On Sunday we headed over to Telford to catch up with Kevin's sister Julie and family. Currently 3, but soon to be 4 as she is pregnant with child number 2. She is looking very pregnant - and has been told that she could be looking at a 10lber!
Luke couldn't wait to show off his cycling skills to Uncle Kevin so here is the photographic proof of Luke, aged 4, cycling without his stablisers!
Showing posts with label Holidays - 2006. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays - 2006. Show all posts
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Walking around the meres - and a real bull!
Kevin and I headed off on a 6.5 mile walk around the Meres on Saturday afternoon which was really lovely - check out the photos below as proof (but there are more on Flickr as well so check those out too!). The Meres and Mosses are a series of water- or peat-filled hollows in the glacial drift which covers the Shropshire-Cheshire Plain.
The first part of the walk was along the Shropshire Union Canal which was pretty cool. Lots of canal boats going up and down - it is a very popular holiday where you can hire the boats and cruise up and down the canals. Although I remember my friend Raewyn saying it is a lot harder work than it looks when you get to the locks...
So after the canal path it got a bit more tricky. One wrong turn (NOT our fault!) probably added on an extra mile to the walk but we did eventually get back on track again. Then it was over some farm land - and the colours were just stunning. The deep gold of the hay contrasting with the green of the trees. Beautiful. Slightly scary walking through a field of very stary cows - then I noticed one that I thought looked a bit different. Said to Kevin 'That's not a bull is it?' who assured me it wasn't - for about 3 minutes before saying 'Actually that is a bull' - we sped up slightly but it seemed to be completely uninterested in us luckily.
Then it was a walk around Ellesmere which is the largest of the meres (I think) back to the car. A very good afternoons walking - although it did mean I went to bed again at about 10am absolutely exhausted!
The first part of the walk was along the Shropshire Union Canal which was pretty cool. Lots of canal boats going up and down - it is a very popular holiday where you can hire the boats and cruise up and down the canals. Although I remember my friend Raewyn saying it is a lot harder work than it looks when you get to the locks...
So after the canal path it got a bit more tricky. One wrong turn (NOT our fault!) probably added on an extra mile to the walk but we did eventually get back on track again. Then it was over some farm land - and the colours were just stunning. The deep gold of the hay contrasting with the green of the trees. Beautiful. Slightly scary walking through a field of very stary cows - then I noticed one that I thought looked a bit different. Said to Kevin 'That's not a bull is it?' who assured me it wasn't - for about 3 minutes before saying 'Actually that is a bull' - we sped up slightly but it seemed to be completely uninterested in us luckily.
Then it was a walk around Ellesmere which is the largest of the meres (I think) back to the car. A very good afternoons walking - although it did mean I went to bed again at about 10am absolutely exhausted!
Canal boats, Shropshire Union Canal
Canal boats, Shropshire Union Canal
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
We thought these two were going to collide as the one on the left hand side of the photo (furtherest away) wasn't making much effort to move to make way for the green one!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Heading to Wem
So on Friday I headed up to Wem on the train - feeling very pleased that I wasn't having to fly anywhere soon as Heathrow was in the midst of its craziness... You can read about Wem on Wikipedia here or check out Wem's very own website here (which I must admit I didn't know about!).
Kevin had gone up earlier in the week, so I had an easy trip up on one of Virgin train's new tilting trains. Their trains used to be absolutely dire so it was nice to get on the new ones - for the train spotters amongst you check out Virgin's trains detailed website here :-). Worst thing about the trip up was that I had just nodded off when the conductor came along to check tickets, woke me up and then didn't bother to check it anyhow!
Kevin had gone up earlier in the week, so I had an easy trip up on one of Virgin train's new tilting trains. Their trains used to be absolutely dire so it was nice to get on the new ones - for the train spotters amongst you check out Virgin's trains detailed website here :-). Worst thing about the trip up was that I had just nodded off when the conductor came along to check tickets, woke me up and then didn't bother to check it anyhow!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Crete tales...
Are being added below - on the correct date. Photos will be added as soon as I've downloaded them off my camera. Hopefully over the next couple of days...
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Crete was fab....
Just back from our week in Crete - absolutely wonderful. We stayed on Stalos Beach at Pavlakis Beach. Weather was superb - straight sun every day - and it was hitting over 30 for the last couple of days. Will update the blog later this week with more detail and photos - and boy did I take a lot!!
Crete - Day 7 - Last day
And so it came to the last day. Neither of us wanted to leave, and Antonios had been urging us to stay for another week for ages. But sadly we had no choice...
