Europe 2019

Bit of a gap in my writing as aside from trying new restaurants and seeing more shows not a lot new for us to report on in Edinburgh. Had a brilliant lunch down at Leith at a place called Kitchen.  Food and service were outstanding. Unusually for me I had a gin cocktail to start (which I very much enjoyed).  Sampled some grouse sausages and plaice for my main.  We all had lemon souffle for dessert.  One of the best meals I have had in a while.  Also tried out another local restaurant in Broughton - The Olive Branch.  Cute little neighbourhood restaurant.  Didn't think was as good as other local Italian we tried earlier on in the week but still very enjoyable.  I re-visited the Portrait Gallery with our friend and we were joined by another mutual Australian friend who happened to be in Edinburgh.  It is a lovely building and we did a quick look around for an hour or so and then adjourned for a coffee catch up.  Agreed we are very fort...

Mixed day at the Fringe.  Stephen and I headed into town, leaving our friend to do some work. Thought we'd see if could find some theatre at the Fringe.  After staring at some billboards confusedly, saw something called Mengele. Yes it was a play on the notorious Dr Mengele and what he did during WWII.  We really don't mean to keep circling around the Holocaust.  But was a very good piece of theatre. Just 2 actors-Mengele and Death.  Set at the point of his death in South America and Death draws out from him his views and what he did (and why). It is meant to be seeking some sort of understanding or forgiveness of people like him and to promote the idea that anyone(? - not sure about that) is capable of evil acts.  Not sure it did that but was excellently done nevertheless. It also featured footage of Auschwitz and the rounding up of Jews.  Footage was cleverly done as while it kept the tension it also gave the actors a break from some intense dialogue...

Stopped counting the days in Edinburgh.  Been here a bit less than a week and now residing in Broughton; just off Broughton Street.  Very convenient location - short walk to Queen street or is a bus that takes you on into the Old Town.  House is old and rambling.  Bit run down we thought but has a workable kitchen, comfortable beds and plenty of room for 3 adults as are now sharing with a friend who has joined us from the UAE. It's the Fringe so lots of people around.  We think is not as packed as in previous years however.  Maybe less people can afford to trek over here.  Seen some great shows and enjoying showing our friend around Edinburgh.  Stephen and I certainly have no trouble finding our way around.  Saw a very funny comedian last night - Milton Jones.  Famous for his puns and word play.  He was funny and clever.  Saw something completely different today - Fishbowl.  A French almost all mimed production.  In...

Made the most of sun this morning and wandered to the Pleasance Courtyard to buy some tickets for Fringe performances next week and to see if anything took our fancy this morning. Ended up being convinced by the father of a performer to see his daughter's play.  Was called Lady Bones.  The premise did not sound encouraging although her father assured us there were comic moments.  It was a one woman show and the performer, while a trained actress also suffered (or suffers?) from OCD.  Very well written.  Sounds a bit weird but play was based around this character discovering a young woman's skeleton during a dig and turns out she was buried face down indicating she was killed as a witch apparently.  Sort of tied into this woman saying that if she had been alive in medieval times, she would have been considered odd and possibly also killed as a witch.  More complicated than that but was very good.  Well written.  Decided was enough for this m...

Back in familiar territory now at Edinburgh. Easy 2 hour plane trip from Berlin to Edinburgh.  Been busy doing some 'domestic' tasks as staying at a friend's place for a few days so access to a washing machine is very useful after 3 weeks in hotels.  Topped up bus card, checked out how much credit we had on our UK phone and managed to squeeze in a trip to Fat Face and an Ecco shop.  Gave directions along the way to tourists - there are of course many many tourists here because of the Fringe.  Given our lack of a Scottish accent I assume we must look quite at ease here - hence the requests for directions.  Sampled some coffee at Stockbridge.  Agreed were not going to suffer from a caffeine overload any time soon.  We know some good coffee places but were not going to trek to Leith for a cup.  Not yet anyway. And the weather.  Sunny, rain, humid, cool, thunderstorm (and just repeat). Had dinner at local Pizza Express at Stockbridge last n...

