Portugal with Kyria's wedding

Well what a difference from the hacking coughs and colds of winter, the forerunner no doubt to being diagnosed with a defective mitral heart valve with the prospect of major heart surgery at the end of the year. Although it put paid to a trip to the Canaries (unnecessarily as it turned out) and a proposed trip to South America it didn't stop me flying to Faro in September where I hired a car and drove first to the town of Tavira on the way to Spain for a little quiet time before the wedding celebrations.

This proved to be rather interesting once I arrived at the town, due to a festival of local foods and crafts which necessitated road closures along the route to my hotel. Eventually parked outside using on the instruction of the receptionist  'the portugese method' ie reversing back along a one way street. Hotel in lovely position on the River Gilao with stunning views from the roof terrace.

Including the 'roman' bridge, so much repaired few ancient parts left but very pretty.

My room had a terrace too and a very stylish interior, good value at 65 euros a night, provided you don't need a TV in your room!

Since I was here for very gentle sight seeing before the wedding, decided to check out the Ilha de Tavira beach. The island is at the mouth of the river and reached by a ferry from the town.

You pass salt flats

on the way down the river and caught a fishing boat being chased by the gulls

there were plenty of fish to see when we docked at the island

and  walked across the island to a very fine beach indeed with a number of restaurants, more crowded than I like my beaches (I'm spoilt by my Crete beach) but possible to find a spot if you walk a bit.

Went to a very charming restaurant in the evening where everything home made, service slow (home made.......) but wine good and had fabulous meal so worth the wait, check out the Food Factory, I think you have to book at weekends. I did try and visit some churches that I had glimpsed on my first evening but they all seemed shut. The Italians could teach them a thing or to.

Another restful day on the beach including a sardine lunch, possibly the first sardines I've had on my visits here which is odd since Portugal famous for them! Out for supper by the river with a lovely sunset.

Spent quite a while driving back past Faro (or not hence 'a while'!) to Lagos and Kyria and Kevin's lovely apartment. High drama in that the Best Man had been taken to hospital after an accident on Kevin's motorbike and Kyria's chief bridesmaid's father was seriously ill in hospital and she might not come. Of which more later. Spent the evening meeting Kevin's family, one co-incidence is that Kevin's sister Candice is married to a Davies!

It was lovely to see the improvements made, the balcony is particularly inviting with stunning views.

It turned out that Guy's shoulder was severely injured and needed a metal plate inserted so he missed the wedding and another of Kevin's friends as he put it got 'upgraded' to best man for the beach ceremony. Fortunately Karen's father showed enough signs of improvement for her to come, and both invalids have continued to improve.

Made a quick visit to the reception villa, Kyria practising her relaxing on the daybed

by the pool.

Looked after the photographer as she arrived on the Friday and stayed in the apartment with me, I'm really looking forward to seeing her photos as I didn't get the chance to take that many, (she took 2500 apparently!)

The spot chosen on a beach for the ceremony was lovely and everyone played their part beautifully with a special mention to Nathaniel who wrote and performed the ceremony (since they had formally married at Christmas in Salisbury)

with a very fine mixture of humour and pathos and so we welcomed Kevin into the family.

Quite a few couples took the opportunity to be photographed under the arch so here are Nathaniel and Jess with Phoebe

The terrace was beautifully decorated by Kyria and the bridesmaids

with Phoebe on a mission

It was lovely to see members of our extended family there alongside some of Kevin's friends and family from America, Australia and of course South Africa, so a very international gathering. Managed to catch up with the family from further afield and then spent some time the following day with Nathaniel & family before wandering around the town where I purchased the absolutely best drink for the beach, forget the beers!

Next day visited my niece Emma and her family who stayed in Pria de Luz where I got this great shot of her daughter Bluebell with Phoebe and Jess,

plus Phoebe showing off her beach style.....

