Set the sails for all points north

Our time in Copenhagen has finished, and our thoughts turn to the sea and boats and life on the ocean waves. This city takes you to her heart, and I am quite sad to be leaving so soon, but as it is at the heart of the northern European area, hopefully we will return one day.
We will sail out in the evening, but it is daylight till so late, it is not into the proverbial sunset - jetlag has kicked in very nicely and I am still welcoming the morning at around 4.00 - also in bright daylight - it is going to be quite an experience as we sail further north. Midsummer evening is being celebrated in Denmark tonight - with many festivities - it is worth celebrating as the winters are so cold and long.
The sea beckons, and so to bags that need to be contained so...
More soon

When night is day, and thoughts turn to stories

I woke at 4, and it was daylight - and beautiful, the city was still asleep but I was awake and out the window a snow white swan glided down the canal outside our hotel window - I wondered why it was also not sleeping - perhaps searching for food, a mate, or just enjoying the solitude before the cruise barges parade the tourists around this postcard pretty city. One can see how this lace has inspired so many stories and songs, and writings. As this trip progresses, there could be more on the question of day and night - and where it all starts.The land of the midnight sun beckons.
Exploring Copenhagen is easy - it is flat, and even with streets with extraordinarily long names, you are able to get around. The main thing is to keep to the footpaths - cyclists have their own lanes between the road and path - woe betide you if you step into their territory. We saw the royal yacht and the Queen leaving on a tour - this country dearly loves their royal family - . The Queen even left with her little royal dog - who seemed very at home with people and attention.

It is sometimes the simple things that mean a lot, and after a few months minus bananas, it is my treat for breakfast. Apologies to those still missing them.
Well, we are off to explore more and exchange the odd word in Danish, it is all part of the travel experience, and hopefully they dont wince too much at the Australian effort at just a few words - it is beautiful language when spoken (just very hard to learn!)
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Across the world to beautiful Copenhagen

The trip gets longer, I am sure, but after a very hot transit in Doha, 35 at 6.00 in the morning, we arrived, a little jetlagged and happy to be on firm ground. The trip across the Middle East is amazing - so barren and inhospitable, yet the sad stories of some of those countries and peoples has so much impact on the rest of the world - you see how global impacts are becoming greater in all political and social arenas.
Copenhagen is a lovely as ususal - quite mild, and cloudy. I must confess to giving in to sleep early evening and after eight hours sleep feel almost human again, (and almost look that too - I hate to think what I looked like getting off after 22 hours!
Off exploring and meeting friends, and getting to reacquaint with the streets of this pretty city
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Happy anticipation

2011 and another trip is being planned - it is all exciting and a little more adventurous - a trip up to the northern polar regions - Spitsbergen, Murmansk in northern Russia, some fjords, a little Copenhagen, and back to our beloved London. http://www.cruiseaway.com.au/special/oceania_insignia_-_lands_midnight_sun?sd=23/06/2011 This is a link to the itinerary, as it stands in March. It can always alter, but that is part of travel. The flights are booked, hotels arranged, so now it is the happy anticipation bit. I am even trying to learn a little danish, but that is another story. More soon

The owl and the pussycat went to sea, in a beautiful pea green boat.......

