Just to Clarify....

Just want to make it clear that I am no longer in Switzerland! Although it is almost a month since my alpine adventures began, I am only just now getting around to sorting and savouring my pictures! I am currently enjoying a seaside sojourn, in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, close to where Mother attended boarding school, many moons ago!

Haute Nendaz, Switzerland

Residence Mont-Calme, our home for two weeks, in the centre of the alpine village of Haute Nendaz.

The agile chamois leaping for joy to welcome us to Haute Nendaz!

Seen on an early morning walk.......

...around Haute Nendaz.

The Post Bus, which we rode up and down the mountain each day (as viewed from our balcony). It was always an exciting bus ride to and from Sion in the valley, with breathtaking views around every turn. The trip, in either direction, was16 km and took about 30 minutes.

Enjoying the morning sunshine on our balcony, with Cousin Ann...

The Haute Nendaz Tele Cabine, taking us to.....

.....the top of the mountain!





One of the 'bisses' (irrigation flumes) for which the area is famous. As the 'bisse' follows the contour of the mountain, the trail beside makes for flat and easy walking!

Pedal Pushing - and Other Activities - in Holland

Tea and apple cake in the coach house garden, with Anke.
Anke and John outside the coach house - their home for a month!
'King' Wilhelm enjoys the grapes!
Outside the Hotel de Poste, Ootmarsum... no-one came to 'shoe' us away!
Admiring one of the Ootmarsum sculptures.
Talk about 'sit up and beg'!
Cousin Ann and Sandra roll merrily along!
Windmill photo op.!
Breakfast at Hotel de Leeuw, Deventer.
Cousin Ann and Sandra, flanking Hortance, our gracious hostess at Hotel de Leeuw!
Scarf shopping at Deventer market....
...followed by lunch in the sunshine!

As Time Goes By....

....so quickly, it seems that I don't get around to posting anything on the pages of Flotsam 'n' Jetsam, so I must really try to make up for the silence of more than six months!
Once again I am in the local library - at Yate today, as the Chipping Sodbury library closes on Mondays - with my little netbook, hoping to post some news. The netbook hasn't been super-co-operative of late, but I'll hope for the best.....
I arrived in England this past Friday, from Amsterdam, after some amazing days spent in both Holland and Switzerland. The goal, in both places, was to see as much as possible, as well as to get in some biking - and I'd say that the goal was definitely achieved!
In Holland, cousin Ann, Sandra and I spent time in Deventer, a charming small town an hour and a half by train from Amsterdam. This location, and the Hotel de Leeuw, where we stayed in the centre of Deventer, were both recommended to us by Anke, a friend from Sidney. An added bonus was that Anke herself, and husband John, were in the area at the same time, so our first bike ride was out to visit them in Epse, where they were renting a cosy little coach house for the month. Our last day there - Friday - they came into Deventer, and we all enjoyed browsing around at the weekly market and having lunch together. Between those two days, we enjoyed some wonderful bike rides along the IJssel River dyke, as well as a trip by train and bus to Ootmarsum, a quaint and well-preserved medieval town. I'll now try to post some pictures...

Free Time in Eilat, Israel

Although the flying and driving for more than twelve hours on Sunday/Monday was somewhat exhausting, we all survived amazingly well! Of course, the fact that these two days in Eilat - right in the south of Israel, at the head of the Gulf of Aqabar/ Gulf of Eilat, depending on which map you look at - have been relatively unstructured has really helped in that respect! The weather here has been in the mid-20s, with sunshine, so that has been very pleasant. As well as catching up on our sleep yesterday, we explored the waterfront, marvelling at some of the opulent hotels, particularly the 'King Solomon' and the 'Queen of Sheba'! Time at the hotel pool, listening to the birds in the palm trees was very restful..

This morning Shalom, the captain of the good ship 'Paradise, took us on a wonderful trip across the Gulf, to within 500 metres of the Egyptian border, and it was there that we dropped anchor, donned snorkelling gear and plunged into the war, buoyant water. Not too many fish to be seen, but our patience was rewarded when we came upon one small school of blue- and yellow-striped fish, before it was time to return to the boat, where lunch had been prepared and set out ready for us to eat.... We were certainly ready for it!

Have to head to bed now as tomorrow is an early start, and a full day, in Jordan to visit the lost city of Petra. Hope to continue to report on our travels, but internet access has been quite a challenge!

Too Optimistic...

After trying on several different occasions, I have been unsuccessful posting pictures...but maybe I'll manage to sometime in the future..
Everything is just fine! Busy days - and busy night yesterday. Packed up ready to leave Athens later today. Back to Frankfurt then on to Tel Aviv. Lots of airport time, so perhaps I'll manage some time on the 'net for free!

"It's All Greek to Me!"

Well, here we are, in the middle of Athens, listening to the blaring of horns as the Friday evening drivers vent their frustrations at the slowness of the commute... Our hotel room overlooks what we have been told is the prime square for Athenian protests and riots. Apparently, two policeman were shot earlier this week, in this very square....

Our first impression, both as we drove in to the centre of Athens from the airport, then later as Merlie and I went exploring the area around the hotel, was of a decidedly run-down city, which is not surprising, considering the current ecconomic situation... Later, we took a short metro ride to the area of the Greek parliament buildings, and there the city looked a lot more prosperous. However the nearby National - formerly Royal - Garden looked as though it could use a lot of TLC.

This morning, shortly after breakfast, we were picked up at the hotel, and taken back into the 'age of antiquity' (our tour guide's expression). After a drive around to see many of the well-known sights of the city, we soon found ourselves clambering on foot up to the Acropolis - 'the high city'. It turned out to be a climb not for the faint-hearted, but the destination was definitely worth the effort. Our tour guide, Theoni, was extremely knowledgeable, and a good communicator, so we learned a lot about the early life of 'the high city'. Being at such a high altitude, we were buffeted and blown by the chilly, gusty wind blowing today, but were so thankful that the rain stayed away, as wet marble and uneven ground would have been very tricky to negotiate. Amazing how the Acropolis was built, and how the remains of the Parthenon and other edifices have survived for so long... (Pictures to follow, I hope...)