Kifissia, Athens, Greece

Sometimes when things go wrong, they actually can turn out better!

We were joining our cruise ship Azamara Journey in Athens and needed to stay overnight before embarking.  Never having been to Athens, I checked where most of the cruise passengers were recommended to stay.  Grabbed the name of the hotel from the site and went to book it directly.  It was a bit confusing as there were two with similar names and of course I chose the nicest one and booked it.

Well, when we arrived at the airport in Athens we grabbed a taxi and told them the name of the hotel that was in the port area.  When the driver started driving through the countryside, we began to get a bit anxious as to what was happening and where we were heading.

Thirty minutes later we arrived Theoxenia Palace, Kifissia, a beautiful boutique hotel in who knew where. We queried where we were at the reception, and they explained that their sister hotel was the one at the port. We were informed we better leave early the next day, as traffic can cause massive delays and we didn't want to miss our ship. Although a bit nervous we decided to make the best of it and explore where we were. To our ultimate surprise just down the road was a plaza with some great outdoor restaurants and even a TGI Fridays!

Joined the locals at the restaurant/wine bar and ordered some drinks which were accompanied by
loads of bread and dips, gratis! (love the European way of always serving food with their drinks)  As night descended, we stayed and had dinner which came with so many added extra treats that our mistake was turning into the best time.

The next morning after a lovely breakfast we were guided towards a shopping strip that was walking distance away. Well, another wonderful surprise! All luxury name brands stores which were having an end of season sales. Yes, you guessed it, couldn't help ourselves and were late getting back to the hotel where our taxi was waiting to take us to the ship.

Arrived in the Port of Athens in approximately 40 minutes and started our embarkation process.
When we were finally allowed to our suite, we had a chilled bottle of champagne awaiting us to toast the voyage.



Next, we head off on our cruise, and the first port of call is Mykonos.

French Riviera

When travelling to France, a must is the French Riviera.
The French Riviera borders closely with Italy and Monaco.  Nice (pronounced Neece) is one of the best places to base yourself while you are exploring the area. It's quite a cosmopolitan place with influences from both France & Italy.
We stayed at the beautiful Hotel West End Hotel Nice, centrally located with a great view of the coastline. Easy access to the beach and a rather good buffet breakfast is available.

West End Hotel - Nice

We prefer to travel towards the end of Summer when the weather is not as hot, most of the Europe has gone back to work or school, and there are fewer tourists around. Although Nice has a very touristy culture, by this I mean many eateries that cater to western culture cuisine such as pizza, pasta, etc. there are still some fabulous areas that showcase the French way of life.

I would recommend that you walk through and enjoy the old quarter of Nice. Here you find artisan food and textiles and can experience life the way it once was with the small winding roads and beautiful buildings of the past.

Of course, just around the corner is beautiful Monte Carlo in Monaco. Definite a must see to experience how the other half live or maybe just want to be perceived. Although it's an expensive coffee or drink at the Cafe du Paris next to the casino, it's worthwhile to sit, and people watch. If you're a car enthusiast, then you'll be in paradise with all the luxury cars that cruise by.

Don't forget to visit the marina and walk along all those magnificent yachts and dream of the life that could be.

The lifestyle in France is relaxed and all about enjoying the moment, the food and social outings.

The French Riviera has something for everyone, and there are some divine towns to visit in the area, just jump on the train and travel along the coast in either direction and you'll find many surprises. Try a trip over the border to Italy or Monaco for a change. It's at your fingertips.

As the French are fond of saying Ces't le vie (that's life!)

Mount Buller, Australia

Mount Buller is a fabulous ski resort only two and a half hour drive from Melbourne, which makes it readily available for a weekend visit. It has been rated as the "best all over mountain experience' in Australia. Its catch phrase is known as being "On top of the world'.
Mt Buller has various restaurants catering for every budget, from multi-award, winning Grimus Kaptans Restaurant to Abom fast food & pizza dining and numerous apres bars.  There are quite a few ski rental places that cater to the novice and can gear you up completely to the experienced wanting to try out demos, and of course the helpful Mt Buller information people wondering through the village to offer guidance.