Wednesday dawned more cloudy and the forecast was not good for the party arranged for the staff at The Garden who had valiantly kept things going over the previous weekend.

Still it looked good, rather more relaxed

with some beautiful lamb on the spit

So everything ready and then the rain came!

However the wind moved things along quite quickly and not that much later with table cloths removed lunch was served and Phoebe held court for a while

before deciding that swimming might be a good idea

The 'real' best man got his chance to make a speech having been discharged from hospital

and the staff presented a cake to their bosses

and Phoebe decided she needed a new hat.

Quiet day on the beach somewhat disrupted by so many surfers, still another bottle of fizz just slipped down!

Lots of people leaving on Friday so family supper in the Garden, warmth back now so pleasant end to a memorable break.

I had already decided to stay the night before flying home at the airport before my heart problems were diagnosed which made for stress free travelling and another really good find, even cheaper than the previous one (+ TV too) and very well sound proofed for somewhere so close to the airport.

Pleasant flight with views of the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth together with wonderful fluffy clouds to finish the trip

So now the wait until the end of the year or early next for the operation that will hopefully mend everything and let me get back to travelling again without breathlessness and heart ache.

Budapest March 2015

Good start to 4 days in Budapest, afternoon flight so no early starts, everything on time and shuttle bus from airport (booked on-line) also worked ok. Casati Budapest Hotel to be recommended, very trendy, just look at the room doors,

good breakfast buffet and very centrally situated.

The weather smiled on us the whole time we were there and so we set off for the meeting point for our walking tour which turned out to be a mere 5 mins away, planning is everything(!) and it turned out that we were the only two so had a private tour of all the main sites plus some useful info on how to use the metro and buses.We started at the Opera House which is similar in style to the Vienna State but only viewed the outside and then went up to Heroes Square.

This is a large meeting place laid out in 1896 a thousand years after the establishment of the country by the Magyars who settled here after a battle. There were 7 tribes who amalgamated, led by Prince Arpad, and the various statues show them and leaders thereafter. 

The Archangel Gabriel is on the top of the column, he apparently offered the Crown (on behalf of the pope) to Stephen who was the first Magyar to accept Christianity in the year 1000.

Just off the square is Vajdahunyad Castle, also built for the 1896 celebrations (along with the first metro route and installation of the first gas lights)  which celebrates the evolution of various architectural styles in close juxtaposition.

Unfortunately the museum of Fine Arts had only recently closed for refurbishment, a great shame as they have some lovely pictures. We then travelled back to the centre of Budapest to walk round St Stephen's Basilica 

and then walked down toward the River Danube and the Chain Bridge.

Crossing the bridge gave good views and on the Buda side the Royal Palace (now mainly museums) is on one side

and the Church of Matthias, which has a beautiful tiled roof,

and Fisherman's Bastion, on the other.

The views across the river from the latter are stunning including the parliament building

and as no building is allowed to be higher than the 896 feet of St Stephen's it is not broken up by modern flats or hotel skyscrapers.

We said good-bye to our guide, had a quick lunch and then visited the inside of St Matthias church, quite a bit of renovation going on but some beautiful mosaics and stained glass windows to be seen.

We then walked to the National Gallery, catching the changing of the guard outside Sandor Palace which is the official home of the President of Hungary and separate from the old palace.

The gallery is large and although some good pictures quite easy to get lost amongst some more mundane hangings, oh for the fine arts museum, but good views from the terrace.

Rather than walk back to the bus stop or even back down the zig-zag route to the foot of the hill, we caught the funicular to add to our experience and save time.

As the city is not large we managed to walk back over the bridge and through the city to our hotel, passing a restaurant that we returned to for supper which proved a very good choice, having a good mix of local and international dishes. Completely full on a Tuesday night, what more can you ask.

Back to St Stephen's next morning to explore the inside, seeing this well maintained old car on the way.

More lovely mosaics

and glass

but also the mummified right hand of St Stephen himself, well a casket anyway!

