monday memories

Postojna Caves is the most visited tourist cave in Europe, dating back to 1872 when the first railway lines were laid. We took a cave train into the heart of the caves where we spent an hour or so admiring a 20 kilometer network of underground splendour. Check out the calcite formations, stalactites and stalagmites in the photos below, it's dazzling in every way imaginable. To think these occur in nature without the help of anything but temperature, minerals and time.



Postojna Caves, Slovenia
11:40am 21st April 2010
We just passed through the border to Slovenia. Today we have a 2 hour stop inside the Postojna Caves and we are well prepared for the tour having just completed a children's book about 'Yami the dragon in the Postojna Caves'.


The bus trip isn't so bad, bit of rest and relaxation. The best thing about this trip is the light at the end of the tunnel. At some point we will come to a stop and arrive at our next destination point for some much anticipated exploration! Our tour guide Leti is sensational..full of energy, friendly, easy to approach and informative. She just told us we can get a 10euro bus to a place in Croatia 1hour from where we're staying which I am certain is where my great grandfather Bogaslav grew up in. Will soon find out!

The on-site chef in Italy was great. Apparently we adjoined the tour at a great time in terms of food and day trips. First night was mozzarella/tomato/basil salad, garlic bread and meat platter and that was just the entree! Main was il bucco with polenta mash and brocolli..yummy!

Today, a picnic lunch and looking forward to the caves.

X

festival fun

Sundays well spent fill my heart with all kinds of happy. Today was particularly special as we spent the day scouting festivals. To start, a Polish festival in Federation Square and finishing with a Spanish street festival on Johnston St. These two events sandwiched a very exciting visit to Madame Brussels for a quick iced coffee while the sun was a blazin'.

The Polish festival provided us with some great quality blood sausage sauerkraut combinations but was very much lacking in the Pierogi department. Our friend went as far to say the pierogi he was eating was "a very bad version of a Chinese dumpling". As a devout Pierogi fan I was mortified to hear this news. So disbelieving that Pierogi's could ever taste anything but delicious that I endeavor to create some at home over the next few weeks in order to change his mind about them. Hopefully I get the chance to re-pop his Pierogi cherry and give them the reputation they deserve.

  

Madame Brussels is ambrosial in every sense of the word. I sat sipping on my iced coffee whilst perched upon a pink PVC stool, sharing a turf-clad rooftop bar with fellow Madame Brussels goers. There was the option of a delightfully coloured parasol to shade ourselves from the sunshine. Preppy, Pimms filled pitcher carrying waiters made it feel very much how I imagined a garden party in Cape Cod would feel.

The weather was jusssst right, and the combination of my two favourite things (food and cultural outings) ensured my Sunday couldn't have been better*. 

tucking into soft tacos.

*Aside from being back in NZ celebrating my dear old grandparents joint 80th birthday bash. Thank you Melbourne for keeping my mind off the cold hard facts of being far away from my beautiful family at a special time like today.

X

best to book

St Ali, more like an institution than JUST a brunch spot. Check out the size of the menu above. Thanks to the specials board my decision wasn't too painstaking. I settled very happily for 'the mexican cousin' which was just delightful, and healthy to boot.

St Ali
12-18 Yarra Place
South Melbourne‎ VIC‎ 3205
Australia

 

X

monday memories

How perfect is the gift of a travel diary? It can be a tight squeeze finding the time to make entries along the way. In between tiring day tours, trains, buses and continuously packing up luggage.

It's well worth putting aside a few minutes each day to produce a short dialogue of the days events including sights, smells and thoughts you experienced. When you open that diary after completely forgetting about it months or even years later the feeling is totally euphoric. You'll surprise yourself as I have done, turns out I was a very consistent diary submitter.

While in Venice 
6:30pm 17th April 2010
We're on a bus in Venice, driving away from the Grande canal and the city and into the middle of nowhere. The most beautiful thing just occurred..I looked out the window to my right to a field full of dandelions. Just as I looked out the window a big gust of wind swept up all the buds and small speckles of dandelion filled the sky. Special.

Happy Monday

X

monday memories

Tyrol, Austria. Daily bike rides, pancake soup, mountainous views, beer drinking, R&R. I indulged in some canyon jumping with a well matched group of adrenaline junkies, apparently we were beyond casual bicycle rides to the local village. Instead, we abseiled down 20metre cliff faces into canyons which of course added a nice element of adventure to the tour.

tradition Italian shave

There's just something special about getting to spoil that gorgeous man in your life. Particularly when it involves a bit of classy, old-world-gentleman pampering. We trekked north to Coburg to the Italian barbers so that Mr could experience the traditional Italian shave. 

Domenic and Ross have been running this barber joint side by side since the 70's. This is evident in the array of wall photos featuring much younger, Magnum P.I. versions of the men displaying some sizable lip slugs.

What fun and how beautifully motastic Mr looked once the grooming was complete. What's more is that he's since been back. Win! I thought it my duty to deliver info regarding this essential recommendation in time for Movember.

Domenic & Ross Hair Stylists, 151 Sydney Rd, Coburg, Melbourne. 
X

typo radar

 TYPO - a one-stop shop sprawling with gift ideas and lust-worthy stationary.
 The Carlton typo store is located walking distance from my house, no help with saving money at all! My stationary collection is growing by the week and uhoh first name basis with the staff. All the products are irresistable, fashionable, and cost effective to boot. Check out my new mustache stamp, just in time for Movember. All the more reason to get busy with my pen and send out some snail mail.

x