Mediterranean Cruise and Riverboat Cruise

Hi everyone, 

I am sorry that I have not been active since middle of March. 

I was on holidays for 5 weeks.  I left on 27/3.  Just before everyone home wanted me for different things, e.g. babysitting, orders, Probus needed to be up to date.  In other words, I was just frantic before I left. 

Anyway, Rachel, from https://stampinpals.blogspot.com/ and I travelled together for 5 weeks.  We cruised around the Mediterranean for 3 weeks, then river cruise between Budapest, Slovakia and Vilshofen in Germany for 8 days. Yes it was amazing trip.  Rachel and I had this type of trip planned separately prior to Covid.  However they were cancelled. Well, I can now tick the Vatican, Gibraltar and Spain off my bucket list.  We visited many other ports that were equally interesting and even spectacular.

We left Australia, on 27/3, both very exhausted.  However, we were very excited or at least I was.  I’m sure there was a bit of apprehension for both of us as we left our husbands home.  My husband, does not like travelling much, so he stayed home and looked after Dash, our dog.  I dreamed of seeing the Mediterranean for a number of years. 

We visited Hadrian’s Castle, just outside of Rome. It seems that he was a very active emperor in his time.  His name was mentioned many times during our trip.  The above photo is the barracks of the soldiers who lived and worked on his property 

Corfu, one of my many arches. 

This is the inside of Pantheon. This building is in Rome and it has the largest unsupported dome in the world. 

We spent 3 nights in Rome.  Each evening we went to the same Italian Restaurant across the road from our hotel.  

Our first photo on our cruise ship, Majestic Princess. This was our home for the next 21 days. Goodness me, how do you select a few photo from 21 days around the Mediterranean. 

Corfu. You might notice soon, that I have a thing for arches. 

Ephesus, truly magnificent.  The size of the excavation is mind blowing.  

Piazza on the ship

Ancient Corinth.  This wasn’t as showy as Ephesus but equally as interesting . 

Some well worn stairs in Pompeii. 

Inside the Vatican.  Magnificent!  I went to about a dozen churches.  I’m not a fan of churches.  However the Vatican trumped them all.  A number of years ago, a friend from church suggested that if I ever had a chance to see the Vatican, do it.  He loved the Vatican.  Well I can say that I have seen it.  Truly magnificent!

More stairs, but this time, these stair are in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, probably my favourite area. 

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

Sunset from the ship

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona.  I was told this was a ‘must’.  We couldn’t get tickets to go inside.  The tickets were booked 4 days ahead. When we were in Barcelona, our ship was one of 6, so there were an extra 24000/25000 people.  It was o so busy 

Alicante, Spain.  This was a gorgeous little city, plenty of money about.  Large boats in the harbour.  It was first time the Majestic Princess docked here.  When we left the Captain played the horn music, something that they play sometimes.

We leave the ocean cruise and transfer to an 8 day river cruise from Budapest to Vilshofen, Germany

A village, as we sail past on the river boat.

A house, as we sail past on the river cruise. 

Another arch.  I took over 700 arches, including arch stained glass windows.  A lot of arches.  I haven’t been able to work out where this one is, yet. 

Tulips in Vienna

Creeping Tom, Bratislava

Bratislava 

Bratislava 

Budapest, at night.  

Budapest.  Our river ship is the first, navy blue.  We travel with Avalon Ulumination. . 

A lady in Budapest national costume.  She was very tall.

I was away 5 weeks.  During those 5 weeks I walked 320646 steps, an average of 8222 per day.  I am home again now.  It will take some effort for my steps to be close to my average over the last 5 weeks. 

This is only a handful of 3500 photos that I took while away.  I had a magnificent time, enjoyed Rachel’s company and would do it again in a heartbeat.  However I will probably have to wait a couple of years. 

Patchwork Quilt - Europe

Hi everyone,

This quilt is a blast from the past, however I have not quilted it yet. I tend to completed and quilt gifts, but the quilts I keep for myself seem to always stop at the bottom of the pile.

In 2005/2005 our daughter, Carren, lived in London, working as a nanny.  Carren had a wonderful time.  She travelled to many European countries, spent one Christmas with her cousin in Vancouver, and made some wonderful friends.  She will visit one of those friends soon in Adelaide.

Anyway, I visited Carren for two months in 2006. I cannot go anywhere without some patchwork.  It stems from going to WeightWatchers in my teens with my mum.  We were told to always have something for the hands to work with.  Whilst I have fabric in my hands, I don't have food.

Well, I took the makings for this quilt.  I used pansy fabrics in each square. Some are 12” squares whilst the little ones are 4” squares.  I made them all by hand.  I always had the makings of a square in my hand luggage.

One night Carren and I flew from Heathrow to Salzburg.  We had a 4:00am flight. I couldn’t sleep in the chair at the airport, so I hand sewed all night.  Carren slept though. When we eventually got on the plane, apparently I was asleep before the plane left the airport and Carren needed to wake me as we landed. I was great company that flight.

