We’ve recently enjoyed a casual lunch at Ripples Whale Beach, located on the beachfront at Whale Beach in Sydney’s northern beaches.

The food was out of this world, the wine list both extensive and very reasonably priced and the outlook over the rolling surf and sandy beach at Whale Beach was stupendous.

This eating house has a casual atmosphere but nevertheless does offer a combination of an interesting menu with an excellent and varied wine list.

We enjoyed the delicious but no nonsense beer battered fish and chips and a more exotic dish of grilled scallops with twice cooked pork belly as our mains, washed down with a bottle of extremely nice and aromatic Matahiwi Wairapara Estate Sauvignon Blanc.

This was followed by a selection from the excellent dessert menu. Our choices were white chocolate panna cotta served with a raspberry coulis and a menu board special consisting of fresh ripe figs served with vanilla bean ice cream, ginger, crusted sugar coating and sweet roasted walnuts as well as several drops of delicious balsamic and caramelised sugar as a counter to the sweetness of the figs.

We will definitely be returning, and would recommend that others also take advantage of this outstanding opportunity to enjoy well prepared modern Australian cuisine that is very elegantly presented in a place with great ambience.

Ripples Whale Beach  Location

Ripples Whale Beach is located at 24 The Strand, Whale Beach (at the corner of Surf Road)

To find your way there if travelling north along Barrenjoey Road, travel about 1 km past Avalon and turn right onto Whale Beach Road. Follow along Whale Beach Road about 1.2 km, then turn right into Surf Road. You’ll find Ripples Whale Beach at the end of this road.

You can call to book on 02-9974-5111, although it seems that booking shouldn’t be necessary for mid-week lunches.

We can’t recommend Ripples Whale Beach too highly.

They had always expressed the desire to travel the world, yet had never managed to achieve this wish – until now!

The lady concerned has been advertising for people who are going to travel to distant climes and who are prepared to carry small quantities of the ashes of her mother and father, and to deposit these in many exotic parts of the world.

According to the story, her parents are now at the base of the Eiffel Tower, in London, I think somewhere in the Middle East and in several other locations as well.

It’s an odd way of travelling, but nevertheless the oldies have eventually achieved their one main dream to travel.

Aerial view of Villa Champagne Vanuatu

Villa Champagne claims to be the largest holiday home in the South Pacific, with a 3 acre property,  and comprising a main home of over 700 sq metres and two identical fully self-contained 2-bedroom villas. It is ideally situated on the south coast of Efate Island, just 20 minutes away from Vanuatu International Airport.

The 4-bedroom main residence combines an amazing and expansive open area at ground level with dining and 2 living areas, dining room, kitchen,  laundry, powder room and office and opening directly onto an immaculate outdoor area which faces the beach and contains a large swimming pool, attached spa, two outdoor entertaining areas and also leads to the adjacent villas.

We have found that the level of luxury and convenience of all of the resources necessary to have an enjoyable break from  the hassles of day-to-day life to be a great surprise, and very much appreciated. And remember that Vanuatu is only a short distance form Australia and New Zealand.

I will be writing more about this property in a few days time, but if you are  planning any special event in Vanuatu, this is absolutely an opportunity that you should be seriously considering.

Vanuatu is an absolute must for a relaxing tropical vacation.

Moorings Hotel pool view onto Port Vila harbour in Vanuatu

Moorings is promoted as a boutique waterfront hotel just a few minutes walk from downtown Port Vila, and only a short drive form theVanuatu International Airport.

The hotel comprises 30 rooms, including 4 family rooms. Moos Bar and Grill is adjacent to the private pool, and offers great food as well as a wide range of delicious cocktails and of course also offers Tuskers beer (the firm farorite in Vanuatu) on tap.

Moos Bar and Grill seats around 70 people, and offers a varied a-la-carte menu as well as a number of special fares on several days of the week,  including some dishes that really do highlight the variety of food choices available while you’re visiting Vanuatu.

Our group enjoyed a number of excellent tapas and other entrees, followed by a range of seafood and beef dishes. The service was excellent and the pricing was very good for such a facility in Vanuatu.

Our room was located directly adjacent to the pool. We would recommend these deluxe poolside rooms for younger travellers, since there is somewhat more sound from the bar floating through this area.

The people looking after us were very nice, friendly and helpful, and more than happy to offer that extra bit of service that is always appreciated. This seems to be typical of the interaction that we found all over Vanuatu.

