LONDON - HONG KONG - MELBOURNE 10-11/02/2009

I flew from London via Hong Kong to Melbourne with the Australian airline Qantas. The service of Qantas was excellent. At least I enjoyed it a lot. We had a stop in Hong Kong which lasted maybe an hour or so and then we boarded again to our plane and flew to Melbourne. We landed at Melbourne at 9:40 p.m. on 11th February 2009 so the whole flight from London lasted about 22 hours.


It took me a while to collect my luggage, but as I had nothing to declare and I didn't carry any items that are forbidden while entering Australia I was allowed to leave the airport. Lucky me as there was such a long queue for those passengers who were carrying forbidden products like for example fresh fruit and everything they had in their suitcases was unpacked. I wouldn't like to go through it. Be careful when you go to Australia. Don't try to cheat and mark on a passanger card that you don't carry e.g. fruit of food if you do as you may be in a real trouble and definitely will get rid of some money to pay a fine.

When I left the airport I had to stand in a queue to take a taxi to get to my hostel in St Kilda. By the way all taxis in Melbourne are yellow. I was going through the city centre which looked amazing with its skyscrapers at night. It turned out that the airport in Melbourne is quite far away from the city centre, but at least I could see some downtown and not only.

I think that I should add that there was winter at that time in Poland and few days before my arrival at Melbourne the heat and bushfire in Australia was the main news in the media. So I was a bit scared of the heat and the hot weather, but when I left the airport the weather was just nice, light wind and maybe 25 degrees.

I stayed at X Base Backpackers hostel in St Kilda. Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend this place even though I stayed there twice during my trip. My room was OK, but service was rather poor. What was the worst was the fact that there were parties or discos every single night downstairs so if you wanted to have some sleep it was almost impossible there.

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A U S T R A L I A

I had been dreaming about going to Australia since 1999 and after ten years my dream finally came true. Going to Australia is for sure the trip of a lifetime and I would like to tell at least a bit about my Australian memories.

I went to Australia in February 2009 for three weeks. In September 2008 I applied for a tourist visa on the internet and I received it after a couple of days. Then I started working on the itinerary. It wasn't difficult at all as I am interested in Australia so I knew what I wanted to visit during my stay in Australia. Of course I wouldn't have been able to organise anything without the Internet. I like planning and organising trips and I think that once again I did quite well with it. If I had to do it one more time, I would change only one thing - a shorter stay in Sydney and a longer one in Alice Springs. The rest of the trip would be the same.

The only problem I had while planning the trip was buying the plane tickets, but fortunately everything ended well. Before going to Australia I booked the hotels in Melbourne and Sydney as well as the flight from Melbourne to Sydney. The rest of hotels and flights I booked when I was in Sydney.

Australia is a huge country and it is impossible to see everything during such a short time, but I think that I was able to see a lot during my stay there. It is rather not possible to say which place I enjoyed the most as I fell in love with Alice Springs, the Red Centre, Kuranda, but I also liked St Kilda in Melboure, Sydney Harbour or Great Ocean Road. I didn't want to leave any place I went to, but then I had new attractions in a new place and it was like that day by day for three weeks.

I LOVE AND MISS AUSTRALIA A LOT!!!

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E N G L A N D

I was in England during summer 2008 and I lived in Swindon for two months. I enjoyed my stay there, except the weather.

S W I N D O N, W I L T S H I R E
Swindon is an industrial town located in the south-east of England.
To be honest I had not heard about it until I went there. It has got a nice shopping centre and it is a very green town with many parks like Queens Park which you  can see below.


Apart from Queens Park, there is also a place known as Town Gardens and my favourite Coate Water with a lake and nice piers.

A V E B U R Y, W I L T S H I R E

Avebury

Avebury is not so far away from Swindon. It is a village where you can find the stone circles which are believed to be older than the ones at Stonehenge. I liked the place a lot as you can walk and relax there as there are not as many people as at Stonehenge.

S T O N E H E N G E, W I LT S H I R E
This famous place was a real disappointment to me. I expected something more from this place. There were so many people around this place and it was impossible to touch the stones. In comparison with Avebury, Stonehenge is a waste of time. I had much more fun at Avebury. Of course Stonehenge is more known than Avebury, which in my opinion deserves more attention. But on the other hand, maybe it's better for Avebury not to be as popular as Stonehenge.