The majority of the mountain is ski in ski out but otherwise there is a free shuttle that transports all the skiers around. Mt Buller has 22 lifts and over 50 trail runs, the majority of the runs are intermediate, but there is still an abundance of expert runs as well as excellent facilities for beginners.

There are central food stations that offer good food & coffee to warm you up or keep you going. Kofler's (above), Tirol & Grimus like some of the other lodges and restaurants are run by generational families who love the mountain and are happy to chat about the mountain past and present.

There are a wide variety of accommodation choices, from lodges to apartments and hotels to suit every type of budget. The styles range from the original A-frames to the modern townhouses.

 

After a good day skiing, join the Apres crowd for Happy Hour and watch the beautiful sunset over the mountain or just enjoy the view from your accommodation and relax till the next day brings it all over again.

Mt Buller may not be one of the highest mountains in Australia, but it makes up for what it lacks in height by making it a perfect place to stay on the mountain, enjoy the snow, skiing and the nightlife.
An ideal location to experience the snow or enjoy a ski holiday.

Qualia, Hamilton Island, Australia

Visiting Australia's tropical region is a must for locals or tourists alike. The Whitsunday islands on the Great Barrier Reef are a beautiful playground of sun, sea & surf. One of the loveliest resorts on Hamilton Island is Qualia, a luxury resort set on the edge of the island, that offers excellent accommodation, Spa facilities, In house dining, concierge service and so much more.

After being picked up from the airport on the island provided refreshments and then whisked away to the resort's fabulous gates that are reminiscent of Jurassic Park you enter and feel all your worries and stress melt away. Upon arrival, you're taken to relax with a glass of bubbly while the paperwork for your stay is done.

There are three main types of accommodation, Leeward Pavillion, Windward Pavillion or Beach House. They are all amazingly spacious and luxurious, with great views and plenty of privacy. The Beach House is a stand alone house perched on the edge of the property with magnificent views of the seas and islands. As the property is so vast, each pavilion has a golf cart available to the guest to get around.

There are two dining areas, the more casual Pebble Beach restaurant on the beach by the pool, and the Long Pavillion restaurant that has fine dining. Both restaurants feature fresh local produce and are an enjoyable experience. Private dining along the pool can also be arranged for that romantic dinner a deux or relax in your pavilion with in-room service.

With such excellent facilities, it was difficult to find the enthusiasm to leave the resort and explore the island, fortunately, it's not a large island and we did discover some lovely coastline and beaches. We also enjoyed a beautiful sunset cruise while sipping wine with a small group of other guests.

A must is the private beach 1/2 day drop off, where you are set up with an umbrella, towels, picnic and drinks of your choice. Don't let me get started about the Spa...it's fabulous for the mind body and soul and I enjoyed its indigenous approach to the experiences.

Romance and relaxation are the keys at Qualia with the style and luxury that ensures a fabulous break be it a few days or more.

Koh Lak, Thailand

We decided on a trip to Khao Lak in Thailand, about one hr from Phuket to celebrate our Anniversary. We chose to stay at The Sarojin 5 star hotel overlooking the white beaches and beautiful, Andaman Sea.

The hotel has the nicest gardens and just exudes serenity. The welcome you receive is so gracious and immediately puts you in the right frame of mind. 

We were escorted to our villa with its private pool. A room you can certainly relax in,  the bathroom giving you the feeling of being outdoors. The villa is private and comfortable and encourages you to indulge in time to yourselves or if you're feeling more social, you can go and lay out by the stunning hotel pool.

Then, of course, there is the lovely white sand of the beach area, where the gentle breeze keeps you cool while you unwind and let your worries melt away. Enjoy a cocktail and lunch by the seaside; the chefs produce delicious dishes to tempt any taste buds.

