Trip Over to New York
Exploring the Big Apple
Manhattan Island, the smallest of the five boroughs of New York, and the most densely populated. Having a comfortable, almost European feel to it, we were right at home there. It has come a long way since the Dutch bought the land from the native Americans calling it New Amsterdam, before the English took over and renaming it New York. Now it is a vibrant, happening place moving at a fast pace that you can’t help but to fall into step with…………it has it all, and does it well.
Trip Over to New York
Circumnavigating Manhattan
Taking up our positions outside on the upper deck in seats at the back of the boat, it was absolutely freezing, but that was the best place for taking photos. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the wind chill certainly made us wonder what we were doing on a boat. Read more……………..
Trip Over to New York
From Gracie to Guggenheim
Gracie Mansion sits majestically looking over the East River in the top end of Carl Schurz Park on East End Ave at the end of 88th Street. Home to the New York City Mayor, should he choose to live there. Fortunately for us, Mayor Bloomberg chose not to. Read more……………..
Back to Schonbrunn Palace to see the Imperial Apartments. Gold was definitely the order of the day ✨️ but I reckon I could live there quite comfortably with a few more mod cons!!
#schönbrunnpalace #imperialapartments #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip
Yesterday evenings stroll to walk off my enormous Christmas lunch ✨️ past Fortnum & Mason, up Bond St, past the Royal Arcade, then past all the fashion shops dressed up to the nines. Chanel was my favourite 💖 Then Oxford St and back down Regent St to Piccadilly. Londin really knows how to do Christmas lights 🥂✨️💖
#londonatchristmastime #christmaslights #streetsoflondon #bondstreetlondon #regentstreetlondon
Went to the stangest market in Vienna at Rathausplatz. Every one of the stalls sold wine, a few sold food, there were people everywhere in national dress, some holding, but no one playing, musical instruments......and Verstappen`s F1 car!!???
#traveltheworldwithme #eastermarkets #vienna #viennaeaster
Perched atop a hill in western Sicily lies the medieval city of Erice ✨️. Most of the current structures, including churches, castles, and the main entrance, date back to the 1100s. And yes, the ice cream is a more modern delight, made fresh that very day!!
#ericesicily #sicily #solotravelinsicily #medievalsicily #sicilianicecream
Finally a sunny day in Budapest, strolling on Margrit Island, great weather, no complaints, perfect!
#margritisland #budapest #soloadventure #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Wandering the streets of Cefalu, I stumbled upon the museum with incredible art, right near the Duomo.
#cefalù #cefalusicily #cefalumuseum #artworks #historicalsicily #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel #soloadventure #seeeverythingdoeverything
Czech artist, David Cerney, famous for his politically opinionated art works.
✨️Here showing King Wencelas riding an upside down dead horse into battle. Hanging in the Lucerna Palace, Prague.
✨️Then 2 men (politicians??) pissing on the Czech Republic!! This one is outside the Kafka Museum across the Charles Bridge.
#davidčerney #politicalart #prague #solotrip
Dinner at the Parisi Passage, a historic gem from the 1800s inspired by Parisian arcades, it withstood bombing raids but faced neglect post-war, now revived as a stunning hotel with an incredible restaurant and bar.
#solotravel #parisipassage #parisipassagebudapest #párisipassagecaféandbrasserie
Porto Nuovo, or `new gate`, was built in the 15th century, but after a fire, the current gate was built in 1669. Guess `new` is relative! This spot became a hub for me - markets nearby, lovely parks and the bus stop to other towns like Monreale, was just through here. Located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Palermo.
To read about the places I stayed on my solo adventure to Malta and Sicily, click the link to my website in the bio.
#palermo #palermosicily #Sicily #portonuovo #soloadventure #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #sicilianhistory #neverstoptravelling
The largest synagogue in Europe, built in the 1850s, has been witness to unmentionable horrors during WWII including being bombed. It borders the ghetto where the Jews were left to die. In the garden cemetery there are tens of thousands of nameless bodies and a few that could be identified.