In summary, Moorings is a great place for visitors to the capital of Vanuatu, either for a short overnight stay or for a longer period to truly enjoy the beauty and vibrancy of this delightful South Pacific country only a few short hours away from Australia’s east coast.

The High Street Of Leigh-On-Sea

This is a lovely village on the banks of the Thames Estuary just 30 miles east of London on the south east coast of England.

Leigh-On-Sea has developed as a fishing village and its background is steeped in history.

The earliest written records referring to Leigh-On-Sea date back to the late 11^th Century, not long after the conquest of England by William the Conqueror.

The settlement in this village has been dependent on the sea and its produce over many years, and even today, evidence of this history can still be found.

The Middle Ages saw Leigh-On-Sea develop as its sheltered position along England’s most important shipping route was recognised. By the 16^th century Leigh-On-Sea had developed into a fairly large and prosperous port as a successful location for both international trade and also with shipbuilding.

However, by the 18^th century, deep water access to Leigh had declined as the mouth of the estuary silted up. As a result, the town reverted back into the fishing village that it been in its previous life.

However, access to the larger markets around London England for the fisherman was limited to barge traffic up the Thames.

This situation was alleviated in the mid 1800′s by the expansion of the railway through Leigh. This resulted in a number of outcomes, including faster and more reliable access to London markets, as well as offering the opportunity for those living in the region to commute to London England. The railway line also resulted in the division of the village into two halves – Leigh-On-Sea or the Old Town on the seaward side of the railway line and Leigh on the upper side.

The old town has managed to retain much of its character and charm from times gone by.

Leigh-On-Sea Cockle Sheds - circa 1950's

One of the most well known aspects of the old town are its cockle sheds, supporting its shellfish trade. The harbour at Leigh-On-Sea still supports a small fleet of cockle boats, and the old town’s cockle sheds are still run by some of Leigh’s old families who have been in the cockling trade for many generations.

These cockle sheds are open 7 days per week selling a wide range of seafoods (not just cockles), including lobster tails, prawns, winkles, crabs, mussels, and whelks.

Leigh-On-Sea also supports a number of traditional British Pubs. One of the best known (and the oldest) of these is the Crooked Billet, a heritage listed building dating back to the early 16^th century. This hotel offers a great range of fine ales, and has been featured in the Good Beer Guide of England published by the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA), and is also famed for its fish and chip meals.

We decided to eat at another pub, the Mayflower on the opposite side of High Street. This public house offered a deck out back that looked out straight over the water, and served a great traditional pub lunch of cod and chips, together with a pint (or two) of Doom Bar bitter. This was a great and traditional experience typical of many parts of England.

Leigh-On-Sea Heritage Centre Logo

Anybody visiting Leigh-On-Sea in Essex, England must make a point of spending some time at the Leigh Heritage Centre. The Centre is situated in the old Smithy in the High Street of Leigh-On-Sea Old Town.

There is an amazing amount of information available for the interested visitor about the village, the area and the history of this unique part of England.

Within the confines of the smithy, the Centre displays a permanent historical photo display, an exhibition of the traditional tools used by blacksmiths and wheelwrights in England during past centuries, as well as other items that are intrinsically part of Leigh’s history.

Directly behind the Centre is a restored fisherman’s cottage which enables today’s tourist the chance to envisage life back in the south east coast of England. This two storey structure contains the living areas down below, with the sleeping areas on the top floor. Upstairs, there was space only for a double bed, small single bed and a tiny cot.

We were told by the lovely people manning the Centre that this hut had offered accommodation for a family with 12 children. One can only imagine how those still at home managed to fit into this tiny cottage.

The task of ensuring appropriate conservation within the old town is being supported quite admirably by the members of the Leigh Society. It is this Society that negotiated the lease of the smithy from the local Borough Council and restored the building, developing it into the Heritage Centre of today.

We strongly suggest that visitors to this part of England make a point of visiting Leigh-On-Sea and visit the Heritage Centre. It is indeed refreshing to find an historical display and information service such as this that is still able to provide its services to visitors without requiring a payment for entry.

In order to find out more about this very special part of England, please visit the website for Leigh-On-Sea at: http://www.leigh-on-sea.com/

Rudesheim - Rhine River

We decided that, before we left Germany, a river trip down the Rhine River was a must.

This trip is a good way to relax whilst enjoying some great scenery as the boat meanders its way from village to village.

