Singapore Ticking More Boxes

A slightly disjointed sleep due to our mini-flight across the planet, but nice to wake up to an ocean view.

Our main aim for spending two nights here was to visit the Kranji War Cemetery. Dad's 28 yr old brother, Fred, had been killed in the jungle during the very early days of the Japanese push towards Singapore. His body not recovered, his name is one of thousands engraved on the walls at the cemetery. Dad and Mum, together with Dad's niece Pauline and her husband Bruce, had visited here in the 90's.

We caught the super-efficient train to Kranji, requiring one line change. After grabbing a snack at a local cafeteria ( I had forgotten about the sweetened condensed milk in tea!) we caught a taxi the short distance to the cemetery. It is extremely well kept but perhaps less frequently visited.

We happened to encounter a very lively lady and her quieter husband, who was also searching out a relative, and who just happened to have spent her childhood approx 15 kms from Tony's childhood village in NSW. Obviously there was much chatter.

We found Frederick Lionel Roberts. With no headstone in Australia, this engraving is the only public recognition of his time on earth. Photos and a video for the Family archives.

Our timing was perfect, because as soon as we returned to the station the clouds dumped the tropical rain.

Singapore has many attractions but I wanted to do Raffles. The old colonial hub of central Singapore remains and the famous Hotel does not disappoint. White render, tropical courtyards and wooden balustrades easily outdo glass and glitz. A Pimms for me and a Singapore Sling for Tony, wiping our peanut shells on to the floor and we were a contented duo.

Returning to our hotel at 6pm meant that we had filled in our day nicely. Time for refreshments by the pool.

We fly out from Singapore at 6pm tomorrow. We are close to an area called the East Coast Park which runs along the shoreline and we plan to explore this area tomorrow. Then home.

From the greenery of Slovenia, the emptiness and grandeur of Dormitor NP in Montinegro, the over-use of the dramatic Croatian coastline to the sophistication of Vienna...I may have to divide this holiday into two Photobooks.

Cheers and Thanks for reading. Karyn and Tony.

 

Amongst thousands of names, in a peaceful place.

Now where do we change trains?

Oasis in the middle of the CBD...Raffles Hotel. My hair is flat 'cause it had rained!

A Pimms, Singapore Sling and peanut shells to be wiped onto the floor!?

 

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LeaveViennaArriveSingapore

It was much appreciated that we had access to our unit all day, until we left. After tidying-up,and re-packing we decided to wander further afield in our own neighbourhood.

I was again fascinated with suburban apartment living. Our neighbourhood was wall-to-wall apartments, mainly starting on the first floor. We noted the ready access to supermarkets, eateries, transport and the occasional green space. Where they parked their cars, motorbikes and bicycles. Only distinguishable by the motifs on the windows, but we also saw some schools...again in those multi-storey buildings that open straight onto the street. People wandered to the "FitInn" in their gym gear, ran the streets in their lycra or shot hoops in the previously-mentioned caged courts. The residential streets were always quiet. What were people doing? A way of life for billions, but certainly not for me.

While having a light lunch we heard the rumble of motorbikes. Tony immediately "knew" that it would be the worldwide " Distinguished Gentlemen's Rally." I was sent out in a rush to try and capture some photos. Earlier on we had stumbled across the club house of the Viennese Hell's Angels.

We eventually had to say a grateful farewell to our apartment and did the train hop to the airport. First flight to Frankfurt and then the long haul to Singapore. We are cheating a bit by spending 2 nights in the balmy warmth of this Asian city/nation. Arriving late afternoon we have ventured no further than the poolside bar where we had a pleasant chat to a member of the Adelaide 36'ers basketball team who had just won an invitational tournament here as pre-season warm up. Being warm, Tony decided that he needed to finish the evening with his holiday-habit of a sladoled...ice-cream, to those who had not noticed the Slavak name!

Riding home.

Very typical street to walk out to each day.

Some distinguished gentlemen!!!

Another campaigner to Save The Bees.

Tony enjoying a sladoled in the warmth beside the pool in Singapore.

 

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ViennaSixSachertorte

Our last full day in this city. There are seriously endless places to visit here. If you were a resident you could occupy your weekends easily, however history and gallery overload was beginning to set in. If you were a resident you, would need choices on the weekend ' cause apartment living is limiting!

We had realised earlier in the week that visiting the Sacher Hotel and consuming its famous cake would be better during the week...but it didn't fit our plans. Arriving in the centre area this morning confirmed that Saturday would be busier. Tour groups proliferated...maybe they are here for weekend breaks? We located our venue for tonight's concert and then gradually made our way to the Hotel. Yes, there was a queue but not too long. After 20 mins we were sitting at a lovely corner table. As we were about to give the waiter our order we had a phone message from Tammi. She had been at the Preliminary Final and THE TIGERS HAD WON! Much excitement from me as I shared the news with the waiter. He was politely pleased for me!!!

Tony and I agreed that we liked the Sachertorte although some say it is dry. We thought it light, not too chocolatey, a nice tang with the apricot jam and the icing was not too heavy. Combined with a delicious soup beforehand, we left the Hotel satisfied that that was lunch.

Tony patiently followed me around the expensive shopping precinct and I eventually bought myself a souvenir...a soft scarf. We returned to the unit mid-arvo as our concert started at 6pm.

This concert was at the Mozarthaus, a place where the musician stayed and worked. It took place in an intimate below-ground level, highly fresco-ed room. The four musicians obviously enjoyed what they were playing and the music was lively and identifiable. It was a fun concert. Remaining patient and again appreciating the musicianship, Tony's word for classical music is "disjointed!"

Emerging in twilight it was time for tea. Although Tony had eaten a Weiner schnitzel earlier in our trip, he wanted to eat one in Vienna. We found a pleasant pub-like eatery and the schnitzel was delightful...simply cooked with lemon garnish ,potatoes and salad.

Another easy train ride home on this most-used system, with our " boxes" all ticked.

Taken by a lovely Romanian lass.

One of THOSE groups. Thought that the flower was a better indicator than an umbrella or a sign.

Shopping amongst the architecture.

Two contented musicians.

One contented attendee.

...and a contented Tony!

 

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ViennaFiveBratislava

Visited another country today...Slovakia. The capital, Bratislava, is an hour's train ride from Vienna. We train hopped to get to the international station in the south of Vienna, bought our tickets at the machines and easily found a seat on the train that was waiting at the platform. The journey took as through flat agricultural land, past many generating windmills just dotted amongst the countryside and over the Danube.

Arriving at the older station we followed the crowd to walk 20 mins or so to the historic part of town. Not quite there yet and looking for a coffee we decided to encroach upon the services of the Crowne Plaza, enjoying coffee and cake and assessing our day's options.

While looking at the map we noticed an ad for the "Metal Shop." A whole shop devoted to the heavy metal music genre! Deciding that we needed to go there as proxy for our son Gary, that was our first port of call. Entering the modern shop, the background music was immediately familiar. No doubt the young staff were slightly bemused by our interest but they were friendly and helpful. We spent half an hour wandering, mentioning that our son was a member of a band with an album. One of the girls went to the computer and we were able to bring up the album on U Tube. Hopefully she will spread the word!!!

The shop was halfway up the hill to the landmark red-roofed castle of this town so we kept walking up. Great views but decided to forgo another castle visit. Wandered back through the park and into the old town precinct. There was a noticeable lack of crowds. Hooray! Historical facts were written on billboards so we were getting a picture of the history. Reaching the centre square I noticed a tourist train. Let's get on. The one-carriage train took us around the small cobbled streets pointing out all of the former palaces of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy and relating that Locksmiths needed to be reputable and of good-moral character. So the Roberts' are carrying on the tradition.

A little hungry by now, we bought a cone of buttered baked potato from a street seller and listened to a folk group playing an assortment of very basic instruments.

Caught a taxi back to the station and eventually arrived back around 6.15 to cook up the remaining goodies in our fridge.

Although Bratislava has areas of tiredness about it, it does have a modern bus and tram system. Of course Vienna' s system is also wonderful. These infrastructures have emphasised to us that despite the cost and inconveniences at the moment, the current projects happening in Melbourne are vital for ease of movement in the future. Should have been started years ago.

Where is everybody? Note sleek tram in background.

Castle or The Metal Shop? The shop won out!

Suburban Bratislava and The Danube..

The little Tourist Train.

Buying potato wedges.

Actually, we were waiting for the train to return to Austria.

 

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ViennaFour

The rain has stopped, so easier to move around today. Breakfast and Blog writing before we moved out of the apartment. Today I wanted to visit The Secessionist sites. This artistic movement roughly coincided with the Impressionist movement in France. Architects and painters were involved in the movement that broke away from traditions. Probably the most well-known of the group is Gustav Klimpt. He was the artist featured in Helen Mirren' s "Woman in Gold."

Another train ride to find the Gallery designed and instigated by the group. The striking white and gold building featured some confronting temporary exhibitions and the Klimpt "Beethoven Frieze." The experience left Tony a little perplexed.

We then walked the length of the Nachtmarkt, an area featuring many exotic food stalls. We decided to have sushi. I did think having sushi in Vienna was a little odd.

Two of the most famous apartments designed by the Secessionist architects are found along the boulevarde parallel to the market.

Not being familiar with this city, we then walked the very long way round to find the Belvedere Palace. Tony decided to forgo another walk through this Palace-now-Gallery, as I paid more euros to see the collection of Klimpt works, amongst them the famous " Kiss." I was also surprised to see impressionist-type works amongst his output.

Another long walk back to the station and the short journey home. After a cuppa we ventured to the Irish bar that we had found earlier in the week. Fun place, but unfortunately the Austrians are not fazed about passive smoking . One can still puff away happily in a bar.

The Secessionist Gallery.

Tony studying the notes for the Beethoven Frieze.

Sushi in Vienna.

Secessionist designs.

Painted by one of Austria's favourite sons.

 

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ViennaThree

Rained steadily last night but eased during the morning. We had another lazy start...because we can!

The summer palace of the ruling Habsburgs was today' s destination. I had studied the the rule of Marie Theresa and her son Joseph during my matric year. 18th Century rulers who made a huge impact on the European scene prior to the French Revolution. To walk in the corridors that they walked in was something I thought I would never do.

The Schönbrunn Palace was near the end of our train line, so very convenient. Fortunately it is the off season, 'cause the permanent queue arrangements were very scary. We decided upon a quick snack before we tackled the 44 rooms that were part of our Audio Guide ticket.

No photos allowed. My first impression was that Versailles really knows how to do opulence. This palace was more "tasteful" in its grandeur. Having said that, every piece of furniture was elaborate, parquetry floors most detailed and the fussy requirements of wealth boldly evident. How Marie T dealt with running a palace, dealing with empire affairs and being pregnant 16 years out of 28 years of marriage...Go Girl!

My first glimpse of the garden vista was special and we walked to the fountain. You do a lot of walking to see palaces. However, Tony and I both agree that for a "wow" factor, the carriage room wins the prize. Fairytale appearances and skilful craftsmanship let alone heavy weight for the horses to pull. Other exhibits included dresses worn by a popular empress who was assassinated in her 60's. She was known for attention to her appearance...I think she had a weight fetish when you see her waistline!

So after spending the entire afternoon at Schönbrunn we caught the train back, having an aperitif at the bar of a fancy Hotel before returning to cook dinner.

 

 

 

That waist cannot be real although all of her dresses were similar.

 

Even a"Snow Queen" sleigh.

 

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ViennaTwo

They said it was going to rain and they were correct. Not cold, but steady light rain. Nuisance level we would say in Oz. We had a very lazy morning as we listened and watched the rain fall lightly on our foliage view.

Eventually caught the train to the centre and even ventured to change lines! We wanted to find the venue of our first classical concert taking place this evening. Easy peasy! Peterskirche is one of the major religious edifices in this city abounding in edifices and one of the most elaborate churches I have seen. A dramatic setting for a concert.

Returning to our eatery of yesterday, ' cause it has simple food, we then returned to the Habsburg Palace complex. The 18 C library had been recommended and it was worth the visit. Coincidentally it had an exhibition on the Freemason movement, a movement my Father had belonged to. Again, most interesting.

Followed by the church that contains the hearts of the Habsburgs and was the site of Napoleon's wedding to his second wife. Actually, he sent a proxy. Must have been a little busy. We wandered past the bored Spanish Horses in their stables, waiting for their sold-out performance tonight. We figured the horse performance in Córdoba was our equine fix.

Before returning to the apt Tony was able to fit in a bike-speak.

A quick light tea and left the apt at 7pm. Walked to station, caught first train, caught second train, arrived at the Church door...in 20 minutes!! Seriously how efficient is that? It was still raining but we had spent 90% of the time on the train.

If we had not seen the venue earlier in the day, it certainly would have been a"wow" moment with the chandeliers adding to the opulence. It was still impressive. The ensemble consisted of 4 string instruments and we recognised 50% of their pieces. Tony was most patient and was intrigued with the talent of the musicians, if not engrossed in what they were actually playing. One could not question the overall atmosphere.

Still raining, we found a place for coffee and cake before joining the many commuters on the homeward journey.

Inside Peterskirche.

Such clever advertising for the current exhibition at The Albertina Museum.

A truly special classroom...The National Library of ancient books.

Bike speak.

 

No pictures allowed during the concert but I cheated on this one prior to the encore.

 

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ViennaOne

Yes, we are alive and well, just taken me awhile to have a nice quiet time.

Alone in Trogir Saturday night, we had an average meal at one of the restaurants that line the MASSIVE marina for the pleasure boats. In the morning we had seen the frantic hive of activity as people left their rental boat/catamaran and the cleaners moved in to prepare them for the next group. Hundreds and hundreds of boats. The things that people's do!

Sunday morning we went to the fortress, which needs a little tender loving care. A pity the $5 entry fee was not used for its maintenance. We could see a major storm approaching. As we reached the exit the rain started and as we just made the nearest hotel the storm hit. People scrambled to lower the large market umbrellas and remove the coverings on the cafe tables. Thunder, lightening and heavy rain. Quite an experience under our little but adequate shelter.

Easy transfer to the airport, long wait for the flight and eventually we are on the fast train from the Vienna airport to catch a taxi to our apartment. Fortunately the taxi driver understood the numbering system for the addres as it looked double-Dutch to me! Agnes was waiting for us and all was well. Apartment living in Vienna for a week to see how the locals do it.

Our apartment is in a quiet section of Vienna , very residential but only two train stops from the centre. We even have trees and a garden outside our first floor window. We are the lucky ones. Key to enter the building, lift to the floor and of course a walk down the corridor to unlock our door.

We have been to the nearby supermarket and stocked up. There is a crèche at the base of this apt complex and an enclosed area on the street that has basketball rings and a soccer net. We have seen a few such caged-in play complexes.

After washing clothes and having our normal breakfast ( hooray!) we bought a weekly ticket at the handy underground train station and headed down town. Those who have been here before will remember that the city has an over abundance of ornate, grand, opulent buildings. We got a map from the Info Centre and wandered a little . However, our real introduction to the city was via a Segway tour.

We met up with our guide and one other participant and were introduced to the machines. A little training and off we went for our 3 hour tour. As there were only 4 of us including the guide, he was able to take us to more places than usual and there was virtually no hindrance to our riding. He even took us through parks, which is illegal on wheels. Peter was amusing, knowledgeable and politically sceptical which was right up our alley. We now have a list of places that we want to return to and a good understanding of significant locations.

Finishing at 5pm we treated ourselves to a hot chocolate and the ubiquitous apfelstrudel ! Catching the now peak hour train to our stop, we found a bar for a drink. Not easy actually! There were a few dull looking establishments and some with no life, but eventually we found a lively Irish Bar. Back to the unit to cook a "normal" dinner and plan our next days. They are predicted to be wet, so inside activities will be the go.

A stormy finish to our Croatian sojourn

A selection of welcome goodies made our arrival in Vienna most pleasant.

Apartment complex.

Impressive street art brightens the enclosed play space.

A quick city introduction.

Cooking tea...there is a wine glass there!

 

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