Tour of Edinburgh Castle this morning. Walked up there taking a detour down Princes street the main shopping street. Poked our heads into Jenner’s, that last of the old Victorian department stores. Beautiful architecture, kept our hands in our pockets. Then up the hill to the castle. Mostly somebody’s been living on that rock for 3000 years. They know that because a few years ago they dug up the road and found a cooking pot from the bronze age. So the history of the castle goes something like this, the Scots invaded the English, the English invaded the Scots, the Scots had another go and this went on for about 700 years. After one particular invasion Robert the Bruce threw a match to the castle hoping to finally stop the English. It was raised to the ... read more

Edinburgh Well here we are arrived safe in Edinburgh. We landed last night at 7 pm to 14 degrees’ wind, grey and overcast. For all intents felt and looked like winter but as we drove into town the gardens are saying summer a great disconnect for my brain. Our hotel the Royal Scots club turns out to be an actual real club (Regimental club founded in 1919) with Princess Anne as the patron. (No jeans in the dining room – coats and tie for lunch not compulsory but preferred) The building is 200 years old and was first bought as a home by Margueritta Riddel in 1811, I’m thinking she would have been connected to the Riddel’s who emigrated to NZ and settled Gordonton and built Woodlands. Who in turn are connected to the Riddells from ... read more

Three days in Istanbul Easy to get to the Sophia Hagia. Just walk across the street. This is the oldest mosque and now deconsecrated and a museum. It dates from the 500's and probably the oldest building we have ever been in. It has a beautiful dome which was the biggest dome in the world for hundreds of years until the one in Florence. The walls are covered in gorgeous tiles and mosaics. The Blue Mosque, more famous but younger in an old way and a working or should I say praying mosque is just across the other side of the square. Here we have to cover ourselves, legs shoulders and heads but don't worry they have the have the means to help us. Also we have to remove our shoes.The word blue becomes obvious inside ... read more

Ok Toto, it's fair to say, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore! Arrived at midnight, thank goodness for the transfer. Young Man explaining to me that my husband phoned ahead especially to have the roses painted on the side car for his beautiful wife with the accompanying hand kissing of yourself. Now I remember .... The italians learnt the art of seduction of the Turkish man .So after the pilot telling us that everybody needs visas and seeing everyone run to the cue for the visas. Waiting in the cue seeing Australians and Canadian needing US$60 visas and starting to think uncharitable thoughts about Denise - hello we get to the front of the cue and hand over the passports only to be told NZ's - oh they nice people no visa required. so ... read more

Hmmmm so maybe Budapest is the most beautiful city....... woke up this morning opened the curtains just as we were docking right outside the Budapest parliament buildings......what a view right outside our bedroom window. Later the start for our tour of Buda and Pest. Originally two towns on opposite sides of the river that decided the join together. Buda is the oldest side with a gorgeous fort which includes the Fisherman's Bastion that has a gorgeous view over the city and of course a very historical castle and cathedral. Here we visited a museum of List and were treated to a beautiful piano recital given by a Professor of Music from the university with a beautiful violin accompanist. This part has been built on a lot of limestone caves that have been joined together to create ... read more