There us a very powerful museum housed here too.
#dohanystreetsynagogue #budapestarchitecture #budapest #soloadventure
Vienna`s Easter markets are in full swing now, with beautifully decorated eggs and plenty of food and drink. Great to amble around in the sun, even though it was a bit chilly!!
#solotravel #vienna #eastermarkets #traveltheworldwithme
The streets of Valletta, Malta. Endless hours of exploring this amazing place. A wonderful place for solo travellers, easy to get around and very safe. Something for everyone, especially for history buffs!!
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinmalta
Getting out for a walk after sitting on a plane for 24 hours✨️ I did a lap of Piccadilly and St James`s to see the Christmas lights. All rugged up in a coat, scarf, hat and gloves, I was loving the bracing 3 degree temperature❄️❄️❄️ Then back to @royaloverseaslondon for mulled wine and mince pies💖🎄☃️
#londonatchristmastime #christmaslights #piccadillyarcade #burlingtonarcade #jermynstreet
On a day trip to Agrigento from Palermo, I had about 2 hours or more to wander around the ancient Greek ruins in the Valley of Temples ✨️Is it just me, or do you love walking around places knowing that others have been walking there for more than 2000 years too?
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo #sicily
St Paul`s Cathedral dome as seen from the top of 1 New Change, the shopping centre across the road. I walked down Ludgate Hill, Fleet St and The Strand, coming across the Royal Exchange, Australia House, the dragon marking the boundary of London City. Every building along this street has incredible history.
#stpaulscathedral #royalexchange #australiahouse #londondragon #historiclondon
Decided to escape the heat in Sydney🔥 for the cold, and a cozy London Christmas🎄☃️ ❄️❄️❄️ ✨️And London has delivered with a lovely 4 degree (and falling ❄️❄️❄️) evening to start things off.
Merry Christmas to everyone 🎄☃️❄️🎄☃️❄️🥂!!
#solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #merrychristmas #londonforchristmas #christmaslights
A day trip from Palermo to Sicily`s south coast took me to Agrigento, to visit the Valley of the Temples, an ancient Greek archeological park ✨️The Temple of Concordia is the most complete of these ancient ruins, with it`s very own Fallen Angel!!
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #templeofconcordia #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo
Exploring Prague with lots of walking and lots of tram rides! Walking across Charles Bridge, up to the castle, through Lesser Town, into New Town, and historic Old Town.
#prague #praguelife #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seeeverythingdoeverything
.....further to my previous post. I walked past Hochstrahlbrunne, a fountain built in 1873 to celebrate the opening of Vienna`s high pressure water system. Then once I arrived at Schloss Belvedere, I found that this was not the place to be at Easter. There was one long queue to buy a ticket to stand in one of 3 other long queues to get in!!! Even one of the staff on crowd control said he had never seen it like this - I`ll go back after the Easter weekend crowds have left.
#vienna #viennaeaster #soloteavel #changeofplans
St Matthias Church in the Castle District near Fisherman`s Bastion. Climb the steep stone spiral staircase for a stunning view into the main church and explore the artifacts on display. This historic church dates back to the 11th century.
#solotrip #stmatthiaschurch #budapestcastledistrict
Perched in the hills behind Palermo, Sicily, lies the charming town of Monreale. Easily accessible by bus from Palermo`s Porta Nuova, it makes for a delightful day trip.
1. Monreale Cathedral
2. A couple of well dress Sicilian police men.
3 & 4. The streets of Monreale
#monreale #monrealecathedral #italianpolice #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
It was a lovely sunny London day to walk through Kensington Gardens from South Kensington to Baystwater Rd. Kensington Palace was all locked up for the Christmas break.
#kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardenslondon #london #solotravelinlondon #traveltheworldwithme
A crowd gathers every hour to watch the Astronomical Clock in Prague put on a show 😂 Then some people clap and cheer, and some people laugh in an `is that it` kind of way.
