My goodness it is the last day of May! I can not believe that it is a month since I was heading back from my trip overseas. Those four weeks have flown and I meant to say a bit about the trip here so before this month comes to an end I will!
So as I spoke about in an earlier blogs I won tickets in the ballot to Gallipoli for the Centenary Dawn Service and then Lone Pine service. I chose to take my dad and then we decided that along with Mum we would head over and enjoy a few weeks exploring overseas.
So on April 9 2015 we headed to Paris, after the long flights (on which my TV did not work for the 14 hour part :( ) we were very pleased with ourselves for getting on the train and to our hotel. We spent 2 days in Paris and yes we had a nice time but really I don't particularly like Paris. I mean I love the architecture and the history but it is just so busy!
Favourite parts were: the Opera House - Palais Garnier (this was so opulent and amazing! Even saw the Phantom of the Opera's box) and the city at night.
After Paris we headed to Amiens and from here was spent 2.5 fabulous days exploring the Western Front and surrounds. I have to say country France is beautiful and that also includes most of the people, they even coped very well with Dad's "French" haha! Actually they loved him which was pretty funny.
We hired a car and drove ourselves around, which was a little scary at times but Dad did a wonderful job and it was nice to go at our own pace. The first day we headed to Villers Bretonneux. We stopped first at Victoria school and looked at the museum there and then headed to the memorial.
It is a truly peaceful and moving place. There was only us and another couple of people there at the time and there was time just to wander, read the stones or the thousands of names on the wall. As I stood at the top of the tower, the land stretched out before me and I could see why our men fought so hard for this beautiful countryside.
We visited many other memorials, known to us because of the bravery and lives lost. And there were so many lost, you do not get the enormity of it until you are there amongst all those names and headstones. I was moved by how much land has been set aside and taken care of for the sake of memorials. It really is lovely how well they are taken care of and how thankful the people are.
On our second day on the Western Front we headed to Ypres in Belgium. This was a fabulous city, walled and looks medieval but has actually been rebuilt since the WW1. It was destroyed and they decided to rebuild exactly the same except now all the buildings has more modern heating and plumbing. The Menin Gate is also found here and we were able to be at the Last Post ceremony, which has been sounded every night since 1929.
It was then time to leave France and head to the UK. We were in London for 6 days and it was great to be back in this great city. For me it was a chance to catch up with friends and chill out a bit as France had been full on. Favourite parts:
Turkey!
And then it was time to head to Turkey. So this was a very different place to where we had been. We flew into Istanbul and were hit with how many people there were and how we would never want to drive there haha!! It is interesting how the buildings are as well, new ones next to old ones, next to derelict ones and there all there squished together. People are everywhere and their idea of time is very different to ours.....
Part 2 to follow.......
So on April 9 2015 we headed to Paris, after the long flights (on which my TV did not work for the 14 hour part :( ) we were very pleased with ourselves for getting on the train and to our hotel. We spent 2 days in Paris and yes we had a nice time but really I don't particularly like Paris. I mean I love the architecture and the history but it is just so busy!
Favourite parts were: the Opera House - Palais Garnier (this was so opulent and amazing! Even saw the Phantom of the Opera's box) and the city at night.
 |
| The Stage |
 | |
| The famous staircase |
After Paris we headed to Amiens and from here was spent 2.5 fabulous days exploring the Western Front and surrounds. I have to say country France is beautiful and that also includes most of the people, they even coped very well with Dad's "French" haha! Actually they loved him which was pretty funny.
We hired a car and drove ourselves around, which was a little scary at times but Dad did a wonderful job and it was nice to go at our own pace. The first day we headed to Villers Bretonneux. We stopped first at Victoria school and looked at the museum there and then headed to the memorial.
It is a truly peaceful and moving place. There was only us and another couple of people there at the time and there was time just to wander, read the stones or the thousands of names on the wall. As I stood at the top of the tower, the land stretched out before me and I could see why our men fought so hard for this beautiful countryside.
We visited many other memorials, known to us because of the bravery and lives lost. And there were so many lost, you do not get the enormity of it until you are there amongst all those names and headstones. I was moved by how much land has been set aside and taken care of for the sake of memorials. It really is lovely how well they are taken care of and how thankful the people are.
 |
| Ypres |
On our second day on the Western Front we headed to Ypres in Belgium. This was a fabulous city, walled and looks medieval but has actually been rebuilt since the WW1. It was destroyed and they decided to rebuild exactly the same except now all the buildings has more modern heating and plumbing. The Menin Gate is also found here and we were able to be at the Last Post ceremony, which has been sounded every night since 1929.
 |
| Menin Gate |
- Catch ups with friends (So great to see you Brady, Danae, Jenny, Denise, Caroline & Brett)
- The Jack the Ripper Walk (loved it!)
- Harry Potter Warner Bros Tour (Speechless and maybe some tears)
- Windsor Day and Dinner (thanks Peter & Doreen!)
Turkey!
And then it was time to head to Turkey. So this was a very different place to where we had been. We flew into Istanbul and were hit with how many people there were and how we would never want to drive there haha!! It is interesting how the buildings are as well, new ones next to old ones, next to derelict ones and there all there squished together. People are everywhere and their idea of time is very different to ours.....
Part 2 to follow.......
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