2015 European adventure

[OATEK]

The final stop on our ship was meant to be Santorini, but unfortunately the swells saw the tenders going up and down about 3M, making boarding people too dangerous. So we only got a sail through the caldera before heading back to Athens.

 

[OATEK]

Our second last leg of our trip was to London. Flew BA from ATH, and received very good service and food in "European" J.

The fashion and textiles museum down behind London Bridge station.

Mrs Oatek had a very similar dress to the one in the middle back in the 70's

Borough for lunch

 

[OATEK]

A quick visit to the East End.

My daughter lived for a year or so on the other side of the wall from the stork, in Hanbury street off Brick Lane.

Later on cornish ice cream in Hyde Park.

 

[OATEK]

The final leg of trip was to Berlin.
The Roma/Sinti memorial on the edge of the Tiergarten.

A wander through the Tiergarten.


The view from our Hotel room.


Memorial to those killed escaping East German repression.

The Bendler Block where Stauffenburg was executed following the failure of the plot against Hitler.

 

[amaroo]

Something amiss with the last 4 photos - can't view/open

 

[OATEK]

Something amiss with the last 4 photos - can't view/open

I have had this with two posts, both done on a PC so can't blame the new app.

 

[OATEK]

A visit to the heart of East German government - Schonhausen where Albrecht and other chairs of the party held court.

Originally in the hands of the Dohna family, then Frederick the Great's wife Elisabeth used it for many years.

An original room.

The office used by the East German party when entertaining dignitaries (eg Kruschev).

Apparently they thought the images coming out of Schonhausen would make them seem more benign.

 

[OATEK]

The trip ended in Berlin, with a flight home TXL-HEL-BKK-SYD. Tegel airport is abysmal, but I enjoyed the AY flights.


The final leg was QF from BKK, which was 4 hours delayed back in late April as a consequence of various aircraft failures around the system. Mark 1 seats, and the terrible cafe breakfast made it a flight to forget. But overall very happy with the roundabout AY routes to/from Europe, as we got their new fitout on all the long legs. Decent sleep and no problems with the meals. FA recovered well after I elbowed her tray of drinks on one flight - and helped assuage my embarrassment.

I left out all the menus etc as Drron covered that pretty well. We pre-booked some meals and were happy with how it all worked out. Would be happy to go with them again if at the right price point, but were spoilt by the first leg on CX. Have already booked our next odyssey on CX (SYD-HKG-MAN//CDG-HKG-SYD), but that is some time away.

 

[drross]

We also found time to watch the changing of the guard - before the anti-EU demos began.
View attachment 53969

we were there last month and this is so much better than the little one at Buckingham palace

 

[drross]

Thanks OATEK looks like we're adding a day cruise on the "to do" list. Have been to the Arc de Triomphe a few times but never ventured up, the queues have always put us off ... this time we'll make a concerted effort to climb those stairs.

You'll have to do it amaroo. Great views and the traffic is unbelievable. There last month and they even put on a small fender-bender accident for us. Small car into the side of a bus....other cars just kept on going around the scene, even if that meant driving on the footpath.

 

[Radio8tiv]

Thanks OATEK looks like we're adding a day cruise on the "to do" list. Have been to the Arc de Triomphe a few times but never ventured up, the queues have always put us off ... this time we'll make a concerted effort to climb those stairs.

If your not too fit or not looking forward to doing all those stairs there is a lift you can use, just ask and say you have a bad knee or something they will walk you over to the lift and take you most of the way up. Also if you want to visit it several times and other sites around Paris look into the Paris museum pass which will give you unlimited entrees to most museums around Paris and will also allow you to skip the line at the arc

 

[amaroo]

If your not too fit or not looking forward to doing all those stairs there is a lift you can use, just ask and say you have a bad knee or something they will walk you over to the lift and take you most of the way up. Also if you want to visit it several times and other sites around Paris look into the Paris museum pass which will give you unlimited entrees to most museums around Paris and will also allow you to skip the line at the arc

All good - We ran up there like 18 year olds

Nice view

 

[drross]

just beautiful. and obviously a very fit AFFer

 

[amaroo]

just beautiful. and obviously a very fit AFFer

Ok, walk is closer to the truth... at least I beat the two teenagers I took with me

 

[OATEK]

Ok, walk is closer to the truth... at least I beat the two teenagers I took with me

I am sure the teens would have beaten me. But the trek is really worth it, and you seemed to get much better weather then I did.