunset from Oia.
I think Santorini is one of the best places I've been for natural scenery. If you ever travel to Greece, make sure you take 2 or 3 days to visit Santorini, it's wonderful.
I personally think that we picked the best time to visit - it was busy but not crowded. The buses were full, as was the boat to the volcano and the sunset area, but we could see everything and had no trouble. In peak season it may be a different matter, beaches packed and difficulty booking tours. The weather for us was perfect - we don't like it too hot. Chilly in the morning and evening but t shirt temperature during the day.
We'll probably be coming back, if not to Santorini then one of the other islands.
I had a fantastic time.

Day 9 - Santorini

Woke up around 7, read and generally pottered around a bit until hopping on the 10:15 bus to Kamari, a village on the other side of the island. It only took about 15 minutes, and it was quite a small place but there was a black sand beach there. Weather was fabulous, around 24C, so t shirt again. Sat on the beach for a while and went for a wander, but not a lot to do so got the 11:45 bus back to Fira, where the hotel was. Went to the same place for lunch as where we had dinner, deciding on a light lunch but it seems there is no such thing and I had a chicken souvlaki with chips and pita bread. Song had pork stuffed with ham and cheese with a baked potato. Both servings were large but we managed to finish them. We went back to the hotel to wait for a bus to Akrotiri.
The trip only took about 15 minutes again - the island is quite small. Walked about 800 metres to the Red Beach which was a bit disappointing,  it wasn't a beach and not particularly red. Walked back up again and visited the archeological site. This was fascinating - a settlement had been on the site 5000 years ago, and was rebuilt after a couple of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  The last time must have been a bit much because they packed up and went somewhere else.  The site has had a permanent archeological team on site since 1967, and the entire thing is inside a climate controlled building.  They found frescoes preserved by mud slides, and there was even a sewerage system. The ruins that are visible are from 1650-1500BC, the older ones buried underneath as the new settlements were built on top. Really interesting.
Bus back to the hotel, a brief rest then onto another bus to Oia, it was supposed to be the best place on Santorini to watch the sunset.
It seemed like everyone else had the same idea because the bus was packed. The bus trip took us around the back of the island with some amazing views - volcanic rock cliffs on one side, views out to sea on the other.
Oia seemed busier than Fira, the main town. Lots of narrow streets lined with shops. We followed the crowd towards the sun, looking to find a spot to sit and have a drink. Strangely there appeared to be only one restaurant and that was already full. We found a place on a low wall and waited. The view looked right out to sea, the sun slowly setting in front of us. There were hundreds of people lining the walls all with their cameras snapping away.  The view was breathtaking and we got lots of photos. Simply stunning.
As the sun slowly set in the West,  we turned and legged it back to the bus stop - knowing it would be packed on the way back as well. We managed to get a seat, then after 20 minutes were back in the hotel.
Got to be up at 04:00 tomorrow to fly to Athens; the airline changed our tickets and instead of an hour at the airport we now have 10. Not sure what to do, we don't fancy going to any more sights, so may book into a cheap hotel to have a shower and get some sleep. Then on to Bucharest.