Also some very different art works.

I would like to say that we climbed up to the viewing platform but there was a lift …..

It is high, looking down

but the views are great

We then walked down the main shopping street, Vatci Utca, pedestrianised with many of the usual suspects, Zara, M & S, etc along with some unpronouncable local shops. At the end is the great covered market building

with stalls that always look so tempting.

It is right by Liberty Bridge

and opposite Gellert Hill with the Liberty monument near by.

Originally built for the son of an Admiral, taken over in 1945 when Soviet rule was imposed and after a period wrapped up after the uprising, in 1989 it was re dedicated to all who laid down their lives for Hungarian prosperity.

Our guide the previous day said that originally it was a symbol of the city welcoming the Soviets coming to their aid to relieve them from Nazi rule and now it is waving them goodbye! Either way an unmissable memorial.

We walked back to the centre along the river, Budapest could learn a lot from some other European cities, such a mess of roads, train tracks and wires, so no pleasant riverside walk here. 

The weather was wonderful and we sat slightly away from the traffic eating at a greek (as you do!!) restaurant outside in just jumpers. Lovely salad and home made sesame crisp breads some very good retsina for me, beer for Gail, free hummus and liqueurs plus 2 roses to take away with us, all for £14. Generally eating out not that expensive, no euros of course but I think the 'forint' is closely connected, so we benefited from the relative decline in value to the £.

I had hoped to perhaps see an opera but that proved impossible so we got back to the Opera House in time to take a tour. It has the usual grand staircase

and plush interiors

but we finished off with a mini performance from one of their singers, a treat as she sang the drinking song from Traviata, one of my favourites.

Back to the hotel to change and find supper near the river as we had booked an evening river boat cruise, taking photo's without getting reflections proved difficult, so these are the best ones but very enjoyable helped by a glass of fizz!

Not from the boat , Cathedral floodlit as many buildings are at night.

Another lovely morning and walked up to the Franz List museum a very famous local! We then went and walked by the river near the parliament building where there is a very poignant memorial to Jews who were lined up on the bank and shot with their bodies falling into the river, after being forced to remove their shoes. Such barbarity beggars belief, although amazingly many Jews did survive elsewhere in the city. These are bronze casts of full a full range of different sized shoes, including children's.

This was followed by a lunchtime cruise, where there was more opportunity to get outside and take some photos. (Very good buffet by the way and a little easy to over eat!)

It is a mix of old

and new!

Plus the obligatory shot of the Houses of Parliament, remind you of anywhere?

Walking back to the hotel we passed by this children's play area constructed out of what I suspect was a bomb site with these amazing murals on the walls. The only real sky in this picture is to the right of the large tree above the red building.

Found a lovely wine bar with live music and shared a platter for supper, just right after lunch.......

Last day but as not flying until the evening after finishing packing and leaving our luggage we set off by metro, basic but works,

for the Szechenyl Baths, this was the morning of the eclipse, no where near total here but thanks to someone who had a couple of very dark pieces of glass we were able to see it while lolling in the warm water, not the only cerebral activity going on.

A huge area with both inside and outside pools of various temperatures.

Back at the hotel we packed up our swimsuits (the hotel had let us take their towels, how good is that!) and set off for the Great Jewish Synagogue (stopping for a good lunch on the way, to save too much airline food). It is very large and quite expensive to visit inside but fortunately you can view this wonderful memorial through the gates, a stunning piece of work. I'm afraid the photo doesn't do it justice a metal weeping willow.

Finding ourselves back near Liberty Bridge we went to have a look at the other main Baths housed at the Gellert Hotel which was looking rather tired. However it did give us a chance to look at the cave church run by Pauline Monks, shut up during the Soviet occupation.

Back to the hotel to catch the shuttle bus after stopping (not for the first time, too close to the hotel!) for very posh dessert and coffee a lovely end to a busy few days.