...and then went to London to visit the Queen. Well, she is not here at the moment, as the politicians are trying to work out who will go and see her. So we are in London on our last two days. The time has gone so quickly, but it will be lovely to be home as well. We have done so much, seen so much, met some lovely people who will be friends. The holiday has seen us spend a lot of time with english folk,as the ship was principally UK passengers, and it has been an interesting expereince. I have a significant portion of english blood, so I can comment a little - they love activities in group format - the sailaway parties on the ship were group singalongs, they were usually in groups line dancing classes, lots of card games and bingo. Similar to what you imagine many will spend time in their home towns. Now everyone is waiting to see who will guide them out of the recession and slump which seems to be still pervading the country. I hope they get some perceptive leadership - they need it and deserve something better than before. I cannot say what has been the best highlight - there have been so many - sailing into and out of Venice in a ship which was taller than virtually everything in the city was a once in a lifetime experience, and every bit as amazing and jaw dropping as you hoped it would be. The sights and sounds of that city are spectacular, and even if I am never back, it has left wonderful memories. Croatia is a little gem, and I hope it never gets too commercialised. Gibralter was interesting, I never saw planes landing on such a tiny strip of land (they even have to stop the traffic on the main road from Spain, when planes take off or land! But the monkeys scared me rather, and I was pleased to be off the rock. England has been special as usual - even familiar spots have had surprises, and new vistas as the weather has been different. And it was wonderful to be back in Cornwall, the area of many of my ancestors. And to help fellow travellers with directions around this great, but slightly bewildering city is always satisfying. Tonight I will survey it from on high - the Eye, to be precise. I hope there will be a couple of photos to prove the experience. What an experience - sailing up over the sights of London as the dusk came, sipping a glasss of champagne, with two others in the capsule - and trying to absorb all the sights and record it as well. The photos do not do it justice, but I tried. There is a 3d film which you can see prior to the flight which was amazing in itself, sailing over the landmarks of London, and having seagulls appear , sprinkles of moisture, and dry ice clouds at your feet - it really gets you into the mood and ready for the flight. A thoroughly recommended must do in this city. It is time to come home, though, you get the feeling that home is calling, so ash clouds permitting we will soon be on our way, with wondeful memories, photos if any one interested, and which will remind us of special times forever. That is all

A walk in the park

It is not as cold today, London has been freezing, but the sun struggled and showed a little, so we walked up through the Mall, to check on Buck House - the flowers in St James Park are still prety and make a lovely background to the Palace. St James park was full of french students on the regular field trip to London, must be a right of passage to all french children. But it is a pretty place, we spotted young squirrels, lots of ducks, and pidgeons, and some brave locals siting in the stripped deck chairs that adorn all London parks ( and you pay to use them)
The beauty of this apartment is that we were in front of the palace within around a quarter of an hour - allowing for photo stops all the way.
Earlier we walked up through the theatre district, then on towards The City - the lovely term used for the financial district, there is always something new to see, but at the moment, there is a lot of road work and city beautyfying going on - I think the Olympics is an excuse for a lot of city work now, but the sad thing is that that a lot of buildings are also getting permanent bollard structures in front of the for security, a sign of the times.
The only news is the election - it will be interesting to see the country wake up to most probably a new governement, of sorts, as it could well be a hung parliament. We are off on a train again tomorrow - Liverpool, so will have a lovely day through the midlands.
We wait with baited breath to see if the ash cloud develops again, some flights in the north were closed this morning, but opened again later - it seems to be a day by day issue at the moment.

A wet Sunday in London

The forcast predicted it. And sure enough we woke to a cold , wet day - London has not forgotten about winter yet. But we rugged up (memo - always bring those warm clothes. I have worn every item of clothing I packed, only regret I took out the puffa jacket!). So we rugged up and after buying an umberella, we set off for a walk in London on a wet Sunday morning. It was lovely and invigorating, even if quite soggy. The city has quite another character, grey and a little sad, with lots of large puddles, evidence of nonexistant drainage in places. We walked the bordges - Lambeth to Waterloo, the Embankment, and admrred those going on the Wheel in the rain, not sure what they would see. We wandered back to our unit, a little damp, to change, and peruse the wonderful London Sunday papers - they are huge, with large plastic bags of extras (why dont we do that - stops them all falling out).
We spent lunch and a little of the afternoon at the Sherlock Holmes pub a minute from where we are staying - a wonderful example of the little English pub, with a glass of wine and fish and chips which only the Brits can do, and the best sticky toffee pudding ever. We felt just like locals, with the rain coming down, and all cosy and warm inside. For those here in the winter, the temps dont seem to have moved far!
So now I can catch up on the blog and emails, and regroup for the last full week, we will be home before we know it - I am missing my puppies badly now.
The trip to Penzance was lovely with the country so green, the lambs alll bounding round or snuggling with mum, and the little towns all inviting . ( I think I am off lamb for a while)
I will put some more photos to the trip[ reports as time permits,and add more thoughts to those put down in haste as the satellite permitted.
Even in the wet, London is full of surprises and some nice things
More soon