Author: elainehayesblog

The Wonders of Petra

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Visiting Petra is definitely the reason we are here in Jordan.  The area was settled by a nomadic Arab people called the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago and Petra later became the capital of their kingdom as it grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices on the nearby Silk Road.  They were used to living in barren deserts and skilled in stone carving, leaving a legacy of tombs, temples and an ingenious system of dams and water channels.

Petra was later annexed to the Roman Empire and thrived until an earthquake destroyed much of the city in the C4th.  Combined with changes in trade routes, this led to the city’s downfall, and it was ultimately abandoned. Petra appears to have been largely deserted by C7th and was then lost to all except local Bedouin until rediscovered by a Swiss explorer named Johannes Burckhardt  in 1812.  It is now one of Jordan’s national treasures, a UNESCO World Heritage Site made iconic by its visit from Indiana Jones and voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

The site is huge, and in fact as much as 90% has yet to be discovered.  Michael led us down the main trail, telling us of the history. 

Here is the first tomb we saw with obelisks carved above.

We continued to the beginning of the Siq or gorge which was the main entrance to the city, but almost hidden from view.

We noticed the inventive water technology – the channel lined with ceramic which runs the length of the Siq …

… and one of the three dams within the gorge which help keep it safe from flooding. 

Michael mentioned that with a sudden downpour, flash floods can easily occur making the gorge dangerous, especially as the outer dams have fallen into disrepair.

We also marvelled at the natural beauty of the coloured rock which had once lain under the sea until moved by tectonic activity and then eroded smooth by wind and water …

… and even came across the remains of a man leading a camel!

The Nabataeans worshipped a variety of gods and goddesses and their practice included sacrifices, rituals, and a belief in an afterlife. They also honoured Dushara, the god of the sun.

This small votive niche resembles full size tombs and contains two baetyls or standing stones each representing a god.  The left one has two carved squares to show its eyes, and was the largest of many such niches.

Finally we emerged from the narrow gorge into a large space with The Treasury before us, lit by the morning sun. 

It was carved out of the rock face, beginning at the top, and hand holds can be seen either side.  It is believed to have been built as a mausoleum and crypt with four eagles at the top to carry away the souls. The figures on the upper level are dancing Amazons with axes and Castor and Pollux flank the entrance.Having taken in the magnitude of the building and taken several pictures, we moved on as tourists are no longer allowed inside.  

There was a lot more to see – in The Street of Facades, many of the tombs show a stepped decoration which possibly eludes to ascending to the afterlife …

… the Theatre is in the heart of the city, built first by the Nabataeans but then enlarged by the Romans much later …

… the Royal Tombs which deserved a closer look, but we were moved swiftly on …

… down the colonnaded street …

… with the Great Temple behind …

… and to Qasr Al-Bint, the most important temple dedicated to Dushara.

At this point we stopped for lunch having already walked 5 miles! In the afternoon, we could choose what to see.  Several of our group were making the climb up 800 steps to Ad Deir, or the Monastery, the largest monument in Petra and thought to be used for religious meetings and Chris encouraged me to go if I wanted to. 

It was certainly a challenge, but I was delighted to reach the top!

The walk down was almost as difficult, dodging donkeys and donkey poo and being careful on slippery stretches of stone.

It was time to start making our way back, past the Treasury, looking a little more subdued in shadow, and back to the start. 

I met Chris in the Museum, but to be honest, after 10 miles I was exhausted and not really taking anything in, but here is an example of one of the temple idols in far better condition and with much finer decoration.

Later, Chris told me about his afternoon exploring, how he came across remains of the C5th Blue Chapel, with splendid granite columns …

… and then wandered further, continually tempted by the the next rise, and finding himself all alone. 

He took a photo of this stone arch …

… and was surprised to hear a voice say ‘hello, welcome’ and he realised there was someone inside.  The woman beckoned him in and to sit down on a stone and used kindling from her backpack to get the fire going and make them some tea.

Her English was far better than his Arabic, and she asked where he came from and about his time in Jordan.  After a while, a young lad appeared with a donkey asking if he wanted a ride to the Monastery, but he declined. Finishing his tea, he thanked her and set off once more.  Such a lovely experience which easy beats my hike to the monastery!

Returning via the Royal Tombs, here is the Palace Tomb, with its impressive 5 storey facade …

… and The Urn Tomb with its colonnade …

… and its multi coloured ceiling.