Day 8 - Santorini

Woke up at 03:30, stumbled out of bed and a quick shower, walked over the road to the airport and checked in easily. Plane wasn't full but they still managed to seat a woman with a new born baby next to me - but he obviously didn't get the memo because he was asleep till we landed, then let loose.
Got picked up at the airport by the hotel owner which was lucky because we hadn't booked the bus, but a couple of students who were also staying there did.
We were early so the room wasn't ready so we headed out after the owner told us about the sights.
The sun had just come up and it was quite chilly; we walked up some steps through the town until we came to the cliffs. Wow. I know I've said spectacular a lot, but the view was, er, spectacular. Go and look at the photos. Amazing. Since we were up so early we were the only ones there, so could pick the best vantage points. We carried on walking, giving the cameras a good workout, only seeing the occasional person. The houses and buildings all looked newly painted, and there was a lot of construction but it's not intrusive. Out in the bay a cruise ship had arrived, so took photos of that as well.
Walked back to the hotel and the place was coming alive - shops opening and more tourists around. We stopped at a small cafe for breakfast, if you can count toasted ham cheese and tomato sandwiches as breakfast. I also had the worst cup of coffee ever.
Back at the hotel and the owner showed us to the room - a large apartment with a kitchen and separate bedroom. All for 40 Euro a night. And the flight was only 9 Euro (but taxes bumped it up to 54).
Since we were up so early we decided to rest up, but booked a trip to the volcano in the afternoon.
Skipped lunch and headed down the steps to the old port to pick up the boat. The weather was fantastic, warm and sunny, although the wind was cold. I'd put on factor 50 sunscreen and looked like a mime, but it soon disappeared.
I didn't count the steps but there were a lot, I think the correct term is a shit load because there were lots of them and they were covered in donkey crap. You can get a donkey to take you down and up. We opted to walk down but it was pretty hard.
By this time the other tourists were out in force and it was very busy. The boat was one of the non-sinking ones again and set off to the volcano. Song and I stood up the front and shouted "King of the World!". Not really.
The volcano is an island created 400 years ago by an eruption and is still active, although the last occurred in 1950, so hopefully we were safe.
It was very interesting - black volcanic rock, a few craters, and brilliant views back to the main island. The guide said the entire area was once land until a massive eruption 3000 years ago that eradicated the local civilisation. Standing on the island you can look around 360 degrees and see the circular shape of the caldera. There are signs saying not to take any rocks but I took a small one as a souvenir, and hope I didn't anger the fire God. If it erupts again I'll put it back. Back on the boat, some brave people went for a swim to some hot springs but had to cross cold water first. No thanks.
There was no way we were going to go up the steps and the choice was cable car or donkey. I wanted to take the civilised method but Song insisted on a donkey so that was that. The ride was fortunately uneventful and I'd even go so far as to say fun, especially since I wasn't doing the walking. Reached the top and went back to the hotel for a rest, then dinner.
Went to a place recommended by the hotel owner round the corner. I had saganaki to start, Song had Greek salad. I had moussaka for main, Song had stuffed calamari. And a well-earned beer.
The saganaki was good, and a large portion. Song's salad was also good, the veggies very fresh.
Song's stuffed calamari was a whole one stuffed with cheese, and tomato with rice. Mine was a classic moussaka with roasted veggies and was really good. Once again the generous servings put paid to the post dinner ice cream, so I had to forgo it again. I have to say that the food in Greece is better than Istanbul, with more variety and bigger portions. But more expensive.
Done for the day which started at 03:30, we went back to the hotel and collapsed.
Fitbit reckoned I walked 7.92 km today, but I'm having trouble with it, it doesn't like the time zone changes. I think I did a lot more than that, it certainly felt like it.
Taking the bus around the island tomorrow.

Day 7 - Istanbul to Athens

Checked out of the hotel although both Amex cards declined despite calling them before we left to ask they don't block the cards.
Shuttle bus was on time surprisingly and the trip to the airport only took 20 minutes so had breakfast at the airport - very expensive ($5 small coffee) but we had to eat and get rid of our Turkish Lira.
Checked in with plenty of time to spare, plane was small and full but the flight only an hour so no problem.
We are getting the 05:30 flight to Santorini tomorrow which means getting up at 03:30, so we're staying at the Sofitel hotel which is in the airport so we don't have to rush.
Checked in and then out to the Acropolis and the Parthenon. The train ticket was quite pricey for Europe, about $20 each return, and the trip took about 40 minutes. Weather was overcast, chilly and had recently rained, but the sun came out and it was warm enough for a t shirt. Got off the metro and walked round the corner to the museum. This was built in 2010 to house the sculptures and other artifacts from the Acropolis. It was only 5 Euro and was very informative.
Out of the museum and up the hill to the Acropolis. I had last been here in 1972, but didn't remember much about it. The ruins were a lot bigger than I remembered, and were being renovated so there was scaffolding and construction equipment around. It was still very impressive, it's amazing to think they've been there for 2500 years. The views over Athens were magnificent so took loads of photos. Wandered around for about 30 minutes and it looked as if rain was coming so headed back down the hill to get something to eat. We decided to hop on the metro and move away from the tourist area and went one stop. We soon found a place and I ordered a 3 kebab on pita bread with yogurt and tomato sauce, Song ordered pork stuffed with tomatoes and feta cheese. We also ordered pita bread and hummus because we were both very hungry. I also ordered a beer because it is my mission to drink a local beer in every new city - here it was Mythos, in Istanbul it was Efe.
The meals came and they were huge. They were very good and we did the best we could but had to admit defeat. We'd passed an ice cream shop on the way and I was looking forward to getting one but there was no way, I felt like Mr. Creasote (Monty Python, Meaning of Life).
Managed to make it back to the metro and got the train back to the hotel, fell on the bed and tried not to move.
Forgot to take the fitbit but I reckon we walked about 5 or 6 km.
Very early start tomorrow.

Impressions of Istanbul

We leave early for Athens tomorrow, so I thought I'd post my impressions of Istanbul.
Some roads and pavements are in need of repair, but the place is very clean, which I didn't expect with all the tourists. April is the time of the Tulip festival and they plant 15 million, they are everywhere and I think Song has a photo of nearly all of them. Apparently tulips originated in Turkey and not Holland. I didn't know that.
The city is densely packed, over 2000 people per square km, and the traffic isn't too bad but the driving is - cars double parked and no lane discipline. Mind you, the pedestrians are just as bad, crossing against the lights, jaywalking everywhere and looking at their phones.
There are street vendors everywhere selling water, guide books, tours, baked goods, tissues, (fake) perfume and sunglasses etc.   Song remarked that there don't seem to be many homeless or beggars, which you'd expect in a touristy city. We've only seen two in 5 days. The people are friendly and helpful, the restaurant staff seem genuine and you don't get the impression that they are just trying to sell you things. They smoke a lot here, probably second only to Croatia. They also drink a lot of tea, groups of men sit and drink and chat.
The people seem relaxed and happy, but they are prepared to stand up for their country - with recent riots and demonstrations against corruption and internet censorship.
There are stray cats and dogs everywhere, although a lot of the dogs have registration tags in their ears (ouch) so the custom here must be to let them roam the streets. Song wanted to pet some of them but I don't think it's a good idea, I'm quite fond of my fingers.
A lot of the buildings are old looking but there is a fair bit of renovation going on and the economy doesn't seem depressed. Most of the cars are decent and European, lots of Renaults, Citroens, Fiats and VWs. The city is spread across the rivers and is spectacular. Since we were based in the old city near the Blue Mosque, we walked past it several times, and every time I stopped to look at it - it's amazing. We both like the place and may come back and travel to other parts of Turkey in the future.

Day 6 - Istanbul

Woke up at 7, back up the steps to breakfast. Decided to make base camp on level 5 then carried on up to the top when rested.
Back down, then to the cafe for a latte. Weather sunny but still cold so jumper and jacket again.
On a side note, the pizza place we ate at yesterday is the 9th most popular restaurant on Tripadvisor - out of over 10000 in Istanbul.
Walked around to the Basilica Cistern, no queue to get in for a change. It was an underground reservoir fed from a forest 19 km from the city. It was abandoned for centuries then renovated in the 80s and opened as a tourist attraction. It is cool, dark and has around 200 columns, including a few with carvings and one with an upside down face of Medusa for some reason. Left that and walked to the Spice Bazaar we visited as part of the tour yesterday. On the way we witnessed the shoe shine scam. There are loads of blokes carrying shoe shine boxes offering to clean your shoes (obviously), but the scam is that as they walk past you they drop a brush. You stop to pick it up and he's so grateful he offers to clean your shoes, making it seem as if it is free. Of course it isn't. So one of these guys was coming towards us, and a brush hit the ground. Luckily I'd only read about it yesterday so we kept walking - funnily enough he realised he'd dropped it and picked it up himself.
At the Spice Bazaar, accosted by every vendor, but resisted and looked at lots of shops and bought some tea. The prices ranged from 250 Turkish Lira to 25 for a kilo of the same rosehip tea, so it's best to shop around. Walked back to the hotel carrying our purchases (even more Turkish Delight. Song keeps telling me to stop eating it but then buys 4 kilos of the stuff).
Lunchtime. Walked back to the place near the Grand Bazaar where we are the other day - a kebab again, but these were good and cheap. Wandered around a bit more, stopping to stare at the Mosques again, then decided to head back to the hotel again. Walked 10.97 km today.
Were all set to go out again for dinner but neither of us were hungry so stayed in and watched downloads.
Tomorrow is Athens for half a day, then onto Santorini.
Last year I was able to show a map on the web page that showed my location in real time whenever I was connected to the internet. It used Google Locate but they've discontinued it so I can't do it this year. Google have also changed the way I was able to link to gps tracks that I'm recording so they aren't up, but I hope to have those available at some stage, I'm working on it.

