That’ll teach me!

That’ll teach me to go on holiday! In my absence, nominations for the new Ripon Writers’ Group committee were handed in and I now find myself Vice Chair. It took me years to get over the jokes about being Vice Form Captain at school and here I go again!

Posted 07/11/07 - Permalink to this story

Back from Germany

There’s been no holding me this month. Between getting back from Hong Kong and setting off for Germany, I’ve hardly had time to touch base.

I’ve been staying with my old friends Elke and Rudolf Lughofer in Stuttgart. Their other guest was Carmen Presa. Elke, Carmen and I first met while working as foreign language assistants in France during our student days.

Stuttgart is surrounded by forests and we had some wonderful walks. The display of autumn leaves easily rivals that of New England. The steeply sloping vineyards are also a picture at this time of year. We stopped off in Rotenberg to sample Zwiebelkuchen, a savoury cake composed mostly of onions. Washed down with some very new local wine, it was excellent.

There’’s a lot to see in the city centre - beautiful buildings, parks and gardens, museums and galleries, markets - and there’s generally some entertainment going on in the huge square in front of the Neues Schloss, the ‘new’ castle. This little chap twirled around constantly as he played and I preferred him to another busker, whose chief selling point was the (live) parrot on his head.

On a more cultural note, our hosts treated us to a performance of The Taming of the Shrew by the excellent Stuttgarter Ballett. The title of the ballet translates into German as Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung. Stuttgart has a very well joined up transport system and the price of our tickets for the Opera House included travel to and from, cutting out the need to hunt for a parking space.

We visited several places of interest outside Stuttgart: Bebenhausen Monastery, Blaubeuren - to see the amazing Blautopf, the blue pond that marks the source of the River Blau - and the cathedral and old streets of Ulm, leading down to the Danube.

My favourite part of the trip was the university town of Tübingen. We had lunch near the castle, in the splendidly named Mauganeschtle (Nest Egg) restaurant. I tried the local speciality, Maultaschen, literally bags (or pockets?) for the mouth. Not unlike ravioli, they come stuffed with all kinds of things. I chose wild mushrooms and enjoyed every mouthful I ate, although the portion was so generous that I couldn’t finish it.

A novel way to transport a bicycle down the Neckar, I thought. The punts are mostly owned by the various fraternities and it’s possible to hire one. Although not a bad day for the end of October, it was too cool to make the prospect of falling into the water an appealing one.

Far more attractive from a bathing point of view were the mineral waters of the spa we visited in Bad Cannstatt. I never thought anything would induce me to swim out of doors at this time of year, but it was a magical experience as darkness fell. My friends, hardier than I, ventured into the cold pool and actually seemed to enjoy it! I confined myself to the warm and even warmer areas and revelled in the jacuzzi and the areas where jets of water provide a vigorous massage service. I was still glowing when we arrived back at Elke and Rudolf’s house.

It was a very enjoyable break and I’m finding it hard now to get back into what passes in this household for a normal routine.

Posted 31/10/07 - Permalink to this story

A short break in Hong Kong

Our stay in Hong Kong was made possible by two organizations that I can’t praise enough. The new airline Oasis Hong Kong charged us only £75 each way from Gatwick so, even after the addition of the various taxes imposed by the government, it was an incredibly cheap deal. No corners were cut either. The seating was comfortable, with more leg room than on many airlines and there were seatback TV screens, complimentary meals and very friendly and helpful cabin crew.

The YMCA of Hong Kong provided us with 4* comfort for a fraction of what we would have paid in the posh Peninsula Hotel next door.

Our en suite rooms on the 16th floor of the South Tower had a superb view over Victoria Harbour. There was a haze most days. According to the South China Morning Post (delivered free to our rooms every day) the pollution comes down the Pearl River from industrial plants in China.

There was no rain during our visit. It was warm and humid and we had no need of jackets, even in the evening.

Public transport in Hong Kong is so good that hiring a car would have been pointless. We bought Octopus cards and made full use of the KCR and MTR, buses, trams and ferries to get around. Crossing the harbour on the Star Ferry costs next to nothing.

The crossing is particularly magical at night when all the skyscrapers are lit up and reflected in the water. From 8 o’clock each evening during our visit there was a 15 minute sound and light show.

Looking down from the Peak at night is surreal. Even more so is the view from the Peak Tram. The slope is so steep in places that the skyscrapers seem to lean at 45 degrees. Standing up is very uncomfortable and it’s best to wait for the next tram if all the seats are full.

N.B My photos are pretty conventional. For a quirkier set, take a look at Richard’s website. If you find any duplication, it’s because he’s generously allowed me to take my pick of the many shots he took during the week.

Posted 18/10/07 - There was 1 comment on this story

Away from the crowds

Hong Kong still has some impressive beaches, although new buildings are going up at a rapid rate and I fear for the future.

The strangely shaped building in Repulse Bay has replaced Royden Court, which used to house serving British officers and their families.

The Repulse Bay Hotel has been eclipsed by high rise flats.

Deep Water Bay is relatively unspoilt. All the bathing areas in Hong Kong have been surrounded by protective booms since shark remains were discovered.

Stanley Harbour was tranquil on the day we visited.

We made a brief visit to Aberdeen Harbour, pursued all the way from the bus stop and along the waterfront by an elderly lady determined to sell us a ride on one of the many sampans. These are mainly for tourists now. The families who once lived aboard ramschackle wooden junks have mostly moved into the nearby high rise flats.