https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0 Belgium, France, Italy, Denmark - here I come!! en-us 2017-07-04 23:48:08 UTC 2026-01-27 16:34:55 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/prod/198085986/74d2394baa072b4672f75530b73b4e7e/franceicon.jpg MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179099087 James met me at the airport and we hopped on a bus and then an underground train and we arrived at his flat where Kamille had cooked us a lovely home cooked meal. Then she was off back to Denmark and I showered and we hit the the town. What a beautiful city. A hot summer Wednesday evening and everyone was out relaxing in the many, many cafes, bars and restaurants.  We sat outside at a restaurant and had a Belgium beer! The gardens and buildings blew me away. We walked back and I began feeling really tired and the first pangs of jet lag. I video-ed men playing in a quartet in one of the many squares, not just your ordinary buskers! Orchestra in the streets, was so stirring. We stood and enjoyed if for a while. Also video-ed short clips of the cafe life, sadly didn't download. What a wonderful start to my trip. ]]> 2017-07-20 04:31:08 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179099087 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179174811 Woke up with the worst jet lag I have ever felt. Couldn't move or eat, nausea, headache, heavy head. James had a full day at work so I spent the the day recovering. Kept trying to get up and then after a few minutes would have to collapse back in bed. Was so scared I was going to feel like this for days - that's what google said! At 14:00 I attempted to get up again and hey presto...felt a bit normal! Ate, showered and went to find a coffee! I was wary about trying to find James' recommendation in case I got lost so found a Pizza Bella around the corner and had a long/short black - delicious! No tartness, Eddie would have loved it! First coffee in Belgium, primo! I was starting to feel normal, so pleased. Walked to small supermarket around the corner and bought some supplies, water, butter, wash up liquid and of course, chips. I also bought a SIM card. It was good to be outside but I was still not 100 % so I was very happy I took so many photos last night! Spent the evening resting, eating, watching netflix and oh yes, battling with Spark online chat because they had network locked my phone so SIM card wasn't working. First operator wasn't able to help at all and told me to phone Spark, which of course I couldn't...so tried again with details of my phone like model number and IMEI number and voila! She unlocked it! Phew. James returned in early hours and I had some hours sleep but was quite wakeful due to the fact I had slept most of the day.]]> 2017-07-21 07:01:13 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179174811 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179178246 Listening to an opera lady singing practice, James talked about her and he loves it. I must say, pretty awesome. His flat is truly quaint in looks and placement. Belgium National Day today so there were many parades and displays all over the city. The gardens were full of stalls and shows and displays. We went to James' favourite Ethiopian Cafe for an Ethiopian espresso, another good one. Home to eat and pack and then off to bus to Paris]]> 2017-07-21 08:47:52 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179178246 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179229740 Day 1 in Paris. Paris is beautiful. The buildings, atmosphere and coffee! We started out early with a coffee and croissant just below our apartment. Top quality. Then headed out on foot through the cobbled streets, so many parts no cars are permitted and it makes for idyllic strolling and absorbing surroundings. So much expression here of various artistic type people and presentations. When we walked in to the Notre Dame I was taken by complete surprise by the intense and immediate emotion that hit me. Walked in and there was this feeling of complete and beautiful peace, tears ran down my face before a large crucifix alcove...another smaller church enroute to somewhere else, organist was practising and I sat and absorbed the spiritual drizzle. We then took the metro to the Eiffel Tower. It is magnificent. Bought a small oil painting there, was 20E but I only had 10. Guy gave it to me and said I could come back with the 20!! We couldn't find an ATM and I told James we must take it back and offer 10. James was horrified and didn't want to do it, said we must go find an ATM, the man would get aggressive... he didn't of course, he could see I wasn't trying to scam him. ]]> 2017-07-22 17:29:51 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179229740 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179299300 Today we went to the Louvre and wallowed in mastery. We bought an audio guide for 5E and it was well worth it. We did the Masters trail and it included Greek Sculpture, Botticelli, Jacques David, The Mona Lisa, the biggest canvas in The Louvre of Napoleon, crowing Josephine. Words fail to describe, we could only stand in awe and stare. We then popped back on the Metro and went to another part of Paris, Bellvue - and sat in a cafe there to enjoy Parissiene Life. Lovely part, pictureque, dignifed and unpretentious. Then off to the Antique Flea Market in Le Puces. Can't imagine another like this anywhere else in the world. Fine stuff. Some affordable, some not so much. Again, unpretentious, stalls run by older people who have probably been doing this for over 50 years. Then back to apartment - exhausted! James went to pub around the corner to catch up with a French man who he knew in Melbourne who lives in France. He is in his thirties, married and has a child. He is a graphic artist who is working as a tatooist. Another glorious day in Paris. ]]> 2017-07-24 06:49:22 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179299300 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179347295 We decided to slow the pace today and make our way to Montmatre and the Basilica Le Sacre Coeur. Magnificent. Wonderful to stroll through the streets of Paris and take it all in. Walked through Vintage and boutique shops on the way, up and down cobbled streets. Did my Paris shopping, dress, shoes and a top all on sale. Beautiful stuff and reasonable. Made our way back slowly and sat in more beautiful churches in the squares. We ended the day at La Marine Restaurant - a French high cuisine one, that James wanted to treat me to, his shout! Superb meal and starter. Fish main, James, Tuna and mine some amazingly delicious firm white fillets. We then hopped on a metro and back to the apartment. A very different day to yesterday, slowed the pace and just took in the life of the city]]> 2017-07-24 22:28:15 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179347295 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179485808 Last day in Paris so we rose earliesh, tidied apartment and metro-ed to Gard de Lyon