Petra certainly exceeded all expectations for both of us, if anything, it’s a shame we weren’t there for longer!

PS – 5 days after we were there, Jordanian authorities evacuated nearly 1,800 tourists from the ancient city after the area was hit by flash flooding and sadly a woman and her son died …

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Moses & Mosaics

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This morning we packed our bags and set off for Madaba to see the oldest mosaic map in the world. In Byzantine times, there was a large Christian community in Madaba and St George’s Church was built with an impressive mosaic floor. This building was long gone when a new church was to be built in the C19th and the mosaic map was discovered, unfortunately damaged.

Nonetheless, Jerusalem is easy to spot with its oval city walls and Cardo Maximus running through the centre.  Above you also just make out the Dead Sea and the Jordan river to the left, with fish swimming away from the salty water! 

On the way back to the bus, we had a chance to try the local coffee, boiled up like Turkish coffee, but flavoured with cardamom, and usually drunk sweetened, but I found it a little bitter without sugar.

Having got our bearings, we continued to Mount Nebo, overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, believed to be the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land and later buried.

It was quite profound to look at the same view as Moses, across the Holy Land and the Dead Sea, towards Jericho, the Jordan River, Bethlehem and Jerusalem on a clear day.

A place of pilgrimage for early Christians from Jerusalem, a small church was built here in the C4th, which was then expanded but much later abandoned and hidden until the Franciscans excavated the site and built a modern church to protect the site and the mosaics found inside.

Queen Noor, one of the wives of the late king, began a school that teaches mosaic art and provides jobs particularly for women, and we stopped off at a workshop … but resisted a purchase!

About 20% of Jordanians are Bedouin, which means desert dweller. They once lived a nomad lifestyle, in tents, grazing their herds through the desert, but in 1965 they were given incentives to settle so children could be educated.  Today most have settled in villages and cultivate crops and only 1% retain the nomadic lifestyle, but we saw several tents during our drives.

Our last stop was at Shobak Castle which was built by the Crusader king Baldwin I in 1115 and withstood numerous attacks from the armies of Saladin before succumbing in 1189, after an 18-month siege.

It was later occupied in the C14th by the Mamluks and is now being restored.  Views were good but not much to see.

Another drive brought us to Petra where we stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of town.  Some of the group went to see Petra by candlelight, but we chose to give it a miss as there would be plenty of walking next day. Instead we caught the sun as it set behind the ridge above Wadi Musa.

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The Roman City of Jerash

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We arrived yesterday in time for a late dinner and woke to a lovely sunny day here in Jordan.  We greeted fellow travellers as 30 of us boarded the coach for our day trip to Jerash.  We began with a brief drive through the old and new parts of Amman and snaps were difficult, but here is the King Abdullah I Mosque, completed in 1989 and the only mosque in the city open to non-Muslims, with its sky blue dome and quasi-Brutalist minarets.

There are 4.5 million people living in Amman and the traffic is very busy, especially at rush hour as everyone has a car.

Finally we we out of Amman and during the drive, our guide Michael gave us a little background information about Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  It is a constitutional monarchy, where the sovereign has substantial discretionary powers ruled by Abdullah II who succeeded to the throne in 1999.

Around 11 million people live here, 95% following Islam and 3% are Christian. A large proportion or the population are refugees – 2m from Palestine who live as part of society, 1.5m from Syria on three protected camps and 120,000 from Iraq who live in Amman. There are also a large number of migrant workers from Egypt and Asia.

Amman and today’s destination Jerash, were both part of the Decapolis, a group of ten Greco-Roman cities in the Jordan rift valley, which grew up along the trade route to Damascus, with Jerash being the best-preserved example of Roman-era ruins in Jordan.  

We entered through Hadrian’s Arch …

… and saw the hippodrome …

… before continuing through the South Gate.

We walked along the East Souk which would have held small shops and glanced back at the gate …

… before heading into the Forum surrounded by an Ionic colonnade and which would have contained more market stalls.

A detour took us up to the South Theatre …

… and the Temple of Zeus …

… where we also got a great panorama of the whole site, with the main colonnaded street or Cardo Maximus and the Temple of Artemis above on the left.

There was a large Christian community in Jerash and many churches.  One was dedicated to Cosmas and Damianus and has a surviving mosaic floor decorated with a number of birds and animals including an elephant and a camel. 

Finally we reached the Temple of Artemis with eleven of the twelve huge Corinthian columns that rim the temple platform still standing …

… and its capitals showing up splendidly against the blue sky.