There are many tours you can take to fill in your days if you feel like being active. Tours to see the monkeys, Phi Phi Island, the elephants, river rafting, or scuba diving which we enjoy. The waters are crystal clear and the aquatic life is abundant. The Sarojin has a luxury motor boat that takes you across the waters to Similan Island for snorkelling or diving and the onboard lunch is decadent and plentiful. The mainland tours are private and you're allocated a guide, car, and are given the full VIP treatment.

As we celebrated our anniversary, the hotel organised the most romantic private dinner by a waterfall, with our chef and more than 150 candles. It was more than a dream; it was enchanting.  I felt spoilt and very special, this made our evening one always to remember.

With indulgent spa treatments included this is one place I can recommend to relax, recharge and reconnect. Loved it!

Touring Tasmania

If you have the time, I suggest you hire a car and tour through Tasmania. It's not a large island and you can get from one side of Tasmania to the other in a day.

A visit to Strahan, a very picturesque fishing village is a must. The serene village is a perfect place to relax or grab a bite to eat. I would suggest 42o restaurant which has an excellent selection in its buffet. 

Strahan is ideal for fishing, (naturally!) or you can unwind with a river cruise or be more adventurous and go hiking to the Hogarth Falls.

A lovely Bed and Breakfast to stay at is Ormiston House, a grand federation mansion located just on the edge of the harbour. The rooms are well appointed and the decor is reminiscent of a bygone era.

This historic home makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. The present owners are there to welcome you warmly and take care of your needs.

Ormiston House

Another must on your visit to Tasmania is Cradle Mountain. The Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park has no trees and has a ragged wild landscape. There are man different types of accommodation available, we chose Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, our room was a cabin with spa facilities. The cabin is spacious and well appointed, you may need to bring your supplies as the availability of items are limited, the alternative is the Tavern Bar & Bistro at the lodge. The restaurant proved to be our best options and we were happy with the meals & service.

One way to see Cradle Mountain is via horseback; it's a pleasant ride along Speeler plain and there are a few different horse riding tour stables to choose. The one we chose had well groomed and trained horses.

Driving to the above places takes you through winding roads which can be a little tricky but it's well worth the trip. There are so many other parts of Tasmania to visit, like Freycinet or even visiting Richmond or Port Arthur, which are only a hop skip & jump from Hobart. 

So take the time to explore this lovely state.

Nant Whiskey Cellar & Bar, Salamanca Tasmania

As we stayed just above Salamanca, we easily strolled through the area and ended up at Nant - whisky cellar & bar after a leisurely lunch.  It looked very inviting, with its beautiful decor and inviting ambience, and of course, we took up that invitation.

Not being a whiskey drinker, l was weary as to what I could have here. There are a few choices that don't have whisky but I noticed they had something I enjoy and decided to choose the affogato- coffee infused whisky with whisky flavoured ice cream and espresso coffee - the coffee infused scotch was divine, they sold me on it!  Unfortunately, it's not for sale; they make it on site, where they drip feed whisky through the coffee. Means I'll have to go back!

My companion who enjoys whisky had the American oak sherry barrel 43% scotch - and enjoyed that.  They have whiskey tasting available if you want to try some of the award-winning Nant whiskies.

                     

It's a beautiful place just to sit and relax. I love the ambience of this bar, when we were there it was somewhat empty but it does come to life at night. I do prefer the quieter times, though. Make sure you put it on your list of places to check out.

Salamanca Tasmania

There's a lot to do in Salamanca on a Sunday, but I must say lots of it revolves around food.

The Salamanca market is perfect for crafts and foods on the run. The picturesque port is relaxing to sit by and enjoy. There are plenty of eateries if you love seafood around his port.

With the weather at its best - warm and sunny, you can't go past a seat at an outdoor restaurant. 