station to put our bags in storage and then set off for Versailles. Beautiful 25 minute train ride. Love trains, always have. You can catch your breath and take in your surroundings slowly. Another beautiful town, very different feel from Paris. Walked up tree lined avenue to the Palace of Versailles or better still - Chateàu de Versailles and Gardens, stopped and had lunch so we wouldn't get hungry in the middle of visit. When we got there queue was 2-3 hours wait and we didn't have the time to wait that long, so we went into the gardens, which are spectacular. What a domain King Louis had while his subjects barely survived in squalor! We left there at 2:15 thinking that would be enough time to catch our bus back to Brussels. Well, we made it with only 2 minutes to spare!! Lots of running - I'm feeling incredibly fit, albeit I have jelly legs today lol. So we bid Paris goodbye with a reluctant heart. It is truly a magical city. When you are constantly surrounded by beauty it runs over you too. Enjoyed bus ride and being able to look at the country side. Very frequently there are little clusters of high pitched roof houses, a mini town, and right in the middle a a large cathedral. The first thing you see is the Cathedral Steeple and they all look like they are a work of architectural art. I would love to know how many cathedrals there are in France. Got back to Brussels and James' apartment at 9:30 - exhausted and happy to crash down for the night. I immediately had a shower to was off the imagined layer of grime I felt I had after all that running through subways and stations. Made some basic food. Wound down for the night, reading and then blissful sleep....]]> 2017-07-26 09:07:08 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179485808 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978242 First Italian Pizza ever! First night in Rome! At a pizzaria around the corner, sitting on the pavement, watching the Rome nightlife around us.  During the day Colosseum, Ancient City, Mussolini's monument, Roman Forum. Bought a skip the line tour and it was well worth it. Scorching hot, but we dragged ourselves around this beautiful city. On our way back we passed the piazza with the Pantheon and had some lunch at the corner, sitting on the pavement, watching the Rome nightlife around us. I bought some white anchovies, tomatoes, 2 eggs that I boiled in the kettle! Olives, cheese, bottled mushrooms and capsicums...for us to eat in our room over the days here.



]]> 2017-08-02 20:25:18 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978242 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978710 2017-08-02 20:35:41 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978710 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978767 2017-08-02 20:36:28 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978767 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978781 James' Birthday! Went to EU and saw where James has been working and met all his friends and then had lunch together with them. What an amazing bunch of young people! Met his boss too, which was great. So good to see where James has been working and the EU. Brussels the political mecca of the European world. I then went to Lille by train. Always wanted to go to Lille where Francois and Guillaeme du Toit (brothers) hail from. First du Toit huguenots to flee protestant was and settle in Cape Town. Took a bike tour around old and new Lille and went into some really beautiful and old churches. Felt a little like Belgium, Flemish influence. Got back about 9:30 at night. So glad to have gone there while in Brussels. James returned at 3am with a friend in tow to sleep on the couch! Farewells as everyone who started together finishing off at the EU internship. They plied him with drink, not good when tomorrow a full day of moving out of flat, cleaning in, taking things to a friend's house...]]> 2017-08-02 20:36:47 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/179978781 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180176538 James and I caught a train, bus and train to Copenhagen! Jasper and Kamille collected us from the station and we headed to their flat in Copehagen where Gitte had cooked us a wonderful meal, 3 course! I really enjoyed Gitte. It was an evening of wine and laughter and loads of good food. The next morning we went to Kronberg Castle and Lousianna Museum and Art Gallery in a house and garden so art and garden flowed. We then went to Gitte's work to do the flowers for the next morning, for the Opera show. Was great to see James working in the flower shop - he really knows his way around and how the system works. Torvehallerne is the place she works, shops and cafes and fruit and veg and ice-cream...really nice. Gitte really loves James. Gitte could then relax knowing that was done. It was in the style of the posters for the Opera which was done by an artist that we saw at the Louisianna Gallery. Next morningI went in to Gitte's work where I sang with the Opera - a really singing culture and there were tears too! Amazing musicians and a lovely conversational style. Worked a bit with Gitte in her shop and then we went to have coffee and breakfast. James and Kamille joined us and we went on the canal in a boat and the guide informed us of the history of Islands and buildings and boats. That night we went to the opera! In the opera house, Levy recital and he is from South Africa! Next day went in again with Gitte and the James and Kamille joined us. We went to town and walked around, bought Teresa's present, looked through shops and then went to Christiana, Paper Island and then picked up Gitte and she took us to the meat factory town which is now a trendy and up and coming town. Did soooo much in 3 days. Kamille's family really went all out. ]]> 2017-08-05 19:32:06 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180176538 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180177289 We thought we would take it easier today and go to a hilltop park in Flaminga today and then walk to the Vatican to mass at 4:30. Did realise the lines would be there as yesterday we did the vatican skip the line tour!! Walked back past the Panthean and the piazza' and enjoyed the life of Rome! Music everywhere and people roaming and taking in all Rome has to offer.]]> 2017-08-05 19:55:42 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180177289 MandaPanda https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180177412 The Vatican City - so glad we booked a skip the line tour. Guide so informative and of course no queues! We saw the Pope's residence and where the old popes escaped when they were in danger,  Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums and art galleries, St Peter's Basilica...words cannot describe what is held there. Michaelangelo, Van Gogh, Rodin, Matisse, to name but a few. Art that is thousands of years old. St Peters hold the La Pieta by Michaelangelo]]> 2017-08-05 20:00:22 UTC https://padlet.com/MandaPanda/agdw3gzq5il0/wish/180177412