Walking downhill, we passed the smaller Northern Theatre …

… before reaching the main street and looked towards the North Gate where the road would have continued to Damascus.

We returned along the Corda, still paved with the original stones and showing the ruts worn by chariots, as well as the drainage holes for the sewer system which runs underneath.

A final couple of snaps, the ornamental fountain called the Nymphaeum …

… and the Cathedral gateway …

… and then we all deserved a sit down, a cool drink and a spot of lunch!

In the afternoon, we continued a short way further north, up into the hills to Ajloun Castle, built by Saladin in the C12th, to protect the area from the Crusaders, before returning to the hotel.

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Chris & Elaine’s Jordan Discovery 2025

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It is definitely time for some sunshine and a bit of an adventure so we are letting Exoticca take the strain once more and are setting off to Jordan.

We begin by exploring the capital, Amman, before moving on to the archeological site of Petra dating to 300BC with its iconic rock tombs. There will also be a chance to float in the Dead Sea, to stay overnight in the desert and time to enjoy the coral reefs of the Red Sea at Aqaba.

Itinerary

The Roman City of Jerash

Moses & Mosaics

The Wonders of Petra

Desert Adventure in Wadi Rum

Red Sea Relaxation in Aqaba

The Dead Sea & Desert Castles

Past & Present in Amman

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Riding the waves …

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We spent our 13th wedding anniversary quietly, beginning with a visit to a phyllo studio, one of only 5 left on Greece where phyllo pastry is handmade.  Paraskevas has taken over from his father who opened the shop 60 years ago and makes traditional phyllo with his son. 

He takes a piece of dough, spins it in the air until it forms a large flat disc then lets it float down to the table, trapping air underneath forming a bubble.

It is then slowly stretched to cover the table, covered with burlap to allow the phyllo to breathe and another sheet prepared on top. Once dry, it is cut into squares and boxed up.  

To make kantaifi, the liquid dough is poured through tiny holes onto the hot spinning bronze plate which dries and crisps it into thin hair-looking strings. We didn’t see this being made but here is a photo and the machine.

Needless to say, we came away with some to take home, especially when we were told it would last for a fortnight … no chance!

I went for a walk all the way round the outside of the fortress while Chris sat in a cafe taking snaps, then we returned and spent the afternoon at the pool. 

Early evening, we took a gentle walk to the port for our anniversary boat trip, a sunset cruise on the Captain Hook pirate boat round the bay. 

Once we left the harbour the sea was certainly a bit choppy, but it was just a short trip.

We entered the calm waters of the Venetian harbour to take pictures …

… and then returned to port.

The hotel had very kindly left us a celebratory bottle of fizz in our room …

… which we sipped by the pool before heading out for dinner.

Castello came well recommended …

… and we sat on the first floor balcony surrounded by warm buttery stone walls and climbing plants with the starry sky above. 

We started sharing a mushroom carpaccio with parmesan sauce and an amazing greek salad, followed by courgette stuffed with rice, mushrooms, herbs and lemon sauce for and caramelised pork belly with smoked aubergine puree and feta mousse.

All the food looked and tasted amazing and the bottle of Pink Blackbird was delicious. Such a lovely meal – the ambience, the food, the friendly waiters and obviously the company! 💕💕💕

The next day was our last and we began by visiting a workshop where three generations of the Stagakis family have been making handmade Cretian lyres in Rethymno. It was explained how important the wood selection is to the final sound of the instrument, with the front panel made of ancient cedar of Lebanon reclaimed from supporting beams  of old local houses. The instruments take around 10 days to make and and here is Manolis playing. 

They also sell other Greek instruments and played a couple so we could hear the different sounds. 

We spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool, and reflected that Rethymno has really ticked all the boxes for our trip, which is great as we’ve never stayed for so long in one place.  Not only have we been especially lucky with the weather, which has been far warmer than we expected, but the hotel has proved a perfect oasis.  The steps are deliberately down, (26miles in 10 days) but with regular icepacks, Chris’s ankle has coped admirably.

The last ice cream was coffee for me and pistachio and biscuit for Chris, eaten in the square overlooking the minaret.  

In the evening, we took the remains of last nights fizz in a flask down to the sea and watched the Captain Hook take a turn round the harbour. 

We bumped into Nikolina and Rebecca, the girls from Switzerland who had kindly taken photos for us yesterday and like us they have had a great trip and are off home tomorrow.