O X F O R D
Oxford is really a nice and interesting city. It is surprising that a city full of universities can be a tourist attraction, but that's the way it is.

I went to Oxford by bus. The trip lasted over an hour. During my visit to Oxford I saw the Carafax Tower with a clock on one side of the tower. Then I went past the Christ Church College and the Merton College. There was such a fantastic green place where people were travelling on boats (almost like in Venice:)) on the river Cherwell and it is a perfect place for waking and jogging. Close to this place the Oxford Botanic Garden is located. It is not big, but is spruce with nice plants. There was a great weather on this day so I felt like staying in the Botanic Garden the whole day, but there was still so much to see.

Botanic Garden in Oxford

I climbed the tower of the St Mary the Virgin Church from which it is possible to see the whole panorama of the city.

Then I also went to the Radcliffe Square, the Bodleian Library, the Bridge of Sighs, the Sheldonian Theatre and the Museum of History and Science.

At the end I visited the Oxford University Museum which is a fantastic place and worth visiting. The museum is divided into four sections: geology, mineralogy, zoology and entomology. I am sure you will enjoy this place a lot.

L O N D O N
I wanted so much to see London, but after the visit to this city I have to say that I prefer Italian cities or Prague. During my visit to London I saw the most popular tourist attractions, but as I am not too much impressed by the city I will only concentrate on some of them.

I like Hyde Park, which is really big and green with such a beautiful avenue with tall trees. It's great that there are green places in such a big city. The Speaker's Corner is rather a legend right now. At least I was disappointed with this place.

Buckingham Palace

The Buckingham Palace is not as big as I thought it is and I didn't like those gold ornaments which remind me of Moscow architecture. It was the first place where there was a crowd of tourists - too many to enjoy the place. Unfortunately there are a lot of tourists in every place you visit, which after some time may be a bit tiring, but you have to get used to it.

Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament

I liked the City of Westminster, especially the Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament as well as the London Eye. I also enjoyed my visit to the Trafalgar Square which was full of people watching a live broadcast from the Olympic Games in Beijing. The Covent Garden Market with a nice atmosphere was another place which I liked.

I don't understand why the Piccadilly Circus is so popular. The noise of this place with people and cars all around made me feel like leaving the place as soon as possible.

The St Paul's Cathedral reminds me of the St Peter's Basilica and it's quite nice.

The Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge is really spectacular and I liked this landmark the most in London. Besides the place with the City Hall has got a nice atmosphere and it was the best part of my visit to London.


B A T H, S O M E R S E T

Bath is a city in the south-west England which is famous for spa. It is absoloutely gorgeous city and it was the best part of my stay in England. I recommend visiting this beautiful and quiet city. I was wondering why I like Bath so much and I think that the only answer is that Bath is so much in the Italian style. In fact the Romans built baths and a temple in Bath so it is not so surprising that it reminds me of Italy.

Bath

Among the places which you should visit in Bath are: Parade Gardens, The Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent and Royal Victoria Park.

It may be surprising, but you can find there a lot of sculptures of pigs.

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P R A G U E, CZECH REPUBLIC

In my opinion Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is a bit similar to Krakow. However, even though I am Polish I have to admit that Prague is much more beautiful than Krakow and I was absolutely charmed by the city.

OLD TOWN SQUARE

The Old Town Square in Prague is full of beautiful buildings all around the square. It is a very atmospheric place and I simply love this kind of amazing European architecture. 

The biggest attraction of the Old Town Square is definitely the medieval Astronomical Clock. Every hour a crowd of tourists wait for the figures of Apostles and other sculptures to appear. The clock itself is really beautiful and the moving figures are a great fun, not only for children, but adults, too.

CHARLES BRIDGE
I would risk saying that the Charles Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. It is quite wide and long with beautiful sculptures on both sides. Many local artists paint their paintings there, which makes the bridge an artistic place. At least I like this kind of atmosphere. 

The photo below was taken early in the morning when not too many people were present there, but later that day the bridge was crowded with tourists and artists. 

THE HRADCANY

The Hradcany is the district of Prague where the Prague Castle is located. Next to the castle you can find the St Vitus Cathedral, which is my number two when it comes to the beauty of churches after St Peter's Basilica. The interior of the cathedral is stunning.

Close to the cathedral there is a famous Golden Lane with low houses. One of them belonged to the writer Franz Kafka.

