Salzburg Castle

I’d been looking at the castle up on top of the hill rising above Salzburg for the last few days. The motivation to climb up there had eluded me, but was now suddenly starting to kick in. Yes, we could get a cable car up to the top, but decided not to (too expensive). And the walk up the graduated path wasn’t too bad, especially when taking pics & having a bit of fun along the way.
Bec & I decided to ‘compete’ to see who could take the most arty photos, so we spent quite a bit of time getting the best angles on all the fabulous architecture surrounding us. Inside, there were rooms outlining the history of Salzburg. I most liked the story of the priests having secret passageways to the township so they could pursued their secret sexual liaisons – go boys! There was even a fully preserved medieval loo!!
The view from the tops looking out over the alps was spectacular, especially with the sun dropping down behind the mountains. We stopped & had some tea & soup in one of the cafes that offered a panoramic view – nice.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

I visited Edinburgh on two separate days when I was staying in Glasgow. It was soooo busy in Edinburgh, that accommodation would have been a premium. A one hour train trip was much less of a hassle, even though I had kids screaming both ways on both trips.
The first day I went was on a Saturday. I worked out what shows (mostly comedy) I wanted to see in the fairly limited time I had, knowing I wanted to get back to Glasgow before it was too late. I got to see only 2 shows that day & the 2nd show (Bad Things Happen in Trees) was simply magnificent - laughed most of the way through the show.
My second day was on the Monday & I was much more prepared having outlined the shows I wanted to see at which specific time. Only one of the shows (can't remember the name) was a stand out - hilarious!
The queue to get into Edinburgh Castle was at least 45 mins long, so waved that idea by. Edinburgh's a wonderful city - vibrant, a bit arty, & historically beautiful. Will definitely come back!

Prague Castle

On my second day, I headed to the Prague Castle in the afternoon. It‘s a UNESCO World Heritage site & seemingly the largest castle complex in the world. The entry fee was really quite expensive (from memory about 250 CZK for the Short Tour that goes for 2 hours) plus an audio guide fee of another 200 CZK (about AUD$30).
The first stop in the castle grounds was the St Vitus Cathedral - a stunning example of Gothic architecture & the biggest church in the Czech Rep. It’s like sacred turf here as lots of kings, princes & even saints are buried in the cathedral. Unfortunately, the most precious chapel in the cathedral, the St Wenceslas Chapel, was being renovated, but there were many others available for viewing. And the stained glass windows are exquisite here.
2nd stop in the grounds was the Old Royal Palace which had lots of history attached to it, but no furniture or any decorations inside. There was a great view from one of the balconies here across a large part of Prague.
St George’s Basilica was the 3rd stop on my castle tour. Built in the early 10th century, it is the oldest church building in the castle grounds & holds the tomb of a famous saint. Its architecture is Romanesque. Sitting inside the old church, it feels like you’ve been transported back in time - interesting experience.
Last stop on my mini tour was the Golden Lane, a collection of adorable little shops specialising in all kinds of touristy brick & brack.
At just before 6pm, I completed my mini tour in time to meet with Zuzana for the eve.

A Temporary Home with Marie & Mikael In Espergaerde

I was very lucky to be invited by a lovely couple, Marie & Mikael, to stay in their home for close to a week 40 mins north of Copenhagen in a town called Espergaerde.

It was so relaxing not having to rush about sightseeing, but being able to just unwind & catch up on all those little things you need to do to nourish your spirit, like eating chocolate, & cake, & lots of other yummy stuff too. I cooked some spinach & ricotta lasagne & chocolate mousse one eve - it was nice to be back in the kitchen cooking again (& I was barefoot too).

On the way to visit their son, Christoffer & his girlfriend Sheryl, one day they took me to Frederiksborg Castle for a look around the gardens, which was lovely. And we had a lovely cuppa at Christoffer's place while watching the Tour de France.

I got to catch up on all my little bits & pieces while here, & have even starting motivating myself to work in London, which I'm really looking forward to now.

Overall, I could not have wished for a more peaceful & relaxed stay. Thanks so much Marie & Mikael for your warm hospitaility!!!