Once dark, the harbour looked quite magical with all the twinkly lights.

We ended as we started, in Rakodikio in the shadow of the minaret, for a delicious dinner of mezzes – zucchini flowers stuffed with feta and mint, vine leaves filled with rice and herbs, spiced cheese dip, baked potatoes and mushrooms stuffed with smoked pork, onion and cream. 

After eating, we got chatting to Christian and Sinje on the next table and as the waiter decided we were getting on so well brought extra raki to celebrate!

The boys bonded over football and we were even invited to Cologne for a match, lovely but chilly in the winter so we’ll see!

Rethymno has been perfect, with plenty of rest & relaxation, time for recuperation & rehabilitation, as well as reconnoitring & recreation leaving us refreshed & restored!  It doesn’t matter what the R&R stands for … we’ve done it!

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Revealing the past …

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The fortress dominates Rethymno,, built at the end of the C16th by the Venetians to provide defence against Turkish pirates. 

While it provided an adequate garrison for troops, it was not strong enough to withstand an attack so was easily conquered by the Turks in 23 days in 1646. Few buildings remain inside the walls …

… but there is a small mosque … 

… Ekaterini church …

… and some good views from the walls.

Back in the centre of the old town, The Archeology Museum is housed in the church of St Francis which was part of a Venetian monastery until the Ottomans incorporated it into the mosque, but there is still an arch supported by Venetian lions outside …

.. and an impressive doorway. 

Quite small, the collection contains a huge range of items found in the local area …

… but the most striking were the especially well preserved clay larnakes, chest shaped coffins, found at the Minoan Cemetery at Armeni.  

I loved the striking designs of squid and plants that decorated them …

… as well as this Minoan goddess.  

During our visit, the guide mentioned the site where these tombs had been excavated was only 15 minutes drive out of town, so we decided to take a cab and have a look.

We enjoyed exploring the little visited site …

… wandering between the scrub oaks …

… and being able to descend into several of the tombs. 

A deep sided passage or dromos led from the steps to the entrance, which would have been sealed by a large stone. 

Inside, most were just a small semi circular space where the remains had been found laid on the ground, but a couple of the larger tombs were rectangular …

… with a low bench along the walls and even had a pillar.

We were so pleased we made the effort to visit – it was very atmospheric actually standing in the tombs which were so old (1300BC) and carved out by hand using bronze tools. As an extra bonus, we stopped at a viewpoint on the way back and got a birds eye view of Rethymno.

One way to get a look at the countryside without hiring a car is on the Rethymno City Tour, aka the Hop On – Hop Off bus.

It begins by driving round the outside of the old town while telling its history, then heads off into the hills. We got off at each of the stops beginning with the Panagia Chalevi Monastery, now just a church dedicated to the Holy Virgin surrounded by a garden and the ruins of monastic buildings. 

Next up was Myli Gorge and on another occasion we would have been up for hiking the 3 mile length, but this time we just walked a short way. 

Some 30 mills worked the waters of the Mili Gorge from the C17th, supplying flour to the whole area but today the buildings are all in ruins, overtaken by the abundant greenery, and very photographic!

There are several churches along the route and the first of these, Agios Antonios, is built into the rock face. 

In the hamlet of Pano Mili, a small enterprising café has a terrace offering a view back across the gorge …

… but it doesn’t take long to see why the gorge wasn’t up to the rigours of modern industry when we saw the cafe supplies delivered in a crate by zip wire across the valley!

We walked on to a viewpoint beside another church …

… then retraced our steps and had a coffee before getting back on the bus.

The last two stops were the Military Museum, housed in an old Venetian summer villa …

… and the C14th Monastery of Aghia Irini which had become dilapidated but was restored in 1990 as a nunnery.  The foundations may be old, but everything else is new, including the icons and murals in the church which had been painted by the nuns, but which we couldn’t photograph!

Back to Rethymno, tomorrow is a day for celebration …

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Roaming the town …

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Our hotel is as lovely as the photographs suggested and has charmed us both, remarkably tranquil despite being just a few steps from the bustling main street of the old town.

The building was originally home to one of the oldest public primary schools named Athena for the goddess of wisdom, but has since been transformed over three generations into a hotel. 

Our downstairs room is large, cool and decorated in calming neutrals …

… and opens out onto a tree filled courtyard where breakfast is served in the morning.  The attention to detail is excellent, with fresh orange juice, chunks of watermelon, Cretian baked treats and a thoughtful egg menu providing plenty of choice. 