Golden Lane

DANCING HOUSE

This is an example of a modern architecture which is also visible in this historic city.

My very short trip to Prague was a bit crazy as I went to Prague just for one day. I set off from Krakow late in the evening, spent whole night on the bus to Prague and arrived at the Czech capital city next day early in the morning. The same day in the evening I took the bus back to Krakow. It was absolutely crazy, don't you think so? At the end of the day I was struggling to get to the bus stop as I barely walked and had great difficulty in moving. It took me few days to be able to walk normally after that crazy trip. One way or another I don't regret it as it was worth visiting Prague and I hope to come back there again, but this time definitely for longer:).

I love cities with an artistic soul and beautiful historic architecture and Prague definetely belongs to this group.

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F L O R E N C E, I T A L Y

Florence (Firenze) is the capital city of Tuscany, which is probably the most beautiful region in Italy. For me Florence is one of the most beautiful cities I have been to.

THE BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is really beautiful and has got an impressive dome.

Here you can see the Giotto's Bell Tower (Il Campanile di Giotto).

THE PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA AND THE UFFIZI GALLERY

The Piazza della Signoria is located in the heart of Florence. You can find there the Fountain of Neptune, the Old Palace (Palazzo Vecchio) and the Loggia dei Lanzi where you can admire different sculptures.

Close to the Loggia dei Lanzi there is the Uffizi Gallery where you can admire paintings created by Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio or Titian. The collection is really breathtaking, but you need a lot of time to see everything. Personally, I was impressed by two Botticelli's paintings: The Birth of Venus and the Primavera.

THE PONTE VECCHIO

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio (The Old Bridge) is situated on the Arno river. In the past mainly meat was sold there. Nowadays the bridge is full of jewellery stores.

THE PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO

The Piazzale Michelangelo is a square from which you can admire a breathtaking panorama of Florence. The view is really spectacular and if you can watch the city at sunset, you will have a vivid memory of the panorama.

Florence is absolutely stunning and it is really a must. There are a lot of beautiful places to see and what is great is the fact that they are so close one to another.

If you are in Florence, don't miss il Mercato di San Lorenzo where you can buy beautiful products made of leather.

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S I E N A, I T A L Y

At the end of my stay in Italy I went to Siena, which is a gorgeous, medieval town in Tuscany. I went there by bus from Perugia and the bus trip itself was great because of the Tuscan landscapes which looked like those paintings presenting the beauty of Tuscany. 

The historic centre of Siena is located on a hill and the best way to get there is to take the escalator. I did not have a map so I asked a local and he helped me to get to the centre. Apart from it I could practise my Italian and felt so confident about it like never before. The centre is quite small and definitely you don't need any map as everything is well marked and you can visit everything you want and it would be really hard to get lost.

THE PIAZZA DEL CAMPO

The Piazza del Campo is a huge square which is really amazing and spectacular. This is also the place where the famous Palio (horse-race) takes place every year. I wish I could be there at that time as it must be fascinating. 

The Piazza del Campo

THE CATHEDRAL OF SIENA

The Cathedral of Siena (Il Duomo di Siena) looks gorgeous, doesn't it? I would say that it is even more beautiful than the one in Florence.

If you are ever in Tuscany region in Italy, do not visit only Florence and Pisa, but come to Siena for a day and I am sure you will be bewitched with the town as I am. 

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R O M E, I T A L Y

I love Rome. However, it wasn't the love at first sight. During my stay in Perugia I decided to go to Rome for a weekend. Everything seemed to be planned well, but then I had a problem to get out of Perugia and I was toing and froing between the railway station and the bus station, the distance between the two is not short. To be honest I was so tired and fed up that I was close to giving up and forgetting about Rome. However, it was the only weekend left when I could go to Rome so it convinced me that I still should go to the Eternal City. Finally I managed to get on the bus to Rome and get out of Perugia. Originally I wanted to go to Rome by train, not by bus so I was shocked when I found out that I arrived at Roma Tiburtina Railway Station, not the main Roma Termini Railway Station. They names sound almost the same, don't they? The moment I got on the bus I really hoped my bad luck for this day had been used, but I was wrong. Fortunately I had a map and I got where I wanted. I still had a problem to find accommodation, but I managed to find one. At that particular moment I was really tired and disappointed with Rome and the trip, but all I could do was to forget about the morning and enjoy the city, which I did. 

