cathedral

It’s a miracle!

Monday 23rd – Tuesday 24th September 2019

While on my epic tour of Scotland, I had a bright idea to jump on the Kayak app and check out where I could possibly jet off to the following week on the cheap. What do ya know, Pisa was only £133 return, and from there I could leg it to Florence, one of my most favourite cities in the world… within 10 minutes, flights and Air BNBs booked… I should never be left alone with a travel bug, but oops, that’s all I am these days!

I’d only gotten back from my Scotland adventure the night before but the buzz of my Italy trip meant I slept like a baby, no wait, I had an awesome sleep, don’t babies wake up and cry every two hours?? Monday I was up and at it early to pack and get moving to Stansted, an airport I had not yet been to. There’s like 20 of em in London… Once again I was testing my luck with Ryanair… it seemed my luck had run out! A whole plane of passengers waiting on the tarmac and no crew. That’s a first. Departure time came and went, finally we were herded on board but we’d missed our window to take off so we just sat on the plane for an hour and a half. The passengers in front didn’t seem bothered, all loved up, how sweet. I miss that!

Once in the air, it was the loudest flight I’ve ever had. Should have guessed with a plane full of Italians but by gosh, felt like I was in one of those really noisey restaurants crossed with a classroom of kids, not even blasting silverchair in my headphones could drown it out. After having to grab the seat in front of me and actually letting out a WHOA along with the rest of the plane as we bunny hopped down the runway, I was glad to finally be off the flying sardine can. After also experiencing the grottiest tray table I’ve ever seen, I finally understood all the Ryanair reviews. But also got that money was running out quickly so probs wouldn’t be my last excursion with them!!

Walking to my Air BNB in Pisa, I got away with my life, crazy Italian drivers and an Aussie tourist that looks the wrong way when crossing the road, oops. Really am a dodgy tourist. Did something of a drop and run with bags at the Air BNB where my host happened to be Scottish, my priority was to get my tourist on and check out Pisa’s biggest celebrity, the leaning tower. Only a 25 minute walk away for most people, 40 minutes for a dodgy tourist that gets lost. It’s such an awe inspiring site when you’re getting into the area and get a glimpse of it towering over the other buildings, even more WOW when you turn the corner and there it is. The white marble all lit up against the black night sky is pretty damn impressive, check it out for yourself…

The Square of Miracles where the tower is located along with the Cathedral, Baptistry and Camposanto is certainly one of those places I won’t forget in a million lifetimes. Stunning white marble buildings with so much detail you wonder how before all the machinery and technology they could even construct these places. Google tells me they started construction back in 1064, that blows my mind! Maybe they were built by the same aliens that constructed the pyramids… Having been relatively civil for the majority of my pics, my dodgy tourist instincts took over and I couldn’t help but get all the lame and silly shots with the leaning tower, was actually a lot of fun, I’m sure I looked like a weirdo doing it by myself but not sure I care what any one else thinks!!

With a 2.30pm train to Florence, I was up and at it the next day to take in all the sites of Pisa in the few short hours I had. Just wish the weather forecast was more accurate, had packed for a week of low 20’s and rain but Pisa had turned on the sunshine!! Not complaining, the beautiful blue skies showed off the stunning sites, thanks Pisa! In the daylight, the Square of Miracles was even more beautiful if that’s possible, getting inside all the buildings was a bonus, my favourite being the Camposanto, yep that’s a Graveyard, the arches and tombs were a contrast of beauty and being totally morbid, but we all know that’s how I roll…

The Cathedral, the Duomo to Italians…

The Baptistery

The Tower, Campanile…

And my fave, the Camposanto Monumentale, a graveyard…

And some random dude that fell over…

Having well and truly got my tourist on, it was time for the thing I looked forward to most about Italy, the food!! I could lie and say I most looked forward to the history and culture but anyone who knows me would know that’s complete bull… bruschetta, lasagne and wine, what more could a girl want in the world??

Having thought I knew some Italian and my pronunciation being pretty good, it wasn’t til I was trying to order my food that I realised how bogan aussie Italian I sounded, and pretty sure by the look on the face of the waiter, he agreed. The only thing worse than my bad Italian was Siri’s. Wandering the city with the help of Google Maps, her pronunciation was like listening to a super bogan trying to speak Italian so so wrong she made me giggle. A sweaty Aussie walking around Pisa laughing to herself and taking selfies, I didn’t look weird at all…

Pisa was a pretty city but in all honesty, without the Square of Miracles, it probs isn’t a city that has its own charm and beauty. Maybe I’m just so spoilt with all my travels that my standards are just way too high!!

