Europe Explored Trip 7 – To Slovakia and Hungary – Part Two: Slovakia

"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 …

Europe Explored – Trip 7 – To Slovakia and Hungary – Part One: Getting there (Amsterdam and Berlin)

"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 …

Europe Explored Trip 6 – Andalusian Adventure – Part Two: Cadiz and Seville

"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 …

Europe Explored Trip 6 – Andalusian Adventure – Part One: Malaga and Cordoba

"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 …

Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part Three: Greece

"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 …

Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part Two: Italy

“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 …

Europe Explored Trip 5 – From London to Athens – Part One: France

"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 …

Europe Explored Trip 4 – Poland – Part Two: Poznań and Warsaw

"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 …