KD Rhine has been offering tours of this wonderful river system that comprises both the Rhine and the Moselle Rivers since 1853. At this time, two river transport companies, the Koln company and the Dusseldorf company merged during a time of great competition on the river and the establishment of railway lines along the banks of the Rhine River.

When travelling along the Rhine (Rhein) or Moselle Rivers with KD Rhine, you obviously have a wealth of experience and knowledge of the river behind you.

The Rhine River runs through 4 countries between its source high up in the Swiss Alps and its mouth in the North Sea near Rotterdam.

The Rhine River is mentioned in much of the writings of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was considered to be the natural border between Gaul and the Germanic peoples. The first urban settlement was in the area that is now Cologne in about 38 B.C. It was recognised by the Romans in about 50 AD. The river was seen as an important natural barrier, and during its history there have been many attempts to take the lands beside the river.

This resulted in the construction of many castles along the banks of the Rhine, used by feudal leaders as a means of providing defence over the lands and for the inhabitants. A number of these castles were also inhabited by robber barons who were able to use their positions on the banks of the river and power to extract excessive tolls from boats using the river as a commercial route.

We boarded our KD Rhine boat at Mainz for a trip down the river to Koblenz. One of the advantages of travelling on a Eurail Pass that includes Germany as one of the countries for which the pass is valid is that the cost of tours with KD Rhine are included as an additional benefit of the pass. These free sailings include regular day tours of the Rhine River between Mainz and Koln (Cologne) and on the Moselle River between Koblenz and Cochem.

The river does have quite a current flowing. As a result, down river trips are much quicker than upstream trips. For instance, a trip from Mainz to Koblenz takes about 5 and a half hours, whilst a trip from Koblenz to Mainz will take 8 and a half hours. Remember to keep this trip time difference in mind while you are planning your vacation.

Once the boat leaves Mainz, the first part of the journey is a little industrial until we clear the area around Mainz and move down to our first stop at Weisbaden.

Once the boat departs from Mainz, there are 19 stops before its arrival at the wharf at Koblenz.

The scenery on either side of the river is ever changing, so that the travel is far from boring. Not only are there very many castles and other historic buildings along the way, but also many many vineyards stretching up the banks of the river, villages along the shores and a never ending variety of commercial river traffic travelling up and down the Rhine river.

River boat showing car on roof - courtesy Dan Beaudoin

One of the things that we have noticed about many of these Rhine river cargo vessels in that so many of them carry the master’s home with them, and sport cars, boats and other personal items above the living quarters, so that there is the opportunity to travel around once the boat is moored for the night.

The section of the river from Bingen to Koblenz is now a World Heritage Listed site. This particular section of the Rhine river is said to have the highest concentration of castles of any river valley in the world. Also in this section of the river you’ll find the legendary Loreley (Lorelei) Rock, a massive rock face rising from the river bank. This section of the river, which is the narrowest and most dangerous in the Middle Rhine, has claimed many boats, and is the source of the legend of the blond siren who with her singing and beauty lured many sailors to their death on the rocks below.

We found that our trip down the Rhine River to be a really worthwhile part of our tour of Europe.

Berlin's Oberbaum bridge

During our cruise from Miami to Barcelona on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty Of The Seas, one of our luncheon companions who lived in Berlin told us that this was an absolute “must do” activity during our visit to the capital of Germany.

We have decided to take a round trip from Friedrichstrasse wharf to Charlottenburg. This trip travels along the Landwehr Canal towards Charlottenburg, then returns along the Spree River via Spreebogen to Friedrichstrasse.

Our trip takes about 4 hours, including a stop of a little over 30 minutes in Charlottenburg, offering the chance to visit this part of Berlin. Of course, it is possible to stay over a little longer, and catch a later boat back.

This tour is one of a number of river trips referred to as Berlin Bridge Tours, as they take the passenger under approximately 63 bridges on the circuit trip. According to the promotional literature, this offers more bridge transits than it is possible to experience even in Venice.

We have found this to be an excellent way to see the great city of Berlin from an entirely different perspective.

The weather in Berlin has been ideal for such a trip, with bright sunshine, yet not too hot to enjoy sitting outside on the top deck, or downstairs at one of the comfortable tables.

The trip is incredibly relaxing, with the boat travelling at about 8 km/h, and of course the river surface is smooth so that even the most wary traveller should be free from any discomfort.

MS Fortuna

We’re traveling on the Fortuna, a ship of the Reederei Bruno Winkler Line.