Legging it back to my Air BNB, I needed a quick change of clothes and a bathroom stop. And this is where I get grumpy. When I left in the morning the host was all ok with me coming back later and leaving my bag there, didn’t ask for the key or anything. When I came back I used the room just to get changed, didn’t touch a thing. And then I get a shitty Air BNB review for using the room and her needing the room earlier. Could have told me in the morning love, people can be AH’s sometimes, especially when I’d already been flexible with the check in because she wasn’t going to be home until 7.30pm. Maybe they kicked her out of Scotland that’s why she was in Pisa, wasn’t the lovely Scottish hospitality I was used to!!

Anyhoo, changed into my active wear and was onto the train to Florence all easy peasey, so easy no one even checked my ticket. One hour later and I was in Firenze…

October 18, 2019 0

Half dodgy

Another 5.30am wake up call for a 9am EasyJet flight to Glasgow, we definitely took for granted living 15 minutes from the airport in Adelaide. A flight out of Gatwick means a bus to Brixton Station, a tube to Victoria station then the half hour Gatwick Express which comes with the hefty price tag of £20, that’s about 40 bucks, must stop doing conversions…

What should have been a cruisey trip to the airport and a quick flight turned into a race against time to connect power at my apartment in Prospect by Wednesday so a photographer could take pics and the apartment could be on the market by the 17th… hmmm, I do like to make things hard for myself! So after calls to Simply Energy – needed a meter number – call SA Power Networks – can’t find the meter number – trawl through a million emails and with bum in seat on the plane finally submit an application for AGL to connect by the 16th, literally hitting submit as the plane is taxing down the runway, phew… nothing like trying to organise an apartment for sale from the other side of the world.

Finally in Glasgow, for me it’s into the city for a day of exploring with Kyles off to work to show them how it’s done. Having done zero research on what to do in Glasgow, besides search for Jamie from Outlander, thank god for the Trip Advisor top 10 list of things to do. Three days, surely I can get them all done??

Having decided to be a lazy arse and take the super tourist shortcut of using the Hop On Hop Off bus to see the sites, blonde Holly forgot that in an off season they probs don’t run too often. So after standing at a bus stop for too long, I finally read the schedule, oh, bus will be here in an hour… Decided to leg it to the Cathedral and Necropolis, 25 minutes, why not. With zero workouts since arriving, I needed to work off the ribs and wings anyway.

So here’s where the half dodgy perspective of Glasgow arose, all googles fault really. The google route took me through some questionable streets where things looked mighty dodgy and I wondered where the hell I had landed. From first floor up, beautiful old ornate buildings, but ground floor, dodgy looking shops with laminated hand written signs in the windows. Note how I’ve conveniently taken pics from first floor up..

Once I found the Cathedral and Necropolis I was jaw droppingly stunned (yes I know droppingly isn’t a word but it works). The Cathedral was gorgeous, as expected, but the Necropolis was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Wow.

Like how I eat my dinner, saving the best for last, I explored the Cathedral first, and it was stunning. Like the Gothic architecture of Westminster Abbey but without all the gaudy gold everywhere. In its simplicity, I liked it better than the Abbey. And unlike the Abbey, photos were allowed so I got my photographer vibe on and pretended I knew what I was doing. Haven’t downloaded the SLR pics yet so just iPhone pics for now. Considering how crap an iPhone takes pictures, and how gorgeous the Cathedral looks in the pics I did take, you can imagine how stunning it was for reals…

So after being directed to some dodgy public toilets in a back alley car park, and surviving, I ventured into the Necropolis. I guess that’s a fancy word for a cemetery on a hill… or wait, Google says a Necropolis is “a cemetery, especially a large one belonging to an ancient city”. Coolies.

Wandering up the winding paths to the top, and having to back track a few times when I ended up back the bottom, I was in awe of just how gorgeous it was. And moving. I always find myself emo at a cemetery but this time reading tombstone dedications that dated back to the 1800’s and marveling at the sculptures that adorned the graves, I was emo in a good way. Love and loss is eternal. No one, no matter how rich or poor, is faced with the challenge. Of course, it makes a difference when you can afford to erect a 20 foot monument to the person you love, guess it makes it seem like they had more of an impact on the world. A madly emotional time and actually thankful I was by myself so I didn’t have to speak or try put into words how I was feeling. Was also glad the Necropolis wasn’t in Finland where the sun doesn’t rise, was getting creepy vampire vibes and I ain’t no Buffy… wish I was… lots and lots of shameless selfies, one of my fave places I’ve been to.