We had a lovely brunch with the group before we left, and I made a big fuss of the cute (but pregnant) kitten that I had made friends with and then we had to head off.
Back to London where it was grey, cold and wet.
We had a lovely brunch with the group before we left, and I made a big fuss of the cute (but pregnant) kitten that I had made friends with and then we had to head off.
Back to London where it was grey, cold and wet.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Crete - Day 6 - Samaria Gorge
Didn't do anything of note on Sunday - we had a very lazy day lying around the pool reading and swimming - bliss :-).
On Monday it was an early start as we headed off up to walk the Samaria Gorge. The Gorge is 13km long, with an extra 3km at the end down to the village where you can get the boat from.
And it was hard work.
We didn't walk much with Kath and Janice (Paul and Marilyn weren't walking it), as we had a faster pace than them, but it was really quite tough. Downhill on rocks for what felt like forever - we kept thinking we had got to the bottom only to realise that we hadn't as we headed off down again.
But it was absolutely fantastic. The views were just stunning and the geography was amazing. I'm not sure my photos really do it justice, but do check them out on Flickr! We had taken our walking boots and I'm really pleased we had. Some people were just doing it in sandals which struck me as being particularly crazy, but they did all do it. They have donkeys in the Gorge to ferry out people who can't complete it - and apparently a heli-pad but we didn't see that.
We did have to keep remembering to stop and admire the view - it was very easy to just focus completely on where your next foot was going and not look up at all.
We started walking at 8.30 and finished the Gorge at 2pm, got to the village at 2.30 and got the 3.45 ferry back to Sfakia. Kath and Janice got the later ferry, so Kevin and I didn't wait but jumped on a bus from Sfakia to Hania.
I was also really interested in Sfakia as that is where the soldiers were evacuated from after the Battle, so I was somewhere where I really knew my Dad had been. It felt quite strange. The road up out of Sfakia was incredible - I've taken loads of photos for my family of the terrain, but check out this one of the road - very very steep and very very windy! I was glad I was on a full sized bus - although it is also the first time that I've put my seatbelt on in a bus!
On Monday it was an early start as we headed off up to walk the Samaria Gorge. The Gorge is 13km long, with an extra 3km at the end down to the village where you can get the boat from.
And it was hard work.
We didn't walk much with Kath and Janice (Paul and Marilyn weren't walking it), as we had a faster pace than them, but it was really quite tough. Downhill on rocks for what felt like forever - we kept thinking we had got to the bottom only to realise that we hadn't as we headed off down again.
But it was absolutely fantastic. The views were just stunning and the geography was amazing. I'm not sure my photos really do it justice, but do check them out on Flickr! We had taken our walking boots and I'm really pleased we had. Some people were just doing it in sandals which struck me as being particularly crazy, but they did all do it. They have donkeys in the Gorge to ferry out people who can't complete it - and apparently a heli-pad but we didn't see that.
We did have to keep remembering to stop and admire the view - it was very easy to just focus completely on where your next foot was going and not look up at all.
We started walking at 8.30 and finished the Gorge at 2pm, got to the village at 2.30 and got the 3.45 ferry back to Sfakia. Kath and Janice got the later ferry, so Kevin and I didn't wait but jumped on a bus from Sfakia to Hania.
I was also really interested in Sfakia as that is where the soldiers were evacuated from after the Battle, so I was somewhere where I really knew my Dad had been. It felt quite strange. The road up out of Sfakia was incredible - I've taken loads of photos for my family of the terrain, but check out this one of the road - very very steep and very very windy! I was glad I was on a full sized bus - although it is also the first time that I've put my seatbelt on in a bus!
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Crete - Day 4 Shopping in Hania and Suda Bay
On Saturday Kev and I went into Hania to check out the 'Old Town'. This was absolutely lovely - winding wee backstreets with some really lovely shops. We bought a sand painting, a metal platter (for nibbles when we entertain!), and after finding 'Leather Alley', 3 wallets each, and a bag each... Well it was so cheap - and I needed a new wallet after having mine stolen the week before...
In the evening we went to the final part for us of the Battle of Crete Commemorations - the wreath laying ceremony at Suda Bay. Suda Bay is where the Allied Cemetery is - sited on the bay where the soldiers landed originally. It is beautifully maintained, and is on a stunning site. The rows and rows of white crosses make a very powerful statement. I was shocked at the number of graves which didn't have names - 'Known only to God'. It was very very sad, and very moving.
I can't begin to imagine what it was like for the veterans to return back to Crete. It would be such a different place now than it was then, but the memories and emotions must have been almost overwhelming. When one old Australian soldier was asked when was the last time he was in Crete he replied "65 years ago".