 

We stayed in Avignon for several days.  One of those days, we intended hiring motor bikes but they were all gone.  So we hired push bikes.   We rode 15 miles out to a perfumery.  I remember that it was a beautiful day. Carren played ‘Mum’ that day. She rode behind me and continually reminded me that I had to stay on the right side of the road.  In Australia, we are used to driving on the left side of the road.  Anyway, I kept riding to the middle.  Carren would say, ‘over to the right, Mum.’

At lunchtime we stopped at a little village for a break.  It was so different to something that I was used too.  A little pond or well in the middle, the small square surrounded by houses and a street.  I have just finished reading a novel about Italy.  This image of this little village stayed with me during the book. On the way back we saw a country wedding. Such lovely memories.

 

This is Carren and I in Lucerne, Switzerland.  The above photos are also the surrounds of Lucerne.  A beautiful place.  We both grew up with 'Sound of Music.'  So Austria was a must.  We visited Salsburg and did the 'Sound of Music' tour.  We then worked our way back to England, on the fast train, stopping a few days here and there. 

 

This the Arc of Triumph in Paris.  Such a busy roundabout.  Carren and I climbed to the top.  I stood and watched, fascinated by the lack of road rules as car after car got on and somehow got off the roundabout in one piece or without too many scratches on their cars.  

Here is Carren in front of Cartier's.  

Such wonderful memories.  Many photos were taken but they weren't digital.  So it seems I must scan them onto my Ipad.  Above is a taste which has brought my memories to the front of my mind.  Such a lovely holiday and such a precious time I spent with our daughter. 

 

I have several pictures in my mind, when I remember make this quilt.  I tried to finish a 12' square every few days.  On afternoon I remember sitting on my bed, at Carren's employer's place, trying to catch up.  I patch-worked whenever I sat in the train, fast or just local and bus rides.  Having this quilt to work on, allowed me to have some down time quietly, on my own.  It allowed myself to process all the wonderful sites that I saw.  

I hope you enjoy reading about these memories.  I have enjoyed sharing them with you.

Blessings 

Leanne

South Pacific Islands 2017

Hi,

We have returned from our cruise around the South Pacific Islands.  I spent two weeks of patchwork, patchwork, patchwork, a little reading, talking and sharing with others.  We sailed on the Golden Princess with friends and another 2588 passengers and 1100 crew members.  This was our 6th cruise and second time visiting the south Pacific Islands.

We visited Mare, Noumea, Mystery Island, Port Vila, Champagne Bay and Luganville.

The above photos were taken from the ship in Noumea.  We visited about 6 years ago.  I remembered  Noumea as being a pretty 

place.  However I took a tour around the sites.  The immediate sites 

this time were lots of concrete and concrete buildings. I visited the 

market, bought some fridge magnets and returned to the ship. It was very warm and very humid.  I returned and appreciated the air conditioned ship.

The following photos were taking during a tour of Mystery Island.  Mystery Island is only a very small uninhabited island.  The locals bring their wares over on their boats and ferry.

I did a tour of a village on the main island. Here are some photos. 

The following photo was taken in Luganville.  The group were singing Christmas carols.  It was such an unexpected site. 

Our friend and I played Skipbo during the evenings. 

I spent most of my time during the cruise working on the golliwogs 

quilt.  My husband found splenty if peopleto talk too. Our friends attend trivia games. 

We arrived back in Melbourne. The cruise ship in moored at the dock in Melbourne.  We left the ship about 10:00.  Princess Cruises certainly knows how to unload the passengers from the previous cruise and load new passengers for the next with limitless hassle. 

Golliwog quilt

Several years ago I bought a patchwork ‘block of the month’ pattern for a quilt.  ‘Block of the month’ quilt  patterns are quite popular amongst the patchwork and quilting community.  Well I bought one about golliwogs.  Golliwogs were an important memory of my childhood.  Since the grandboys arrived I’ve collected the Noddy books.  We have some here. Others are at their place.  My sister-in-law also bought me a Noddy that sticks on the window in the car when she went to England several years ago.  Much loved Noddy helps the boys to find Nana’s car in the shopping carpark.  I guess I wanted to create something of my childhood memories for the grandboys.

The picture above is the quilt.  It is all appliquéd which means that each piece is sewn on individually.  So the news boy at the bottom of the picture below has about 20 pieces to make him. Am I mad, or what. 

The above picture shows what I have done.  No much.  It seems that I only work on the quilt while on a cruise with lots of time to myself.  So I have three months of appliqué to prepare and place on the quilt before we leave in a couple of weeks.  

The above picture shows only one month.  So there is a bit of work to complete between working, looking after the grand boys and general everyday chores. 

Our faithful D isn’t far away. 

After we return from the cruise I will include some photos from the South Pacific Islands and I’ll show you my progress on the quilt.

Blessings