Also some gorgeous views across Glasgow that were quite in contrast – in one direction, what looked like the blue collar district with smoking chimneys then in the other direction, old Glasgow, with the Cathedral and beautiful old buildings adorning the skyline.

Once again I could have stayed for hours but although I was rugged up in thermals, scarves and a kick arse winter jacket, I was freeeeeezing. Standing in the rain, I found the nearest coffee shop and bolted. Crap coffee but good WiFi. Booked my tour for the next day and did life maintenance. Probs spent way too long there considering I only paid £1.80 for the coffee.

Working through my Trip Advisor list, next stop was the Glasgow Science Centre. Although shut, today I was more interested in seeing the architecture then being a nerd. Have nearly nerded myself out on this trip. Was all proud for getting the bus, then missed my bloody stop and had to walk in freezing wind back to the docks where the science centre sat. Uh, really?? My reaction. Couple of silver domes that were kinda rusty. Hindsight, my lack of interest was probs more to do with being freezing and hungry. I’m sure a happy tourist would have found them pretty cool…

I had planned to get over to the transport museum, another supposed architectural masterpiece, but walking across the bridge and feeling frost bite developing on my hands, I decided a far away dodgy pic would do… and one from Google so future me could kick myself for not visiting…

At this point, I really should have given in and caught an Uber to my next stop but I’m stubborn as hell and kinda broke… so once again freezing and walking through dodgyville I was pleasantly surprised to stumble on some pretty cool street art. Ok, so maybe Glasgow has some charm.

I believe in signs from the heavens above so when I saw a cafe lit up with fairy lights I knew it was my next stop, then when I saw the name of the place, I knew someone up there was having a laugh… What was no joke was how delicious the French onion soup was, look at this and feel your mouth water…

Finally at Trip Advisors #1 stop, Kelvinhall, Glasgow’s infamous museum. Having had my fill of museums, I instead stood and marveled at the gorgeous building until the sun peeked through and once again I was stunned by how gorgeous the setting was. Wow. In hindsight, should have checked if they had dinosaurs.

Nearing the end of my tether and losing feeling in my fingers, I headed to the University of Glasgow. Kicked myself when I got there. It was like stepping into a real Hogwarts, magical with the yellow glowing windows, gothic architecture and towers. Should have skipped the dodgy silver shells and headed here sooner. Looking like a tired student myself, I felt at home wandering around the uni and stumbling on a beautiful archway hall of fairy lights. More signs from above? Maybe I could find myself finishing my psych honours here??? Do love a Scottish accent and Glasgow is only half dodgy…

Somehow being colder than when I was in Finland foot deep in snow, I called it a day and headed to the Horseshoe Bar to wait for Kyles. Another Trip Advisor recommended place to visit, I kinda expected more… yeah it had a massively long horseshoe shaped bar but the place was kinda dodgy. I did at this point think that maybe it was me that was dodgy, or at least my mood was… one non dodgy thing to come out of the day, banoffee Digestives biscuits, yuuuuum…. defs didn’t do enough walking to burn them all off!

Monday 14th January 2019.

January 19, 2019 0

Hel on earth

So when Hel only has 3 hours of sunlight per day and is obsessed with fairy lights (see previous post), wondering through the streets for a day is like living in a magical winter wonderland. Although today the snow is more of a sludge and it’s rain instead of a blizzard… gotta think positive and get into the spirit, and three layers of thermals… this is what dressing for a day out in Hel looks like… in suitable clothing…

Being our super duper trip planner, Kyles had today’s roster of sites lined up while I was still soaking up the zzz’s… after a quick excursion to the local for cheap brekkie pastries (keto is way too pricey in Finland, will roll home) and to gawk in awe at the pickle selection (also LOVE pickles)… it was out and into it…

Cue ice rinks, markets, Presidential Palaces, Cathedrals, an icey harbour, saunas, the Helsinki Sky Wheel, and of course, fairy lights… and me with my SLR camera being a photographer wannabe…

And there was Glogi… warm fruity tea with nuts and raisins… which did kinda made us a bit nuts with renditions of made up songs about Glogi… but anyways… stumbling across the Old Market Hall with all the Finnish foods was amazeballs, not usually one for food spam but kinda couldn’t help myself, one of everything please… start rolling…

And then we discovered that reindeer aren’t just for pulling a jolly fat dudes sleigh, they are delicious too! Reindeer kebab for dinner…

So 18,000 steps later… some possibly in the very early hours, it was onto our sleeper train, heading to Rovaniemi and the home of Santa Claus, shit, wish I didn’t just eat his reindeer…