The staff have all been very welcoming, friendly and helpful and regular entertainment has been provided by the antics of a very feisty kitten who may look cute but most definitely isn’t sweet!

Sunloungers around the pool provide a perfect retreat from the heat which has surprised us with most days reaching 30° at midday. 

The pool is perfect, just large enough to swim several strokes before turning and capable to reducing your body temperature in moments! 

The town beach is just a short walk …

… with lovely soft sand, warm sea and comfy loungers where the convenience far outweighed our desire for somewhere more picturesque.

The promenade was a good place to get some steps in, and I walked a couple of miles before returning.

It took a couple of days to settle and find our way around the old town, with its maze of streets and alleys filled with tavernas, cafes and shops.  Browsing did provide dividends though, as I have a new dress, a couple of bikinis and some stocking fillers for Christmas.

The sun starting to cool was the cue to go in search of our afternoon ice cream.  Meli was our first find, with homemade icecream made from local goats milk and amareno, pistachio and bitter chocolate all got the thumbs up.  Feeling we should spread the love, we tried Gelato di Nona, where we found out the ice cream was made by her grandfather in a nearby village. He also makes desserts including Portokolopita or Greek Orange Pie, a traditional cake made with dry leftover filo which is crumbled instead of using flour.   Orange Pie ice cream had to be the pick of the day – amazing … and a piece of the cake, when we found it, was pretty good too!  Cow’s Cream was needless to say screaming for a visit, but the ice cream was much softer and melted too fast, so after that, we went full circle and returned to Meli!

Having chosen our icecream flavour for the day … the next highlight was to choose where to eat in the evening and we have been spoilt for choice.  Soon realising that the menu was similar in most of the tavernas, the ones that caught our eye most were often down a backstreet where serving a meal involved the entire family. We tried a different one every night, enjoying how each serves their own twist on local favourites.

We found a great cocktail spot overlooking the harbour called Drink N Roll where we tried several of their Greek inspired cocktails, and favourites were Nostos with raki, passionfruit, gardenia and lime and Aegean Twist with raki, masticha liquer, fig and lemongrass.

This makes it sound like all we did was lie around and eat, but the mornings were spent exploring. As we walked the streets of the town, from the Venetian Harbour to the Fortezza we took snaps, browsed the shops and popped inside the odd church.

The harbour is quite a gem, built in the C14th by the Venetians, the port has been a busy hub for trade and commerce and is still used by local fishermen who bring in their catch, adding to its charm.  We walked down to the lighthouse that sits at its entrance and took photos back to the tavernas and cafes round its edge.

There is also a larger marina filled with swanky yachts …

… and a statue of two dolphins which was adopted as the symbol for the town. 

The Ottoman Neratze Mosque in the centre of the old town, was originally constructed as a church by the Venetians dedicated to Santa Maria …

… and like the smaller Kara Miss Pasha Mosque is now used for cultural events but both look a little unloved.  

Other highlights include the Venetian Loggia which was originally a meeting place for town officials but seems to be going through restoration  …

… the Rimondi fountain, named after the Venetian governor providing a must-have snap of the town …

… and Porta Guora, the main entrance through the Venetian city walls that protected the city of Rethymno.

Outside the gate, the new church of the Four Martyrs was built in 1977 to honour four local Christian farmers who were beheaded by the Ottoman Turks in 1824 for not converting to Islam and were later sainted. 

Next up, exploring a little further afield …

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Chris & Elaine go to Rethymno for R&R 2024

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A strange year for us without travels as Chris has been recovering from an ankle replacement since May and still has to take it easy.  After a summer with more cloud than sunshine, we were eager to escape for some warmth before settling into winter.

We have chosen Rethymno on the north coast of Crete as the days should generally be warm even if it’s cooler in the evening, and are staying at the Pepe Boutique hotel, in the heart of the old town with a sunny courtyard around a small pool, just in case we fancy a dip!  

Everything is right on our doorstep including a scattering of museums and churches, the Venetian harbour with its promenade and a selection of tavernas so we can keep walking within limits.  If we decide to hire a car, we can explore a little further afield, but the plan is just to take each day as it comes and enjoy.

Roaming the town …

Revealing the past …

Riding the waves …

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A Bit of Belgian Waffle …

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We weren’t sure what to expect, but unsurprisingly the shuttle terminal is like motorway services, an airport and ferry terminal all in one!

