Our year of travel hasn't gone quite according to plan - but all the highlights have been there. The economic crisis hit early in the year which limited the last minute trips we might otherwise have done.
China and Tibet
Our trip to China was
one of the highlight of this years travelling. We'd planned
the trip with Journeys
Worldwide, a Brisbane-based firm we went to Libya with,
several years ago. The main goal of the trip was to see the total
solar eclipse at Hangzhou but, sadly, totality was obscured
by beligerant and complete cloud cover from the viewing location.
Conversly, we throughly enjoyed our few
days in Chengdu and the trip
to Lhasa. Both were unforgetable parts of the trip so,
I would love to return to both on any subsequent
trip to China.
Switzerland
The year did start well with our usual visit
to Morgenstreich as part of the Basel Fasnacht
celebrations. Basler Fasnacht has become an annual
event in The Mark Travel Calendar and I've now been for
the last 6 or 7 years from the 9 or so years I've been
living in Switzerland.
We also visited the Abbey at Saint Maurice which was a fascinating guided tour through the oldest Abbey north of the Alps. Originally a Roman fortified position, owing to its strategic location, the Abbey was founded by Saint Maurice - who was martyred by the Romans for refusing to accept the divinity of the Roman Emporer on account of his Christian faith.
The Neuchâtel
Fêtes des Vendanges was a heady mix of wine festival
and street party. Local wine from local producers flowed
from stalls throughout the city all weekend. Guggenmusik
bands roamed the city throughout Saturday night, stopping
only for the impressive and equally noisy fireworks display
over the lake. Naturally enough, drink driving is not encouraged
- but the fun fayre does boast an excellent array of rides
including a set of don't-dodgem cars.
New Zealand
My trip to New Zealand and Hawkes Bay in particular was sadly short but equally enjoyable. The city of Napier was extensivly rebuilt in the Art Deco style in a two year period after a devastating eartquake in 1931. We had a most enjoyable walking tour of Napier with the Art Deco Trust. Hawkes Bay is well known as a wine producing region - so an enjoyable Bay Tours & Charters through several of the vineyards was a most amenable way to spend the afternoon. The Gannet Colony at Cape Kidnappers provided not only close access to the Gannets - in several colonies - and sweeping views across the cliffs of the Bay back looking back to Napier.
Austria
Our sadly short visit
to Austria took us to both
Vienna
and
to Melk. I've
been hoping to visit the Abbey at Melk for a number of
years now- but simply didn't get round to it. It's architectural
significance is not in dispute and the repute of its library
is immortalised in Umbero Ecos fantastic novel "The
Name of the Rose." We enjoyed our visit
to a Hueriger in Grinzing in spite of it having the
appearance of a "Leicester Square Experience." While Vienna
is always great to visit for its extensive history.
From this trip, I was also pleased to discover the
Hotel Romischer Kaiser
which is a fantastically decorated Baroque style
Vienna
.