#prague #astronomicalclockprague🏰 #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Beautiful day to have another amble around the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace after exploring the Imperial Apartments, in another month these gardens will be in full bloom☀️☀️☀️
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #palacegardens #solotrip
Hofburg Palace, the Habsburgs` stunning Vienna residence until 1918. Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) indulged in royal luxury here and spent summers at Schonbrunn Palace. What a life!
#hofburgvienna #sisimuseum #soloadventure #vienna
Another short bus trip from Palermo in Sicily, up the coast to Mondello Beach✨️ lovely to walk along the promenade, but I have never had so many Indian market stall holders trying to sell me a sarong, and this was a quiet day in early spring, peak summer must be horrendous!!! I was hoping to have lunch at Alle Terrazze, a beautiful castle like restaurant just off the beach, but sadly they were closed for a private event, but further along I found a lovely seafood restaurant🥂
#solotravelinsicily #journeywoman #traveltheworldwithme #mondellobeach #sicily
It`s a museum kind of day in Vienna, 2 to 5 degrees, we`ve had a bit of snow, a bit of sleet, a bit of rain and a lot of cold ❄️❄️❄️
The Furniture Museum is a collection of furnture and other items from the Imperial Palaces, including a display of the toilets from the day.
The museum holds huge stores of furniture that they lend out for movies, plays and other events needing furnishings from that era.
#viennafurnituremuseum #coldday❄️ #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Sunrise on my last day in London, after a few very cold, cloudy days, today we are going with a freezing 2 degrees, and sunshine ❄️❄️❄️
#sunriseinlondon #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #londonlife #coldmornings❄️ #solotrip
Sicily`s hidden gem! Strolling through Cefalu`s ancient rock arches, where the Mediterranean waves crash against the rocks on one side and calm awaits for a swim on the other.
#cefalu #cefalú #cefalubeach #cefalusicily #Sicily #sicilylife #historicsicily #soloadventure #solotrip #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #exploretheworld
In the London Bridge area on the south side of the Thames, after visiting the Versace exhibition at The Arches, I walked down past The Shipwrights Arms across to Hay`s Galleria....used to be Hay`s Wharf....now shops, restaurants, Christmas stalls, and a giant Christmas Tree.
After visiting the Duomo di Cefalu, I followed the path behind the Duomo, which leads to the path to walk up Rocca di Cefalu. The giant rocky headland that promises amazing views and remains of old castles. By the time I was at the half way point, my knees were saying `nope, we`re good, here is enough`!! No need to go further up, I went back down to sea level and continued to explore the beautiful town of Cefalu.
#cefalù #cefalucathedral #roccadicefalù #amazingviews #oceanviews #historicsicily #solotravelinsicily #solotrip #traveltheworldworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #exploretheworld #traveladdict
More sculptures in the streets, and I found another one of the minitures that are dotted all over the city. It`s hard to tell what it is, but perched on the wall near the castle, the little guy in the last photo is looking through his telecope at the city below!!
#streetsculptures #budapest #artinthe streets #solotravel
Just took a free tour of Government House in Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens... now I`m considering a career change... Governor General, here I come! ✨️
#govermenthouse #governmenthousesydney #royalbotanicgardens #sydneyrbg #explorethecityyoulivein #walkinthepark #historicsydney #sydneyweekend #sydney #sydneyharbourwalks
Panoramic views from the medieval city of Erice, gazing out towards Palermo, far away and over the hills, across the north coast of Sicily. ✨️ My thoughts are with those in Sicily, Malta, and southern Italy who have lost so much due to Cyclone Harry.
#ericesicily #solotravelinsicily #viewfromthetop #medievalsicily
Inside the Monreale Cathedral, I was surrounded by gold everywhere. This stunning building was constructed between 1174 and 1267 and later adorned with millions of gold-covered glass tiles by skilled local and Venetian craftsmen. Unfortunately, my visit coincided with a packed Easter Sunday service, limiting my exploration of the intricate mosaic work, but what I did see close up at the back of the cathedral was amazing, I even loved the enormous doors to the Cathedral.
