Starting the Kumano Kodo With all due respect to Osaka, the real reason we were in Japan was the Kumano Kodo walking trail. And now we were about to start. Like excited little kids on a school excursion, we took one train, then another and then another until we finally arrived to Shimizu-Ura. There is […]
Day 3, 1st day of shvil Read More »
Day 2 Osaka Our hotel was in the Shinsaibashi district of Osaka, which is the city’s main shopping district. And the shopping is done in covered shopping streets, where Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior outlets sit next to discount 100 yen stores, karaoke bars, local shops and cheap restaurants and food stalls. Whilst we had
Day 2 . Fun’n’games in Osaka Read More »
Prelude Well, where do I start? Let’s start by saying that Yoni, Gary and I have travelled a lot together over the years and it’s always great. We have walked literally thousands of miles together, including the thousand kilometre National Israel Trail or transliterated, Shvil Yisrael as well as Spain, Italy, France and Vietnam. Simon, another
Day 1 – Arriving in Osaka Read More »
Day 5 – La Rioja to Pamplona Everywhere we had driven to date (I had driven since I seemed to be the designated driver) had been along the highway, with the aim of getting from point A to B to C as quickly as possible. Today’s highlight was going to be a walk through a
Day 5 Santo Domingo to Pamplona Read More »
If Garry and I witnessed a sporting religious event the previous night, now it was Yoni’s turn to turn to religion. We have been friends 45 years, but there is still the Great Divide. Garry and I support St.Kilda and Yoni, Carlton, and never the twain shall meet. Carlton were playing an even bigger enemy
After a morning stroll and supermarket shopping for a picnic lunch, we were sadly ready to leave Bilbao for Rioja, wine country. It’s not that we didn’t want to get to Spain’s premier wine region (Mark was a little less enthused. He’s not a drinker. We’re going to have to send him to alcohol appreciation
DAY 3 BILBAO TO SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA Read More »
Mark arrived late the previous night after a conference in Riga, so now the gang of four was complete. After a quick cortana and good morning to Ernesto, we were off to an early morning visit to the La Ribera market, the largest covered market in Europe. The market’s website says it opens at 8.30.
I don’t want to sound like a spoilt little boy, but what happened to the good old days when you buy a plane ticket, go to the check-in counter, board, land and 30 minutes after deplaning you’re in whatever location you were flying to? Queues, security, more security, more queues, masks, more queues and security,