New York, New York, once again - Wednesday 6 + Thursday 7 June

Back to NY and a visit to the Museum of Modern Arts this is truly a magnificent museum and we all thoroughly enjoyed this part of our time in NY.

Sadly we had to say goodbye to Nat and Jade as they were heading off to London, while we were heading off to Chicago. Thanks for the wonderful trip, girls!

New Hope, Pennsylvania - Monday 4 + Tuesday 5 June

Today found Al and I visiting some friends in New Hope, Pennsylvania  - it is only about 1.5 hr drive from NY and it is a beautiful place - we stayed overnight with Carmen, Ben and their kids Charlotte and Oscar. Lovely times xx

New York - Sunday 3 June

Today we found ourselves at the Guggenheim museum, walking the Avenue  of the Americas (which was hosting the biggest street markets we had ever seen - it went for blocks and blocks). Then off to Battery Point way down bottom of Manhattan for dinner . Nat, Jade and Lyn (Al was resting) found themselves eating at a sports bar that had the traditional ribs n buffalo wings with slaw on the side and more beer and 15 flat screen TVs...

We all agreed day three would be a late start - to wander the streets of New York...

Good bye Europe, Hello New York with Nat + Jade! - 1 + 2 June

The Eagle has Landed at JFK airport NewYork -  we meet up with Nat and Jade in Hotel 17 - a "salubrious"lower east side hotel with a lot character - but it is all about location, location.  Our first day in NY was amazing - we rode in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park, ferry to Statten Island, 30 Rock and visited New Jersey for a Dianna Jones concert - she was great. Ask Nat and Jade for their reviews of travelling miles ato suburban New Jersey for the concert...!

Went back to NY and found Mcswinneys bar and drank cheap beers and whisky shots and played pool until 3am when mama and papa randall went back to Hotel 17 and nat and jade went up town to another bar and got home at 6am...

Roma, Italia! - Thursday 30 + Friday 31 May

To Roma for two days of sight seeing (the Pantheon, the colosseum, the Trevi fountain were fantastic.
After 32 years since visiting Roma, it's just as much (maybe more) of a buzz than last time. The food, the wine, MASSIVE Ancient and medieval buildings, the vibe..... Arrividerci Roma!

Greve, Tuscany - Friday 25 to Wednesday 30 May

Then to Athens and a flight to Roma.  Driving a manual car on the autostrada to Greve.  Aaaaagh!  After 4 long hours of tense driving (now that's hard to believe) we arrived in Greve, a wonderful town in  Tuscany.  "Classico in Chianti" wine and art festival! Had a two by three course cook off meal to judge the best local home cooks and a wine tasting/soccer show.  Day trip to Florence where the huge, ornate monuments and buildings often outdo their French, German and British rivals.  The Medicis had style, power and lots of money.

 

 

Santorini + Athens, Greece - Friday 18 to Thursday 24 May

A long flight from Berlin via London to Athens/Santorini, phew! 


After the long flight we are immediately with the "vibe" in Santorini and Ioa just like the post cards.  So beautiful yet a little seedy:-) we saw a wedding with a "gun shot serenade" by some guests and their families.  We chillaxed by the pool, ate, drank, walked and shopped.  Boat tour of volcano, Thiros and swim thru freezing water to so called "hot springs" The Greek tour operator assured us "is bewdiful" ha!ha! Didn't want to leave Ioa but auvrevior and another ‘one handed’ taxi ride around winding cliff roads to the airport.