During my stay in Rome I visited the Piazza di Spagna with famous Spanish Steps (Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti). It was about 40 degrees on that day so it was almost impossible to sit on the steps or at least sit there longer than few minutes. At the base of the Piazza there is the fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia ("Fountain of the Old Boat").

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

From the Spanish Steps I went to another beautiful landmark - the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi). Indeed, it's a real piece of art, but there is so little space in front of it and so many tourists that you do not feel like spending there too much time.

THE PANTHEON

Then I went to the Pantheon which was built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome and rebuilt around 126 AD. It is so old, but still in a good condition, which is simply amazing. The interior of the Pantheon looks really nice and I was bewitched by the buliding and its long history.

THE PIAZZA NAVONA
The Piazza Navona is a long, spacious square, in the middle of which you can find a stunning Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi). There is also the Church of Sant'Agnese and the Fontana di Nettuno.

The Piazza Navona is a fantastic place to sit for a while in a nearby cafe and drink Italian coffee. I really liked the place. 

THE PIAZZA VENEZIA

Here you can see the National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II (Il Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II), which is located on the Piazza Venezia. 

THE ROMAN FORUM

The Roman Forum is really an impressive place, especially when you realize how old it is.

Below there is the sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf and the twins Romulus and Remus, who according to the legend were rescued by the wolf and are belived to have founded Rome. 

THE COLOSSEUM


The Colosseum is probably the most famous Roman landmark. It looks great and once again I can say that it's unbelievable that we can still admire it. The place where history meets with the presence.

THE VATICAN CITY

The Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City is the destination of many Roman Catholic pilgrims. Indeed, it is the most beautiful church I have ever seen. The interior of the Basilica is a real masterpiece with a beautiful altar, the dome and the Pieta sculptured by Michelangelo.

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A S S I S I, I T A L Y

Assisi is a small town located in Umbria, Italy. It's famous for two saints: St Francis and St Clare. There is a beautiful Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi which you can see below. There is also the Basilica of Santa Chiara and the Cathedral of San Rufino.

I like Assis a lot. I remember it as a very peaceful, clean and nice town. There are so many tourists and pilgrims there, but still there is silence and peace all around you. I strongly recommend visiting Assisi.

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P E R U G I A, I T A L Y

I was in Italy in 2004 and I lived in Perugia for a month. I took there the course in Italian at the Foreigners University (Universita' per stranieri) which was a great experience. I enjoyed my stay in Italy and I still love and miss Italy a lot.

OLD TOWN
Perugia is the capital city of Umbria which is believed to be the greenest region in Italy. There are three other important Umbrian cities: Assisi, Gubbio and Spoleto.

The Perugia Old Town is stunning. It starts with the Etruscan Arch and then you go along a narrow street to reach the place which you can see above. In the middle of this place there is the Fontana Maggiore, built in the 13th century, which looks like a big birthday cake.

In the background you can see the Town Hall Palazzo dei Priori also dating from the 13th century.

Opposite the Town Hall you can visit the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Close to the Town Hall there is the National Gallery of Umbrian Art (Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria) where you can admire works of art created by Perugino among other works of art.

As Perugia is a student city a lot of young people spend their time on the steps in front of the Town Hall or close to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo.

At the end of the street known as Corso Vannuci there is the Piazza Italia and a beautiful place called Punto di Vista from which you can admire the panorama of Umbria.

Here is the view over Pinturicchio Street in which I lived during my stay in Perugia. I rented there a flat with other Polish friends.

I simply love those narrow Italian streets.

Green Umbria

UMBRIA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Every summer Umbria Jazz Festival takes place in Perugia and it is the time when the whole city is packed with people. It is so difficult to move around, but the event is absolutely fantastic. When I was in Perugia Michael Buble and Alicia Keys were among the artists at Umbria Jazz Festival.

BACIO
Perugia is famous for chocolate Bacio (Kiss). I had an opportunity to visit the factory where Bacio is produced. I still remember the smell of chocolate...

Eurochocolate is the Chocolate Festival which takes place every October in Perugia.

LAKE TRASIMENO
Lake Trasimeno (Il Lago Trasimeno) is located close to Perugia. It looks gorgeous from far away, but I remember that at least when I was there it wasn't clean. Maybe something has changed since that time.

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