2015 European adventure

[OATEK]

A belated report on our jaunt around various places in Europe earlier this year. Our journey was Sydney-[Hong Kong]-Helsinki-Paris-Vienna-Athens-Aegean Sea-London-Berlin-Helsinki-Bangkok-Sydney. It was 6 months in the planning and one month in execution, and will be even shorter in the reporting.

The bookings were made through Finnair (SYD-EUR-SYD), BA, OS and AF with 10 flights in all.

We started in the QF J lounge, and then CX100 (AY5840) to Hong Kong.



Great service and food, and very comfortable flight apart from the usual bumps over the NT.

 

[OATEK]

Sorry about the photo double-up. Probably operator error.

 

[OATEK]

We transited HKG and HEL, before arriving in CDG. All went very smoothly, the AY flights were very good, and all our luggage turned up - so all good.

We had a room at the Hotel West End, just off the Champs Elysee.

It was a lovely corner room, with views down to Ave Montagne and the designer stores.

Apparently this guy is well known in some quarters, but was new to me. Paid a visit to St Sulpice of Dan Brown fame.

 

[OATEK]

Went around a few of the usual places.


We went to a fabulous Art Nouveau restaurant, Fermette Marbeuf. The rear room was originally in a building being demolished and was added to the restaurant. Very good food, but exceptional setting.


A bit of a self portrait in the second one.
We went to the Marche au Puces at Port de Vanves. Wet, but some great stalls. Hope it is a fine day next time we go!

 

[OATEK]

We had a night cruise on the Seine, but again a bit wet.


Did the walk up the Arc, and got myself a little out of breath. But marvellous views.

It is a war memorial with an eternal flame.

Had a wander around the Marais a little later.

Below is a school where over 200 Jewish children were shipped off the the death camps. The Headmaster demanded to be sent with them as they were in his charge. One of the very sad stories that you come across unexpectedly but feel very keenly.

 

[OATEK]

Found a very old timber-framed house that evaded the renewal of the 1800s.

View attachment 53950
We were a bit emotional after seeing the school in the previous post and went in to a local cafe for a restorative. The guy making the coffees had a bit of chat about Australia, and then delivered a capuccino.
View attachment 53951
That night we tried the "famous" steak & frites joint, Relais de L'entrecote. You queue to enter, and answer two questions:
1. Do you want your steak Rare, Medium or (heaven forbid) Well done.
2. The you indicate what you would like to drink.
View attachment 53952

View attachment 53953
Great fun watching a lot of unfamiliar patrons struggle with the limited options (initially) only to find about 15 options for dessert. This was one.
View attachment 53954

 

[OATEK]

After a few days in Paris it was off to Vienna with Air France.

Not a bad little lounge at CDG.

Off on an A320 to VIE. It was a rough old flight as a low had hit northern Europe, and we were on the fringe. Stayed at a small hotel inside the ring.

Woke up next morning to find the cold snap had caught up to us over night.

 

[JessicaTam]

Thanks for the photos. I missed out on getting back to Paris this year, so it is nice to reminisce.

 

[OATEK]

First time in Vienna, so had a long list of sites to visit.

Hofburg Palace

Russian church near their embassy.

Stephansdom

Kunst Historiches Museum

A night out with Mozart and Strauss.

 

[OATEK]

After a few days in Vienna it was off to Athens, the jump off point for our cruise around the Aegean.

We flew Austrian to ATH, and it was an excellent flight in "European" Business.

We stayed at the Athens Gate Hotel, just over the road from Hadrian's gate.

Lunch in a small square housing the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, on the edge of the Plaka district.

The Acropolis is certainly an imposing site.


We went off to sleep that night looking at the Acropolis from our room.

 

[OATEK]

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

 

[Major]

This is bringing back some memories...many thanks

 

[OATEK]

We had booked a quick 5 day flit around the "Greek isles". This was not what you would call a cruise as such, but more a tour, by boat instead of bus. But the boat in question turned out to be quite alright, and we took the precaution of booking a suite so we had a bit of outside space as Mrs Oatek had not been on a ship since our honeymoon (some decades ago) when she was thoroughly sea-sick.




And of course as mentioned up-thread, there was some bad weather around. But I can happily say despite some strong winds and hull-grinding against the waves, we were both untouched by sea sickness.

The boat/ship was Celestyal Olympia (formerly under the Louis cruise banner). We did not book shore excursions at every stop, but had some key places we wished to see.


The dining experience was mixed, as there was a crush for those either getting off early for a day excursion, or getting back late. But the food was quite good in a large-function sort of way. And you could order away from the set menu, and the lobster turned out to be quite scrumptious.

 

[amaroo]

Argh, the memories + some new ideas for later this year.

Have never done a Seine cruise ... worth the time/coin? Not interested in a dinner or booze thing, just want a leisurely view of Paris from a different angle.

 

[OATEK]

Yes, done both a day and night cruise at different times. Well worth it IMHO, as you see not only a different perspective, but how things like ornate bridges, were meant to be seen (ie. from the river). We did meal cruises through Bateaux Parisiens, but they and Bateaux Mouches have general sight-seeing cruises.

 

[OATEK]

Our first shore excursion was to Ephesus. Docked at Kusadasi, and then bus to the site.

The goddess Nike and her "swoosh".

Headless noble along the main drag.

The famous library seen from the public toilets.

The library was re-erected, and its a wonder it holds up so well given how many people must trundle over it each year.

 

[amaroo]

Yes, done both a day and night cruise at different times. Well worth it IMHO, as you see not only a different perspective, but how things like ornate bridges, were meant to be seen (ie. from the river). We did meal cruises through Bateaux Parisiens, but they and Bateaux Mouches have general sight-seeing cruises.

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.

 

[OATEK]

The next part of our tour around the Aegean saw us stop at Patmos. Unlike Kusadasi, we could not dock and all had to go ashore by tender. Tenders are fun as long as the swell is not too great, otherwise it can be quite dodgy getting on board the small craft.

We just wandered around the port vicinity and took coffee and cake in the main square. Lovely place and worth a return if we can manage it.

 

[OATEK]

We had an over night transit to Rhodes that was so rough you felt you were taking your life in your hands having a shower (over the bath). Hanging on with one hand etc... But despite bumping and grinding and the wind whistling through the double sliding doors to the balcony, we slept very well. Woke to a fresh clean day already tied up at Rhodes.

This is a great place for a visit, being a traditional walled city that you associate with the Aegean and Mediterranean with all sorts of interesting architecture as you wander around.

Had a lovely lunch at a little place near the mosque, and did some shopping before wandering back to the ship.

Pushing back was fun as the Captain declined help from the tug, only to give the wharf a bit of a nudge at one point.

Got a nice view as we sailed off towards Crete.

 

[OATEK]

We did another overnight run to Create, and were off the ship at 7am to visit somewhere I have always wanted to go - Knossos.

As in Ephesus we came across the penchant for re-erecting some parts of the buildings, and putting up copies of frescoes that are safely locked away in a museum. But what an impressive place with multiple plumbing and drainage lines, fresh water from a nearby hill, waste water through one system and rainwater run-off through another.

The King's reception room with stone throne against the wall on the right.

Dolphin freeze in royal apartments.

Two views of the same reconstructed section near the school. Originally the pillars were wooden, hence why it fell down rather easily over time.