In the evening we went to the final part for us of the Battle of Crete Commemorations - the wreath laying ceremony at Suda Bay. Suda Bay is where the Allied Cemetery is - sited on the bay where the soldiers landed originally. It is beautifully maintained, and is on a stunning site. The rows and rows of white crosses make a very powerful statement. I was shocked at the number of graves which didn't have names - 'Known only to God'. It was very very sad, and very moving.
I can't begin to imagine what it was like for the veterans to return back to Crete. It would be such a different place now than it was then, but the memories and emotions must have been almost overwhelming. When one old Australian soldier was asked when was the last time he was in Crete he replied "65 years ago".
Friday, May 19, 2006
Crete - Day 4 Flag raising, lunch at Zourva, wreaths at Galatas, evening meal
Friday morning we got up and went to the first of our official Battle of Crete commemorations, which was the flag raising ceremony at Hania. The flags are raised at the fort in the Harbour which also houses a small museum which had a very good exhibition on the Battle of Crete. There were quite a few of the old soldiers there, most in full uniform. One old Scottish soldier was berating another one for taking his hat off and wiping his head - "Put your hat back on soldier!". Very funny! The NZ contingent were easy to spot in their white polo shirts - quite a few from the Maori Battalion had made the trip over. The flag raising was very simple, but really very moving as well.
In the afternoon we did the trip from hell back up to Zourva to have lunch. And despite mine and Kevin's reservations given the road, it was worth it. We just ate and ate and ate (and drank some wine!) and it was beautiful. A lovely setting, sat outside, with an amazing view and the food was just gorgeous. And it kept coming!
In the evening we went up to two wreath laying ceremonies at the village of Galatas. The first one was at a memorial above the village, the second one in the village itself. The second one took quite a while - about 30 wreaths being laid, all being announced in Greek - luckily we were stood by a Greek who was able to translate who the wreaths were from!
Following the ceremonies it was down to the Panorama Hotel where the Mayor of Hania lays on a huge Greek meal, dancing etc, for the returned veterans and their entourages. Having had such a huge lunch I didn't eat very much at all! But I ended up being sat next to Neville Perkins, the brother of Dudley Perkins - known as Vasili - The Lion of Crete. It took me a while to make the connection - we spent more time talking about walking as he was doing a walking holiday of Crete! But it was quite fascinating to hear him talk about going up to the village where his brother had been based, and how emotional it had been, and how the villagers still remembered him.
I also bumped into a woman I used to work with at TPK - Harima. She was with the NZ group and she told me that the 'baby' of the group was 86! It was entertaining at dinner watching two of the NZ organisers fight over whether the veterans should be taken home or not. One of them thought they should be allowed to stay, the other wanted them home as they had a long day the next day, and in the end they ended up leaving before the end of the meal without their pudding - somehow I suspect the veterans would have rather stayed for their pud!
In the afternoon we did the trip from hell back up to Zourva to have lunch. And despite mine and Kevin's reservations given the road, it was worth it. We just ate and ate and ate (and drank some wine!) and it was beautiful. A lovely setting, sat outside, with an amazing view and the food was just gorgeous. And it kept coming!
In the evening we went up to two wreath laying ceremonies at the village of Galatas. The first one was at a memorial above the village, the second one in the village itself. The second one took quite a while - about 30 wreaths being laid, all being announced in Greek - luckily we were stood by a Greek who was able to translate who the wreaths were from!
Following the ceremonies it was down to the Panorama Hotel where the Mayor of Hania lays on a huge Greek meal, dancing etc, for the returned veterans and their entourages. Having had such a huge lunch I didn't eat very much at all! But I ended up being sat next to Neville Perkins, the brother of Dudley Perkins - known as Vasili - The Lion of Crete. It took me a while to make the connection - we spent more time talking about walking as he was doing a walking holiday of Crete! But it was quite fascinating to hear him talk about going up to the village where his brother had been based, and how emotional it had been, and how the villagers still remembered him.
I also bumped into a woman I used to work with at TPK - Harima. She was with the NZ group and she told me that the 'baby' of the group was 86! It was entertaining at dinner watching two of the NZ organisers fight over whether the veterans should be taken home or not. One of them thought they should be allowed to stay, the other wanted them home as they had a long day the next day, and in the end they ended up leaving before the end of the meal without their pudding - somehow I suspect the veterans would have rather stayed for their pud!
