Bangkok Codicil

Now we all know that Dear Jude is a fantastic organist. She loves the planning bit of trips and making sure that accommodation is first class; that trains, planes and buses all connect with the minimum of fuss. As with all our previous trips, organisation was, once again, exceptional, as evidenced with the following narrative:

With the prospect of a 10-hour transit stop-over in Bangkok, DJ booked a hotel room in the city. Though we were not going to stay overnight, it turned out to be a master-stroke. The train trip from airport to city and back gave us a good sense of place and culture, but the best bit was the swim in the hotel's pool. Most refreshing and invigorating, being a tinch bit cooler than one would have expected.    Here's a couple of photos:

Thanks to DJ, Steph and Ally for making the trip sensational. Thanks to Georgia for looking after things back home. 

TOODLES!

Leaving

The last day of our European adventure was spent hurtling around a few of the touristy attractions - parks, museums, galleries and the like. Too much to write about in detail. Ally told us s story about two statues in the courtyard of the Burghof that might tickle the intrigue nerve of the reader. (Ie youse). 

It seems that two statues were crafted by well known artists of the day who were each other's contemporaries. One really clever chap put his subject on a rearing horse connected to the statue's base at only one point. Here is a photo;

The other statue's creator was unable to mount his subject in quite such an  elegant fashion, thus:

You can see that he has secured his horse to the base using one leg and its tail. It turns out that the second chap was so distraught at being outclassed in this way that he topped himself!  That is a truly amazing story, don't you agree?  [Unless Ally is lying,]

That's it for this trip blog. See you all soon, we hope!

YBP,

Groombles

Return from Hinterbrühl

We all three arrived back to the bus stop, but there we split. S & DJ went straight back to Vienna Central to "do" some galleries. Groombles walked into Mühlbach along the bike path ("radweg"). How delicious!  

The path runs alongside the river that tumbles out of the underground lakes of Hinterbrühl. Actually this water is pumped out, otherwise these lakes would be un-navigable (people would bump their heads on the rocky roof). 

Colder than usual, with hands shoved into coat pockets, I rolled into the bigger town of Mühlbach - where the train takes us into Vienna.  But what's this long the wY?  A path heading up a big hill towards a ruin on top of a cliff!  Yikes!  MUST climb up to that baby!  So I did. 

Here's the view back from whence I walked ...

Strolling along from what turned out to be an early 18th century folly (but a pretty intriguing one), saw me smack in the middle of the Vienna Woods. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT???

Hinterbrühl

OK, because DJ missed out on a trip to Hinterbrühl in 2001/2, now was her big chance to smash on out with Steph and me. Metro to edge of the city then regional train to Mödling. 

The destination is an underground lake dug out of a small mountain to mine gypsum. A very special destination. A 400 metre walk with guide horizontally into the centre of the hill passes some representations of rest areas for the miners and accommodations for the blinded horses that spent all of their 20 years' working life underground, in the dark and toiling hard. Must have neede the gypsum real bad!

The result of all that mining produced a huge underground area with lakes at three levels. In the middle of these we took a motorboat ride with our guide.   Quite a surreal experience!

This underground space contains a theatre where the Bienna Boys' Choir performs regularly, and where an opera is currently running. 

In WW2 the Nasty Nazis used slave labour supplied from the small concentration camp above to build an extraordinarily unsuccessful jet fighter with its engine mounted on top. Seems that everything about it worked well apart from landing the bit. Most of the frame was made of wood(!)

Stephanie's 30th!

What a night we had tonight!  Thanks to Stephanie, our last evening in Europe for this trip was spent first way up to the sky at Le Loft in the Sofitel Hotel for drinks. Then at the Do and Co Restaurant at Stephansplatz for dinner. Where else in the world would one wish tho send one's 30th birthday?  I ASK YOU!  ["Arks youse"?]

Anyhow, wish youse could all of been there!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPHANIE!

Hurtling snow

Departure day from Dobbiaco. Great week of skiing and the snow is hurtling down upon us all here in the Dolomites. Excellent news for the skiers arriving for the weekend!  It is also good travelling weather for us returning to Vienna for our last stint prior to heading home. This morning's window-view:

Have to report on the standard of skiing exhibited this past week by Rose family members:

Stephanie - began fast, dropped back momentarily to gain some style, finished with poise and grace. 

Ally - hurtled down the slopes with DJ, leaving all in her wake. 

Dear Jude - style and grace a-plenty, zooming down with Ally in perfect control. 

Groombles - started poorly, vainly trying to remember how it is done. Lots of falls. Remembered about un-weighting and bobbing in time for two fall-free days at the end. Wishes he could ski like DJ!

Dolomite Skiing

WONDERFUL!

Dobbiaco bus:

Sign flicks to: