"What news from the cafes today?" Apparently when King Victor Emmanuel II of Turin wanted the latest political gossip, that is what he would ask his advisors. Turin is famous for its beautiful cafes and they form part of the cultural and political history of the city. While we didn't have much time, I was keen to experience some of that cafe culture for myself. I particularly loved the magnificent Caffè San Carlo, with its gilded mirrors, wonderful chandelier and fabulous waitstaff. I must say I walked in and wondered if I should be turning right around again, but a coffee here is the same price as it is anywhere else in Turin (and costs much less than it does at home), despite the decor being so opulent and the waiters so crisply attired! Apparently anyone ... read more

The view out of the window this morning took my breath away. Bells from the convent in the middle of the lake woke me, and when I opened my eyes, the mysterious glistening silver of yesterday was gone. Today the lake was uncomplicated, brilliant blue and happy. I was disinclined to move from the bed with that view out the window, but the threat of missing breakfast got me going. It was worth the effort, too. Beautiful local meats and cheese, pastries and fresh apricots that tasted like they had just been picked from someone's tree. We love all the little extras here as well, like the plate of sweet treats in the hall in case you feel a bit peckish! They are all packaged so beautifully - I'm thinking I must buy some for gifts. ... read more

The attraction of Delft, believe it or not, wasn't the the beautiful blue and white china. We had been a bit disappointed that Gitte's university exams happened to fall exactly at the time we were in The Netherlands, but in a sudden lightbulb moment I suggested we drive up and meet her for lunch after her last exam today. It was only a 90 minute drive so it all worked out perfectly. We were thrilled to see her and were able to hand over some Freddo Frogs that we'd carried all the way from home! Gitte was a great tour guide of her new city. I had been keen to try real Dutch pofterjes, and she had organised for us to go to a great pancake restaurant on the square in Delft where we were sure ... read more

Oh, by the way, in case you've ever considered doing this, the WORST thing you could ever say to someone who's just sat down in a dentist's chair is "Now you do know in The Netherlands they don't use anaesthesia when they drill, don't you?". Ha Ha Ha. Very funny - I thought. But Dorine was deadly serious. Then she saw my face and got the nervous giggles. As I prepared to kill her. Slowly. I forgot to mention yesterday that the reason I could actually eat the Flammkuchen at lunchtime was that dentists in The Netherlands don't use anaesthesia when they drill. So no numbness or drooling, but plenty of pain. The upside is that I am now free to eat my way around Europe without jumping out of my chair weirdly every time I ... read more

Cobblestones and suitcases made a lovely walk through Amsterdam in the early morning sun a little more awkward than it might otherwise have been! At 8am on Sunday morning the city was completely deserted as we made our way from Centraal Station, but we easily found our way to the lovely Hotel Estheréa and dropped our bags. To backtrack a little, the flight from Australia went well. We got some sleep and my newly broken tooth - more on that later - didn't bother me too much. Even our stop in Singapore was fun. We discovered a free foot and calf massage machine built for two and got the giggles while taking the plunge and putting our legs in. It must have looked so funny, not exactly one of the romantic wedding anniversary moments we imagined ... read more