On this day, we chose Maldini, an Italian restaurant amongst the heritage buildings and restaurants.

I decided on the eye fillet salad on the specials board ( rocket, pecorino cheese, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, onions & eye fillet in a pesto dressing).

My companion chose the braised beef cheeks. The beef cheeks were well cooked and fell apart came accompanied by cauliflower purée.

 I have to say mine was delicious and good value for money. My companion enjoyed his and stated 'it was different in taste, he believed due to the star anise'.  The Italian Chianti we sampled was enjoyable.

There are many restaurants to choose from at Salamanca depending on what cuisine you prefer and your budget.

If you love themed restaurants, this is one for you. The Drunken Admiral featuring chef Jamieson Godfrey is a real well-themed seafood restaurant.

                     

 When you walk in and look around you, feel like you're inside a ship. It has so much ship & sea paraphernalia; you just don't know where to look next. 

                   

                 

A lot of the seafood is fresh from the Tasmanian waters, and it can be cooked, grilled, battered, crumbed or even cooked on a hot stone at your table.  The seafood platter for 2 is quite good value at $116 and has a good selection of fish and seafood.

We chose the fresh Tasmanian oysters, which were superb and then followed it with grilled Salmon that accompanied by a salad and your choice of rice, fries or potatoes.  The food was good, the ambience fun and if you'd like a little privacy, there is a cute two person table tucked into a small boat where you can have a private tete a tete. 

Next post, more of Tassie.

Hobart Tasmania & MONA

Taking a short break to Tasmania, we decided to stay somewhere less touristy; we arrived at Grand Vue Heritage House Private Hotel at 8 Mona St Rickets Point Tasmania. A beautiful stately period home wonderfully maintained with well appointed large rooms including a kitchenette with toaster, kettle, mini fridge & microwave. 

The room we were assigned had a large king size bed with a generous bathroom including a spa bath. A fireplace, tv, wifi and a view over Hobart.

Some lovely touches included chocolates by your bedside and hot mini muffins brought to your door late afternoon. With a proper selection of teas and the plunger coffee available in your room its pleasant way to recharge after a day out exploring.

A lovely hotel to stay in a convenient location, with some nice little touches. If you want to order the breakfast they can provide, make sure you place the order before cutoff time or, you'll miss out.    

                                          

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and a beautiful port. It's very hilly and has a large coastal area being an island. Its climate is on the cooler side but has picturesque landscapes. There are some lovely areas to visit within 2-3 hrs drive. 

One place I'd suggest which is just outside the city is Mona (Museum of Old and New Art), the building itself as interesting as the art itself is thought provoking.

              

 

Tasmania is a great place for a short getaway, but if you have the time I have some suggestions to places to see and do next post.

Vienna, Austria

Our final destination in Austria had to be the capital, Vienna.

Main shopping mall

After spending so much time in the Austrian Alps it was difficult to adjust at first to the hustle & bustle of a thriving metropolis. It didn't take long though, before we loved being in this fabulous city.

We stayed at Derag Livinghotel An der Opera Karntnerstrasse 44 Innere Stadt Wien.  The hotel is 50mts from the State Opera and the Karlsplatz underground train station. A very good location. We booked standard rooms and were amazed at the size of the rooms. The room included a large lounge, bathroom and dining area. The only drawback is the one/two person lift but it's an easy walk
upstairs.

A great place to check out and learn about the history of Vienna is Schonbrunn Palace. Being winter it was great to be indoors on this particular rainy day and visit this 1441 room former imperial summer residence. The palace and Imperial family history are explained on the guided tours. The rooms are a showplace of the beautiful architecture and decor of the Rococo style at its best.