#monrealecathedral #glassmosaics #goldmosaics #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
Just opened my curtains to see this beautiful sunrise ✨️over Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. Beautiful colours to start the day, I was just in time to catch it, those peach colours are no longer there!
#londonsunrise #bigben #westminsterabbey #londoneye #housesofparliament
Memorial to the Jews who were rounded up during WWII, they were lined up on the edge of the Danube, forced to remove their shoes, then they were shot in the back and their bodies fell into the river.......
#shoesonthedanube #solotravel #busapest #traveltheworldwithme
A morning walk through St James`s Park on Christmas Day✨️all rugged up and ready for anything 3 degrees throws at me. A beautiful blue sky day in London. Then we eat, drink and be merry....then, maybe, go for another walk.....
#stjamesspark #londonatchristmastime #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #blueskiesandsunshine
Explored the stunning Belvedere Palace in Vienna, a former imperial residence that`s truly breathtaking. The gardens were gorgeous, especially with the ponds and fountains coming to life now that winter`s loosening its grip, slightly....!!
#belvedere #schlossbelvedere #vienna #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
Vienna is magnificent to just wander around aimlessly, the buildings, the parks, everything, just perfect.
#vienna #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
Had lunch in one of London`s oldest pubs yesterday, on Fleet St, not far from St Paul`s. Re-built in 1667 after the original Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub went up in flames in the great fire of London the previous year🔥
I`ve had better fish and chips in older London pubs - The Prospect of Whitby and The Mayflower - but still very nice to sit by the fire, then explore the rabbit warren of areas in this pub, knowing people have been drinking here for nearly 400 years.
#yeoldecheshirecheese #londonpublunch #historiclondon #solotravelinlondon #londonlife
On the south coast of Sicily, near Agrigento, lies Scala dei Turchi, a stunning limestone formation named after Turkish and Arab pirates who took shelter there in the 16th century. We stopped by after exploring the Valley of the Temples on our day trip from Palermo.
#scaladeiturchi #daytripfrompalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
Even if Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly is too packed with people to fit inside, the outside of the building and the window displays are worth seeing.
#fortnums #piccadilly #londonatchristmastime #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
London at Christmas time goes over the top with decorations ✨️ if it can be decorated it is ☃️
🎄 Leadenhall Market
🎄 Covent Garden
🎄 Liberty of London
🎄 Burlington Arcade
🎄 The Ritz
Had a quick run around Prague after a 4 hour train trip from Vienna. I was last in Prague 9 years ago, all seems familiar except Wenceslas Square....apart from the statue of Good King Wenceslas on his horse, the rest of the square that used to be an elegant collection of historic buildings, hotels, cafes, etc......has now turned into Oxford Street, London...Primark, C&A, Half Price, the list goes on......who thought that was a good idea????
#prague #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #charlesbridgeprague
Popped into Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly yesterday evening ✨️ mainly to have a look at the new double helix staircase built up the middle of the store. Disappointed that they had no feature decorations hanging down the centre of it!!
The lower floors were absolutely packed with people, if one person moved, they all had to. I took a few pics and made a run for it!!
#fortnums #shoppinginlondon #doublehelixstaicase #londonlife #solotravel
Caught the train from Vienna to Bratislava for a day trip. Walking up the hill to visit the castle is not for the faint hearted!! And the walk back down 🥴 brutal on the dodgy knee!!! But I made it 😃!!!
#bratislava #daytripfromvienna #daytripfromviennatobratislava #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
Wandering through Palermo in search of the bus to Monreale in the hills, I stumbled upon Porta Nuova, the ancient gate to Palermo. Which was a good find as it was the land mark I needed to make sure I was heading in the right direction.
#palermo #portanuovapalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
The fairytale world of Castle District, perched high above the Danube on the Buda side. Hours of leisurely strolling are a must!!
My solo adventures in Budapest continue...
#budapestcastledistrict #budapest #solotrip