Last day in Berlin.  Did favourite walk alongside Berlin Zoo into the Tiergarten, up to Victory column, Brandenburg Gate and down Unter den Linden.  Headed into the Spandau suburb in the district of Mitte.  An area called Scheunenviertel which we learnt was where barns were built to store all the hay for the then cattle markets in the Alexander Platz.  The hay and straw was ordered to be stored outside the city walls because of the risk of fire.  Also the Jews who wanted to settle in Berlin were ordered to settle in this area. Hadn't meant to do a Jewish historical tour but we found ourselves outside the oldest Jewish cemetery in Berlin.  Opened in 1672.  Not much left as was used as an air raid shelter during WWII and the gravestones were used to line the shelter's walls. Then a number of non-Jewish casualties were also buried there.  Very heavy police presence around there as also discovered a Jewish high school had re-opened next door.  ...

Deliberately quieter day today.  As with Hamburg, many things were closed today being a Sunday.  We decided to make the most of the sun and grabbed books and some food and walked to the Tiergarten.   Lovely park to stroll around particularly at this time of year. Many shades of green and ponds meandering through the park.  After a bit of a stroll we sat on a bench facing the River Spree and watched the many boats going past (with many tourists) and walkers, joggers, dogs, bikes, scooters etc go past on the path in front of us.  Happily wiled away a couple of hours doing this and reading books and newspapers. Back to the hotel early afternoon and watched a movie on Stephen's ipad - Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. Good fun movie.  Missing English television.  Hotels we have been staying in have only had BBC News or Sky News - both on endless loops.  We watch every couple of days but Sky News, which is all we have had in Germany is fairl...

A bit of history, lots of walking and a bit of shopping. Visited the "Memorial to German Resistance" Museum.  Fairly self-explanatory name - a memorial to those who resisted Hitler and his cohorts.  Very detailed 2 floors on the various plots to kill Hitler (all of which failed for some reason) and the people who hid or otherwise helped the Jews in Germany.  The Museum is located in part of the "Bendler Block".  The Bendler Block is a series of historic buildings used by the military until 1945. Pretty austere looking.  It was where Hitler gave his speech in 1933 on "Lebensraum (living space) in the east"and was where there was an attempt to overthrow the National Socialist regime in July 1944 - i.e. a failed plot to kill Hitler with a bomb.  The main conspirators of that plot were shot in the courtyard. There were a few attempts to kill him.  I thought one of the most moving was an individual who they now know acted on his own and attempted to blow ...

Not much to say for today.  Walked up one side of the Ku'Dam, crossed the road and walked back the other side.  Took a while and we did have a slow start as yesterday was fairly full on.  Is a lovely street to stroll along and stopped along the way for some coffee.  Actually not bad either.  Still some summer sales on but the winter clothes are fast appearing which is about as ridiculous as happens at home given August has only just started here.  Both very impressed by this label called Canadian Goose - they have these amazingly warm puffa jackets.  Doubt you'd ever get to wear them in Sydney. Planned to finish off at department store Ka De Wa which is very near hotel but I had run out of steam and so we visited local bakery and bought sandwiches and a sweet treat instead.  After a rest at hotel, went out again and did visit Ka De Wa.  The range of goods is just so much more than we ever seem to get.  Loved looking at some of the kitc...

Another biggish walking day.  Never seem to feel hungry, suggesting I am eating way more than usual, so walking is a good thing. Started day walking along the side of the Tiergarten - still very pleasant.  Stephen excited by the oak trees dropping acorns everywhere.  Apparently acorns are on our family crest. Headed up to one of my favourite parts of Berlin - the Brandenburg Gate.  Such an iconic sight.  Then strode along Unter den Linden.  One of my favourite streets.  Just love the history of the place.  The first time we were here the Wall had just fallen and Unter den Linden was lined with people trying to sell you pieces of the Wall and bits of Soviet memorabilia.  The next time, shops were starting to appear - luxury car showrooms for some reason.  This time we detoured into the Hotel Adlon.  Mainly because we wanted to find a bathroom but we both remembered it from a book - The Good German.  Read later that it has been c...