Our travels have taken us from Friedrichstrasse past the Berlin Museum, the and the Oberbaum Bridge (Oberbaumbrucke).

We then left the Spree River and joined the Landwehr Canal.

During our trip, the boat passed through 3 locks, in itself an interesting experience, seeing the way in which the boat is secured before the gates open to allow the water level in the lock to raise or lower. Once the level has equalised with that of the water in front, the gates open fully, and the trip can then proceed.

The scenery along the trip was varying sufficiently regularly that there were few chances to become bored. During our time on the boat, we travelled through high density residential areas, city facades with buildings backing directly onto the river or canal, open park lands, tourist market spaces,

Dakota Aircraft - Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

luxury hotels, modern business parks, the Berlin Museum, the German Museum of Technology, together with one of the Dakota aircraft that managed to sustain Berlin throughout the airlift of the late 1940s, the Berlin Zoo, the Tiergarten, and of course a great many other vistas.

This particular cruise cost us 18 euros each for almost 4 hours of travel around the waterways of Berlin. We both considered this to be a very reasonable charge considering the relaxation and scenic qualities of the trip. Several of the tour operators offer the chance for you to hire (at a minimal extra charge) a set of headphones that will allow you to hear audio descriptions of what you are seeing in your own language.

We could definitely recommend this trip (or something similar) to anyone who wishes to find out what the city of Berlin looks like from a very different viewpoint.

Twin Cities Liner on Danube River

We noted down the name of the service operating the boat on the Danube, and checked up on its activities online.

It turns out that the Twin City Liner runs regular commuter and tourist services along the River
Danube between the two capital cities.

Vienna and Bratislava are the two nearest capital cities in Europe, being only some 60 km apart and both built across the Danube River, so opportunities do arise for services such as this one which is able to make 6 international trips between European capitals in a single day.

The Twin City Liner service runs along the Danube from 3 to 5 times per day (season dependent), and takes between 75 and 90 minutes for the journey (depending on the direction of travel).

We thought that this would be a great opportunity to see more of the countryside in both Slovakia and Austria, as well as to experience travel along the Danube.

The cost for the Twin City Liner was somewhat lower than on a river cruiser, with our single leg from Bratislava directly into Schwedenplatz in Vienna costing only 19 euros each.

Unfortunately, the weather has closed in somewhat overnight, and the views from our catamaran are not as bright as they could otherwise be.

There are about 30 other travelers on our service, although we suspect that the later services may well carry more people. Ours is the first up river service of the day, having already delivered from Vienna those tourists who have planned for a day in Bratislava.

We have been astonished by the size of this river, and particularly at the speed of the water that is flowing down towards the sea. I’ve estimated a speed of some 8 knots in some sections, when gauged by the wake generated by the stationary channel markers.

The Twin City Liner travels along the River Danube at a speed of some 50 km/h.

The vital statistics of the boat are as follows: engines – 2 each with 1000 hp capacity, driving water jets. The catamaran itself has a length of 34 metres, a breadth of 8.5 metres, and a draft of just 1 metre. The maximum speed capacity of the boat is said to be 75 km/h.

As we are traveling up the Danube river, we are noticing a number of little huts (raised off the ground) with wood burning stoves and heaters and the bare necessities for riverside life. We can’t tell whether these are available for rental or are simply weekenders for Viennese families, but they certainly would offer a unique “out of town” experience.

This is a great opportunity to travel in a different way, and to enjoy the vista and sense of traveling along the Danube – an iconic European river.

We visited Bratislava on the evening of Easter Sunday, and stayed until Tuesday morning.

In some ways this was a little unfortunate since most of the shops (and indeed the tourist information offices) were closed for the Easter break, and we therefore had to make the most of our own resources to discover just what Bratislava has to offer the independent tourist.

We were quite surprised about the breadth and variety of historic buildings and architectural monuments that abound in the old town sections of the city, despite the fact that this city seems to receive less tourist information and publicity than many other places in this region of Europe.

We are able to report that we enjoyed our time in Bratislava immensely.

Bratislava is a very compact city, and it is possible to walk around the old town region of the city at a relaxed pace, yet have sufficient time to take in the history and grandeur of the old Bratislava.