We arrived in plenty of time and were offered the earlier train so by 7.30 we were aboard munching breakfast sandwiches in the car as the train set off.

In less than half an hour we were in France, and then on to Bruges. We stayed at Hotel Maraboe, just a few minutes walk from the centre and after taking a turn round the square …

… complete with impressive belfry …

… Joanna and I tucked into our first bowl of mussels!

The weather was certainly mixed as we walked round the medieval streets and parks …

… and along the way, we ducked into museums to dodge the showers!

The Frietmuseum and ChocoStory were very welcome stops, interesting and with tasting samples, although Chris was disappointed to learn that Belgian frites are traditionally cooked in beef fat so he’ll have to take care! The similarity between a waving potato and a waving cocoa bean was also noted!

We even took a turn round the Groeninge Museum where Hieronymus Bosch made the biggest impact on Joanna, with his quirky vision of the Last Judgement.

With picked a dry spell to take a boat trip round the canals, interested to see the city from another perspective was lovely.

Late one afternoon, we made our way to one of the town gates, where a couple of windmills looked quite atmospheric against a moody sky.

… and we saw the city skyline against the setting sun.

Expecting New Year’s Eve to be busy, I had booked a table for dinner but on arrival found I’d booked at the Brussels branch by mistake! Luckily there was a cancellation and they fitted us in later.

After huge plates of sticky ribs and a lovely homemade veggie tart for Chris, we walked back to the hotel, put on an extra layer and went to ‘t Zand square across from the hotel which was filling up with people. The rain stopped as they played popular singalong tunes and there was a countdown at midnight.

Fireworks and a laser show followed and we reckoned most of Bruges had turned out to join in and celebrate.

On New Years Day, we knew most places would be closed, at least until lunchtime and had prepared by buying a lovely chocolate brioche loaf from the baker the day before which was a perfect start to our day. We were taking the chance to explore further afield and decided to nip to the Netherlands for lunch! We enjoyed driving through the landscape of polders and canals …

…stopping first in Damme and saw quite a few people out cycling and walking along the canal.

On another day we could have taken a trip on the paddle steamer or visited the windmill and city hall … next time!

We drove on and could have missed the small blue sign marking the border between Belgium and the Netherlands if we hadn’t been looking out for it …

… and continued to Sluis. All shops were closed …

… but there was a windmill …

… and we found a cafe for fish soup and and a veggie burger before returning along the quay to the car.

That evening was dry, and we walked round a few of the Winterglow Illuminations, set on a trail round the city.

We tried lots of local treats during our stay, including waffles with international savoury toppings for brunch (Norwegian, Mexican, Italian!) and again with fruit and cream in the afternoon.

Dinners have been a little more tricky to find as traditional Belgian fare is not vegetarian, but we had our very own pick and mix dinner at Monsieur Casserole …

… pizza night and a final evening in the main square surrounded by twinkly lights where Chris had veggie lasagne while Joanna and I tried the local Flemish beef stew. Hot chocolate, gluwein and cake have also featured!

Having stocked up with plenty of Belgian chocolate to take home, we checked out on our last morning in pouring rain and headed back to Calais.

The weather has been changeable throughout our stay, so it was no surprise that the rain stopped as we reached Bray Dunes, just along the coast from Dunkirk and site of the WWII troop evacuation.

The sun came out and we all walked and took photos.

Joanna took the chance to experiment a bit with her new camera and took these …

… and Chris took this lovely pic.

Now with an appetite, Joanna and I ended as we began, with a bowl of moules frites while Chris bravely chose a plate of cheese with his fries. The rain was back as we left, so we headed straight for le Shuttle and home.

Despite the rain, the trip has been a huge success and we’ve all had a great time with memories as well chocolate to bring home!

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Chris & Elaine Shuttle off to Bruges with Joanna 2023

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With Joanna visiting all the way from Sydney, we wanted her trip to be a holiday as well as a family Christmas so we are off to celebrate New Year in Bruges.

Taking our car on le shuttle to Calais will be a first for us and then it’s just a two hour drive to Bruges, a medieval city of cobbles, canals and chocolate with the added bonus of Christmas markets and lights for the Winter Glow festival.

So we are looking forward to spending time together and hope it’s not too cold or too wet to enjoy exploring. Fortunately we can chuck the entire contents of our wardrobes into the back of the car and be prepared for anything!

So here goes, three off travelling together!

A Bit of Belgian Waffle …

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