The food in Austria is one of my favourite things, we tasted and enjoyed many hearty meals that were ideal during the cold weather. Figlmuller Restaurant is well known for its schnitzels, they are larger than the plate and there always is a wait to get a table, but it's well worth it.  Another very lovely and traditional cuisine restaurant to try is Lugeck, or Cafe Schwarzenburg a traditional Viennese coffee house dating back to the 19th century, is a good place for breakfast. We loved that Vienna has a  coffee culture that's impressive, there are many speciality coffee houses you can try out.

If you want a great view and a good perspective of the size of Vienna, visit Donauturm. It's a quick train trip to get there and not overly expensive to go up. There are 3 levels to view from, the outdoor platform, the indoor platform, and the revolving restaurant. We happen there on an extremely windy day and had to fight the winds to use the outdoor platform, must say its was fun, though. After battling the winds we sat down for a coffee at the restaurant while we got a great view of all around Vienna as the restaurant did its rotations.
We stayed 3 nights in Vienna and that was nowhere near enough to see this beautiful city and its history as the centre of Europe. This is the cultural capital of Europe with its music and arts. This city is a must on any european tour.

Back to London, then home.

Hallstatt, Austria

The drive from Salzburg to Hallstatt was easy. Once we arrived, we were required to put the car in an
carpark on the outskirts of town, as there are no cars allowed in Hallstatt, except for the guest transfer vehicles.

Hotel - Seehotel Gruner Baum

Our Hotel - Seehotel Gruner Baum a four-star superior hotel on the water's edge with panoramic views of Lake Hallstatt. The hotel has well-appointed rooms that have seen many well-known names visit. The hotel that is circa 1700's faces the historic market square. The Zum Salzbaron restaurant has an excellent view overlooking the lake and is known for serving fresh fish caught daily from the lake.

Hallstatt is a very small town but well known for its tranquility, panoramic views and it summer & winter activities(there are some ski slopes nearby).

Every time we travelled to another mountain on lake district; we were stagger by the natural beauty of the region. The Austrian mountains are where you experience the moments that take your breath away.

The sun peaking over th mountains made thee scenery even more spectacular then before. 

I would wholeheartedly recomend a visit to Hallstatt just to sit and enjoy the view. There isn't alot to do in winter in the town itself but skiing is an option not far away. Would love to re-visit in summer when the water sports are available, another place for my re-visit list.

We were sorry we only managed to stay one night, we would have loved to hang around and enjoy our surroundings but we had to be off to the final leg of our Austrian Journey and headed for Vienna, Austria's capital.

Salzburg, Austria

Packing the car we left Zell am See, this time driving in the sunshine towards our next destination, Salzburg. It's only about a one and half hour easy drive. Therefore, it's not uncommon for locals to drive between the two.

We stayed at the Wolf Detrich Hotel;
This hotel was quite centrally located and has some themed rooms that relate to Mozart. I organised a stayed in one of them for the other two in our party, the Papageno room, based on the Magic Flute.  I must say it was strange to walk into the bedroom and be standing under a tree. They loved the room although practicality wasn't the primary feature, they did say that waking up to and bathing with a large sculptured parrot staring at you was a bit disconcerting, but it was a fun room.

We explored Salzburg and loved the old town; there is plenty of choice for dining and quite a few feature local cuisine. You know where the best places to eat are by the amount of people willing to wait for a table. I'd also suggest you have the Salzburg Nockerl as it originated here. The food is typically Austrian and a the share platter was great value.

At this point in our trip, although we could find places to ski that weren't too great distance, we had decided that we'd be sightseers only.

While wandering through Residenzaplatz, we stopped at the Salzburg Dom where we got to see Hohensalzburg in the distance as it overlooks all of Salzburg. That was our next destination and there is a small and expensive rail ride to the top, but we, feeling fit, decided to walk it. Well, I can tell you it's not for the faint hearted, the incline is not easy. Although the views and the tour of the fortress and the way of life in the past, make it well worth all that effort.

 Take the opportunity and explore everything Mozart, it's worth it and don't forget to try the chocolates, Yum!   Next, we're off to Hallstatt.