Lunch at Zourva
Lunch at Zourva - Group 2
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
Marilyn, Paul, Kath, Antonios, Janice and Kevin
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Crete - Day 3 Elafonisi and shrine
Thursday we headed off to Elafonisi, - near the southeast tip of Crete and 76km from Hania. It was what seems to be a typical Crete road - up and down hills, windy, with steep drops over the sides down into whatever gorge you are driving past at the time...
On the way there we stopped at a shrine in a cave (will update this later as I have the name of it written down but don't have it with me!). On the way up the steps to the cave we passed the Dragon's Wort plant - very striking looking, but boy does it smell! I seriously thought something had died in the bushes until it was pointed out that it was the plant... We came across this a lot in the Samaria Gorge as well. The cave was pretty cool - although having watched The Descent recently I didn't want to get too far into it!
Elafonisi was absolutely beautiful - I've never swum in sea that was so crystal clear. Mind you it was bit colder than it was at Stalos Beach, but it was absolutely gorgeous. It was really windy when we arrived which wasn't so nice, but we walked over to the island and found a sheltered nook there which was fine. Kevin and I went for a walk along the beach, finding the obligatory naked sunbathers at the end of the beach! The colour of the water was just stunning - I could have stayed there a lot longer.
On the way there we stopped at a shrine in a cave (will update this later as I have the name of it written down but don't have it with me!). On the way up the steps to the cave we passed the Dragon's Wort plant - very striking looking, but boy does it smell! I seriously thought something had died in the bushes until it was pointed out that it was the plant... We came across this a lot in the Samaria Gorge as well. The cave was pretty cool - although having watched The Descent recently I didn't want to get too far into it!
Elafonisi was absolutely beautiful - I've never swum in sea that was so crystal clear. Mind you it was bit colder than it was at Stalos Beach, but it was absolutely gorgeous. It was really windy when we arrived which wasn't so nice, but we walked over to the island and found a sheltered nook there which was fine. Kevin and I went for a walk along the beach, finding the obligatory naked sunbathers at the end of the beach! The colour of the water was just stunning - I could have stayed there a lot longer.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Crete - Day 2. Marilyn arrives, Maleme
Day 2 started nice and slowly - we were exhausted from our long day the day before so we had a lovely sleep in. Don't have to rush when you are on holiday! We went for a stroll down the beach to see what it was like - loads of different studio apartment hotels, bars on the beach etc, quite a few flying the flags of the UK holiday firms. We wandered back down the road to see if there was anything worth seeing there but there wasn't really - just tavernas, supermarkets and tourist shops.
We got back to the apartments and Marilyn had arrived with her group - Kath, Paul and Janice. Antonios was very keen to take us back up to Zourva for a meal but that didn't work out for the first afternoon. Once Marilyn and the group had settled in we went for a drive down to the Germany Cemetery at Maleme. The site overlooks the airfield at Maleme where the Battle of Crete begun, and it is also the site where most of the German paratroopers were killed - before they reached the ground in most cases. Rather than headstones, there are tablets in the ground, and two men are buried in each plot. It is beautifully maintained, and very sombre. Interestingly, the Germans didn't get their cemetery until the 1970s - until then the Germans had been buried in various different cemeteries around the the island.
That evening we went out for a lovely meal at Markos' Taverna. Off the beaten track, up a hill it was lovely. We were met by the (rather lovely) son of the owner who had returned from New York that day. Then we were taken into the kitchen to be told what the dishes were and we chose from there - no menus here! At the start of the meal the men were given a short of Raki to drink, the 'ladies' were given Ouzo!
We got back to the apartments and Marilyn had arrived with her group - Kath, Paul and Janice. Antonios was very keen to take us back up to Zourva for a meal but that didn't work out for the first afternoon. Once Marilyn and the group had settled in we went for a drive down to the Germany Cemetery at Maleme. The site overlooks the airfield at Maleme where the Battle of Crete begun, and it is also the site where most of the German paratroopers were killed - before they reached the ground in most cases. Rather than headstones, there are tablets in the ground, and two men are buried in each plot. It is beautifully maintained, and very sombre. Interestingly, the Germans didn't get their cemetery until the 1970s - until then the Germans had been buried in various different cemeteries around the the island.
That evening we went out for a lovely meal at Markos' Taverna. Off the beaten track, up a hill it was lovely. We were met by the (rather lovely) son of the owner who had returned from New York that day. Then we were taken into the kitchen to be told what the dishes were and we chose from there - no menus here! At the start of the meal the men were given a short of Raki to drink, the 'ladies' were given Ouzo!
German cemetery at Maleme 1
German cemetery at Maleme 1
Originally uploaded by Megan Shields.
The Maleme airfield is the background here.
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