Travels around the Continent
“I have to live in Finland. I could never fully leave this country; it would end me and mean the death of my art.” (Jean Sibelius) I generally avoid travelling in the summer as it often more expensive and I don't get on with exploring in very hot weather. For my latest trip, I decided …
Continue reading "Europe Explored – Trip 8 – Finland and Sweden – Part One: Finland"
"Rain Rain Go Away" (Nursery Rhyme) Day 8 – Sunday 14th May 2023 – Košice to Debrecen (via Tokaj)I woke early, and skipping breakfast, left my hotel at 7:20am for the short walk across the park to Košice station. I was catching the 0801 train, which eventually was going on to Budapest, but I was …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 7 – To Slovakia and Hungary – Part Three: Hungary"
"Šťastie praje pripraveným" (Fortune favours the prepared) - Slovak proverb Day 4 - Wednesday 10th May 2023 - Berlin to BratislavaI caught a tram from my hotel to Berlin Hauptbahnhof. The train lines at Berlin Hauptbahnhof are at two levels Hoch (High) or Tief (Deep) with shops and other station facilities sandwiched between. Having arrived …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 7 – To Slovakia and Hungary – Part Two: Slovakia"
"Life is a journey, not a destination" - Ralph Waldo Emerson I have travelled a lot in the Czech Republic in recent years, but in Slovakia I had only been to Bratislava and Trenčín. It was also 40 years since I was last in Hungary. So, for my latest solo trip, I decided to go …
"The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it." (Christopher Columbus) [Continuing the account of the holiday in southern Spain that I took with my wife in early 2023.] Day 5 – Monday 27th February 2023 – Cordoba to CadizWe walked the short distance from …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 6 – Andalusian Adventure – Part Two: Cadiz and Seville"
"Sacred for lovers of art, you are the glory of faith,You have made Andalusia pure as a holy land!"from The Mosque of Cordoba - Allama Iqbal In 2021, shortly after travel became possible again following the pandemic, my wife and I made a short three day trip to visit the Alhambra in Granada. We enjoyed …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 6 – Andalusian Adventure – Part One: Malaga and Cordoba"
"The Glory that was Greece" - Edgar Allan Poe [Continuing the account of a trip from London to Athens by train and boat, undertaken in November 2022.] Day 8 - Tuesday 22nd November 2022 - Bari to PatrasAfter a postprandial drink in the ship's bar, I returned to my cabin to settle down for the …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part Three: Greece"
“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.” (Leonardo da Vinci) [Continuing the account of a trip from London to Athens by train and boat, undertaken in November 2022.] Day 4 – Friday 18th November 2022 – Nice to MilanI left my hotel at about 8am to walk the short distance to Nice Ville railway …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part Two: Italy"
"Sur le Pont d'AvignonL'on y danse, l'on y danseSur le Pont d'AvignonL'on y danse tous en rond."(Traditional French song) Shortly before I went with my wife on our trip round Poland in October 2022, I decided that I would try to fit in one more journey before the end of the year. Planning to travel …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part One: France"
"Trying to impose Communism on Poland is like trying to fit a saddle to a cow." (Joseph Stalin) [Continuing the account of the trip to Poland I made with my wife in October 2022.] Day 6 – Saturday 15th October 2022 – Wrocław to PoznańAfter breakfast we strolled the short distance to Wrocław Główny station …
Continue reading "Europe Explored Trip 4 – Poland – Part Two: Poznań and Warsaw"
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