Saturday, December 11, 2010

Europe & Asia Trip 2007

This page is a link to our 2007 European and Asian trip.  Enjoy this by clicking on the link below:

  • Osaka - Great shopping city, a bit freindlier than Tokyo. Fashion is also better. Great place to buy accessories, given that the clothes don't fit.
  • Hemeji Castle - Some distance from Kyoto on the bullet train, this magnificently preserved Castle was well worth the visit. If fact give all the others a miss and just visit this one.
  • Kyoto - Beautiful old capital of Japan. Lovely Temples, palaces but most of all friendly people.
  • Shinjuku – Tokyo, hip suburb for the young in Tokyo. Lots of shops filled with latest from all over the world. Narrow streets with eating places that I'm sure look good to Japanese but looked a little dodgy to us.
  • Ginza - Famous shopping district in Tokyo - nice but expensive.
  • Tokyo - Big, busy, and Lots of people. Very clean but a bit hot when we were there.
  • Paris - so much to see, visited - Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Montmatre, Le Fayette and Prenton shopping galleries. Numerous coffee shops, the left bank, Latin Quarter and many streets in between. still missed a lot of museums and monuments.
  • Louvre Museum – Paris, Probably the best museum we ever visited. Huge, no queues, fantastic exhibits and eating places. Arrived 9 am left 3 pm - didn't see it all!
  • Chateau de Versailles - took us 7 hrs to see the Chateau and the gardens. Obscene opulence - no wonder there was a revolution!
  • Troyes – France, Really nice little stop over for two nights. Good hotel and Very restful before Paris.
  • Nancy – France, Stopped off for lunch on the way to Troyes. Not very nice wouldn't come again.
  • Kayserberg – France, Discovered quaint little town on the way out of Colmar. Very picturesque little town.
  • Frieburg – Germany, Day visit to city over the boarder from France, near Alsace. Great shops, neat clean and Very organised city with trams.
  • Strasbourg – France, Site of European Parliament´, Strasbourg is a Big city about the size of Brisbane. It has an old city called Petite France which is Very picturesque. Reminds you of Venice.
  • Colmar – France, Regional centre of Alsace, canals run through the town making It a pleasant place to stroll and dine.
  • Eguishiem – France, Picture book village in the wine region of Alsace.
  • Dijon – France, Very pretty old city, capital of Burgundy. Charming streets, good shopping with current French fashions. Very few tourists, great market pavilion. Great food!
  • Geneva – Switzerland, Day visit to city, met helpful local called Jack. He showed us around the old city. Saw the jet and all the Swiss banks - Jack was an accountant. Quite nice but glad we stayed It Fribourg.
  • Como - Italian / Swiss border, Border between Italy and Switzerland, 1 - 4 June. Shopping at outlet stores over the border - ok nothing to rave about. Lake Como was great, its was raining, the first day. On the second day went on lake cruise to Bellagio - fantastic little town.
  • Gruyere – Switzerland, Great castle, pretty town, Gruyere cream with meringue fingers, yum. Museum of HR Giger - very Alien!!. Well worth the visit.
  • Fribourg – Switzerland, Medieval centre, close to Bern the Capital.
  • Milan – Italy, Very large city with corresponding traffic problems. Lives up to reputation of Great shopping mecca with Great prices. Found local delight, similar to Aussie pastie, but actually a cross between a pizza and a panini. Better to visit by train than car.
  • Bologna - Italy 30may - 1 June. Great little stop over - next to no tourists or tourist shops. Really great food, and a city of porticos. No one gets wet in Bologna. One black spot too much graffiti.
  • Florence - Italy, 29-30 May. Fantastic antique city of art and culture. Well worth a visit although spoiled by so many tourists. Like us all want to relive the wonders of the past.
  • Colle Il D'Elsa - small town we visited on a Day trip, old fort with battlements, Great restaurant off town square, food exquisite. Got lost looking for it.
  • San Gimignano - 25 to 28 May, beautiful town in Tuscany.
  • Siena - 25 May, half day visit. Great square, Duomo was fantastic, had coffee and biscotti.
  • Perugia - Passed through very nice square, couldn't find a park, great shops, (clothing and shoes).
  • Spoleto Umbria - Ok last hilltop town, but had Roman ruins and good beer!
  • Trevi Umbria - Yet another hilltop town, didn't stay long - siesta time.
  • Spello Umbria - Hillside township, good panini in main square, arrived 1pm just as school finished.
  • Assisi 22 May - 25 May Home of St Francis - Animal Saint
  • Oriveti 21 May Beautiful Cathedral
  • Rome - 3 nights from 18 May - 21 May. Fantastic historic city, sightseeing and dining out
  • Hong Kong - 4 nights from 13 May - 17 May
  • Lantau Island - HK, 16 May day trip, Off the beaten track in HK. Saw some locals living traditional lives. Refreshing not to buy anything.
  • Shenzhen - China 15 May, day visit, Shopping and more shopping
  • Cairns 13 May - Tropical North QLD

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