Napoleon leaning over a seat in the square

Even today, Bratislava’s population is less than half a million people, so the city still maintains a human scale, enabling the tourist a much better

opportunity to interact with some of the locals and find out some more about what it is like to live in Bratislava today.
We found that the time we spent walking about Bratislava was one of one surprise and delight after another. Not only was a seat in the old town square somewhat distinguished by a gentleman in eighteenth century uniform leaning over and looking over the shoulder of anyone sitting there, but

Bronze papparazi photographer in Bratislava

around another corner just a block away, a sly photographer was catching a snapshot of events in the next street (maybe a 1920′s version of the papparazi!).

As we visited Bratislava on Easter Monday, there was a service underway in the Cathedral adjacent to the square. A number of tourists took the opportunity to join with the local people in the church to celebrate the Christian significance of this time of the year.

The castle overlooking Bratislava (Hrad Castle) dominates the town, and has outstanding views in both directions along the Danube River (Danuj), as well as the surrounding lands. It was documented as early as 907 A.D., and has had many face lifts as it’s function has changed over the centuries. It is currently undergoing major internal renivations, and unfortunately the inside is not open to visitors at the moment.

Ice Hockey Player Sculpture

The other aspect of Bratislava that became very obvious as we continued our tour of the city is the fact that the forthcoming world Ice Hockey Championships are due to be held in the city in late April and Early May of 2011. We encountered a number of slightly larger than life hockey players in various colours located around the city in strategic locations.

This event will be a major boost to Bratislava, bringing the eyes of the world to this great part of Europe for at least a few days.

We encountered many local people during our time in Bratislava, and found that the majority had sufficient grasp of the English language to make themselves understood, and (more importantly for us) to understand our comments and questions.

We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending that Slovakia and Bratislava should be on the itinerary of anyone planning to visit this part of Europe.

Marrol's Hotel Bratislava - Lobby

While we were visiting Bratislava, we decided to experience the ambience and facilities of Marrol’s Boutique Hotel, just a three minute stroll away from the waterfront of the Danuj (Danube River).

You can find out more about this hotel by visiting their website at: http://www.hotelmarrols.sk/

Marrol’s is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels group, a selection of small boutique hotels around the world.

Members of this group of hotels must meet certain minimum standards, yet offer a much more personalised level of service than is usually available with the larger hotel chains.

This was certainly the case when we checked in at Marrol’s  Hotel .

We were ushered in to a space more reminiscent of a Victorian salon than reception desk. After being seated, we were offered a choice of welcoming drink whilst going through the paperwork. We both selected to sample the Slovakian sparkling wine Hugo, which is available in a sweet or dry variety.

Once we finished the check in process, we were taken up to our room where we had been told that everything in the room was complimentary. This inlcuded all of the tea and coffee materials, chocolates and wafer biscuits, as well as the contents of the mini bar, which was refilled daily.

The mini bar contents included the usual natural and lightly gassed waters, Slovakian beer, a hlf bottle of really enjoyable Slovakian Riesling wine andd some chocolates and nuts.

The room itself was extremely comfortable, beautifully furnished and appointed with real timber finishes and lovely bathroom amenities. The hotel also provided good quality bathrobes, slippers and shoe cleaning and polishing accessories, etc.

Marrol’s hotel had an enclosed summer garden, ideal for guests wishing to relax outside but still in the privacy of the hotel. Complimentary soft drinks were available to guests enjoying this space.

Complimentary internet access and breakfast were of course included in the tariff for the hotel.

Marrol’s Hotel also offers the Jasmine Spa area in which guests are able to indulge. Not only is it possible to book a wide range of massages in the spa, but guests have the opportunity to book the facility, including exclusive usage of the whirlpool spa, sauna, plunge pool, shower facilities and relaxation area as well as a complimentary bar (beer, wine and soft drink) and fresh fruit.

Breakfast at Marrol’s is also something to experience. The buffet selection was very extensive, with almost any taste catered for.

Guests could begin their meal with a glass of sparkling wine (we did), and then follow up with cereals, fruit selections, espresso coffee to order, cold meat and cheeses selections (with an extensive range of cheeses), pates, a range of hot breakfast choices, including three varieties of eggs, bacon, sausages, frankfurts, tomatoes, mushrooms and a traditional Slovakian bean accompaniment.

Not to mention the fantastic range of breads and both sweet and savoury pastries.

The hotel also boasts a great restaurant which serves a range of modern and traditional Slovakian dishes together with a very wide and reasonably priced wine list.

For anyone who would like to spoil themselves with fantastic and memorable service at a very affordable price, please make a point of booking your accommodation at Marrol’s Boutique Hotel during your visit to Bratislava.