Day 5 - Istanbul

Up at 06:30 for an early breakfast then onto a coach for our day trip on the river - part coach trip and part boat trip.
Bus picked us up a bit late, drove around the old city walls and the guide pointed out various old buildings that I can't remember the names of. Visited the spice market and bought some more Turkish Delight and some Pomegranate tea.  Then got on the boat and off we went along the river. Spent about an hour and a half, went up one side and down the other, saw some impressive buildings and generally had a relaxing time - better than walking. The sun was out and a there was a light breeze which was a bit chilly so we had the coats on. The boat was nice, clean and looked unlikely to sink, which is the main thing I look for in a boat.
Next stop was lunch which was included and we found ourselves back by the Hagia Sophia, not far from the hotel. The restaurant was rubbish and obviously provides cheap meals to the tour operator. Kebabs again. After lunch the bus took a detour that wasn't on the itinerary to a "fashion show" where several young people walked up and down a catwalk to loud music and flashing lights wearing leather jackets. Afterwards they invited everyone upstairs where there was "an opportunity to buy". I wouldn't buy them even if they were the best jackets in the world and came with a free puppy, on principle. So we snuck out to avoid a hard sell. A few others did the same thing and weren't happy about the diversion. This calls for another bad review on Tripadvisor.
Next was a trip over the Bosphorus Bridge, travelling from Europe to Asia. We visited the Beylerbeyi Palace, the Sultan's Summer Palace. It was very impressive - the whole interior was painted in a variety of colours and was very ostentatious. Bright reds, blues and green. Chandeliers with Baccarat and Murano glass. The main room with the (empty) pond and fountain that was used for cooling was particularly impressive, as was the Blue Room on the first floor. We weren't allowed to take photos so go and ask Google. Well worth the visit. Back on the bus and up one of the seven hills of Istanbul for a spectacular view over the city, and a 30 minute stop at a cafe where a latte was $5.50 - the owner probably gives a kickback to the tour operator.
Hotel bound, we were dropped off at the Hippodrome and decided to get something to eat. We found a place off a side street that served the traditional Turkish food known as Pizza. We were a bit fed up with kebabs so fancied a change. I think it's hard to stuff up pizza, and this one was ok. Walked back past the Blue Mosque again and took more pictures because the sun was out, then back to the hotel.
Didn't walk as much today because of the boat and bus - 6.97 km.
More sightseeing tomorrow.
I just noticed that the links were broken, they are fixed now.

Day 4 - Istanbul

Up the steps again for breakfast - 67,I counted them - then out to the Grand Bazaar. It was a lot colder today, around 8c so jumper and jacket. The Bazaar was open today, and we got there early so there weren't too many people. The first bunch of shops were selling jewellery, gold and silver, so Song was happy. The Bazaar is divided up into sections - jewellery, leather, antiques, clothing etc. We wandered around for a couple of hours, getting hassled by the vendors - "You want handbag / carpet / tea / watch?" "Where you from? " etc. We didn't buy anything, I think it's a bit of a tourist trap and it's difficult to know what to pay. The price comes down as you show less and less interest in the thing.
Back out again and lunchtime - decided to go for a traditional kebab (or kebap here). Song had a plate of 8 falafel, a plate of hummus and a coke all for about $7.50. I had a kebap (or kebab elsewhere) but can't remember what it cost.
Looked in the book and decided to go to the Topkapi Palace - I'd mentioned it a few times but Song wasn't too keen, but I said it was one of the top things to see here. It was only later that she said she thought I kept saying "Top carpet" and didn't see the big deal with a carpet museum.
Had to queue for a ticket, but only about 15 minutes, then went inside and walked through some gardens to find another longer queue for the palace itself. No option but to join it. After about 20 minutes of shuffling we entered a small room that was the treasury - to be honest I expected more. Anyway, there were several artifacts covered in huge emeralds, countless rubies and diamonds, a few thrones and the sword of Suleman the Great, so it was worth the wait.
There were three or four other rooms with various jewelled items including the Topkapi Dagger and an 86 carat diamond from the 14th century that was said to have been found on a rubbish tip and the finder sold it for three spoons. I would have given him four and thrown in a fork.
I peeled Song off the glass and we continued around the palace. It was pretty big and had amazing views over the Bosphorus. The rest of the palace was comprised of lots of ornate and colourfully painted rooms, including one that was used to store the royal turbans.
There was a series of rooms that held various religious artifacts - the sword of the prophet David from 10 BC, bits of the kaaba, and what was claimed to be the staff of the prophet Moses. Er, ok, sure, but I hope they got a receipt for that one because I'm not convinced. Next was a visit to the harem, which was more elaborate than the actual palace - lots of rooms and all beautifully decorated. We spent about 4 hours in the palace and the feet were beginning to protest so headed back to the hotel. Rested up for a couple of hours then went to have dinner at the restaurant we'd passed yesterday which had the whirling dervish. Didn't order much, just a yogurt dip to start and shared a plate of mixed kebabs. The food was nice, but the service rubbish and they tried to overcharge us, so didn't leave a tip and will write a bad review on Tripadvisor - ha, that'll show them.
Bought some Turkish Delight on the way back, watched some Tv and then sleep. We've booked a day trip on the Bosphorus tomorrow.
Walked 10.95 km today.