No I haven’t spelt Sea wrong, “See” is the word for Lake!

A quiet start to a Friday morning, catching up on work before the weekend!

Benjamin out the door at 8am and taking himself off to kindy (at five)..they teach them independence early here and live in a safe city! He walks home again at midday!

The adults took a walk to the shops.

Through another park with a swimming pool complex (puts Waiwera hot pools to shame) gardens, pools and fountains..

To the bank, to withdraw some of the local currency, Swiss francs, supermarket to replace Florian’s beer and buy transport pass ready to hit the Zurich Party tonight!

Home for a Russ rest, lunch and wait for Benjamin before the afternoon excursion to the “See” (lake).

Through another forest, around the edge of the lake to the swimming hole.

The parking lot – bikes galore! Popular summer mode of transport!

To our patch in the shade at the lakes edge.

Florian, Verena, Benjamin and Russ jumped in!

Sue amused herself watching the confident ducks(?) make themselves at home on our blanket. These guys have the biggest feet I have ever seen on a bird, it looks like they are wearing flippers.

They kinda look like short, fat “Pukekos” our kiwi swamp bird.

“The Jetty” reminds me of a Sam Hunt competition winning poem, Jaxon and Dan!

And the Swiss all relaxing at the beach! And a Kiwi in the middle, sitting in the shade….

Benjamin and big people needed enjoyed the swims, icecream, coffee and a nap!

Time to leave, as the after work people were heading in…a 30 degree day (celcius) warrants a swim wherever you are in the world.

Time to wake up and get ready for the biggest party in Zurich, which happens once every three years!

Goodbye Vienna, but a taste of your world and hospitality! One (actually two) last coffees at our new favourite coffee bar!

Bolt is the new Uber, and our taxi to the airport arrived in one minute!

Everyone in Vienna is so helpful and checking in was a breeze, and we were off on to our next destination!

Austrian airlines you rock, wine, coffee snack and leg room to die for (in economy) – all on a one hour, ten minute flight!

Before we knew it we were touching down in the banking capital of the world….Zurich!

And with our friends Florian and Verena and young Benjamin (who I’m sure thinks Russ and I are strange, as we don’t under stand a word he says and just grin and look stupid)

Dinner booked a short (30 minute) walk from the city to the county!

Benjamin riding and Florian on the scooter trying to keep up (with a 5 year old) Russ and I coming up the rear and Verena keeping us company

Through a forest – and

Farmland to a very popular farm restaurant for dinner.

The boys and their wheat beer and..

The girls and Benjamin enjoying a nice warm Swiss evening and delicious pork snitzel!

Then it was back home along the river…and the five year old keeping us on our toes.

Sues turn to try and keep up on the scooter!

And we got there in the end – still in one peace – a 58 year old on a scooter is no match for a five year old on a bike!

Feeling a few side effects from the cycling day, the wandering kiwis chose to catch a train straight to Schönborn Palace, number one on the must sees in Vienna. The train ride became a train 🚞 walking 🚶‍♀️ bus 🚌 walking 🚶‍♂️ train 🚞 ride, due to remodelling of the train line on our chosen route. Upon arrival, finally, at the Palace, it appeared that every other visitor to Vienna today had this must see on their must do list!

We joined the procession into the main gates.

The garden front of the Palace was fenced off and sporting a huge stage, tents, seating and stands…summer evening music concerts at the Palace are happening evidently.

A little closer to the front entrance podium.

The organised Kiwis had purchased a sandwich and packed some water, and decided to look for a more peaceful place and a park bench…hunger and thirst sated, and wandering deeper into the gardens, we soon realised there were acres of Park to hide in (500 acres to be exact)

We chanced upon the “Palm House” a structure built in 1883 at which time, it was the largest greenhouse in Europe, housing exotic plants (1500 species of orchids to name a few) and hundreds of butterfly species.

Having strolled around for an hour or more, choosing not to enter the zoo (which is also in this park), we arrived at the back side of the castle…

Looking back at the Palace and in the other direction to the “Neptune Fountain” and the second building on the hill (one we didn’t climb)

The reverse side of the in full panorama, picking the moment when humans were scarce.

One of the many statues, a man and his dog, unconditional love!

And a collage of Russ in the guardhouse and in front of one of the many garden gazebos and Sue in front of the fountain.

An opulent Baroque building and parklands in the middle of the city of Vienna and well worth the visit. (It is after all – number one attraction)

It was then back to train-bus-train for the journey home, hopping off the bus at “Naschmarkt” a streetmarket with mainly food, cafes and more food and dresses from what appeared mainly Turkish origin (at a guess).

Lots of stuffed things and dried things and fruit and cakes, with a distinctive aroma of herbs and curry!

Another 2km walk before getting back on the train to town and closer to home. In desperate need of a bathroom, which it seems are few and far between when needed, Russ just had to buy an ice cream, at a cafe, to relieve my stress!

Getting a bit weary we headed towards our room…and en route happened on this gothic style church.

Door open, so took a peep inside.

Beautiful leadlights and gold at the front…

And an enormous organ raised above the back entrance doors. Carvings and sculptures quite gothic and scary.

Out the back door and down a flight of steps and we were back. Visiting the supermarket on the way, dinner sorted, repacking to do and checking out of Vienna in the morning heading to Zurich!

I’m in love….with electric bikes. (Denise and Amber – you’ll be proud of us, five hours in the saddle)

After a tiring hot arrival in Vienna yesterday, cooled down by overnight thunderstorms and rain, and an early night, we awoke to a cool fresh morning.

Set up my work station in my tiny space and worked for a few hours, then off to find coffee.

Russ enjoying a large hot cup, but we spied the afternoon activities while there. Even in German this makes sense!

Happy hour pints for €2.90 from 4pm….but we had to earn this. Around the corner we rented E bikes (the ones with the electric motor – that help old people up hills)…and off we went towards the Danube river.

Our first glimpse having cruised up this circular on-ramp to the bridge with ease(and assistance of the high setting motor on our bikes)

Across this bridge (Russ in the lead) and one more to the other side….saving the the island in the middle (donauinsel island) for our return.

Vienna’s Sky tower…

And a view from the bridge. We cycled around residential streets and decided that we would return to the island for more country cycling.

Houseboats and big boats moored at the waters edge – average speed (fairly unaided) 20kms! The clouds were lifting and heading back to our side….

This glass tower reflecting in the Danube, as a riverboat debarked on it’s next leg…next stop for the free wheeling kiwis…lunch.

A very delicious and cheap kebab, I won’t need dinner.

Mine came first and Russ waiting patiently on the park bench, backdropped with a mass of white hydrangeas. We were heading towards and almost to the Hundertwasser museum and village, (J9 this next lot of pictures I especially want to share with you)

Just enjoying the moment! (While resting the legs). The Museum cafe for a coffee break and toilet stop.

Not a patch on the Kawakawa ones that he build when he settled, in his later years, in New Zealand.

However his other architecture was spectacular!

And a collage of the cafe and Museum, his trademark the uneven tiled floors and his reason for this…

For humans to experience, touch and feel and senses. Then to the village (J9 are you holding your breath)

Tiling and shapes and colour in every nook and cranny! So unique in the large ornate, cream gothic style of a lot of Vienna.

And one more….

The street view of the village (actually there are more but I still have some ground to cycle before happy hour) ok one more inside the shopping mall…

Moving along, having avoided the one rain shower of the day with Mr Hundertwasser…clouds gone and afternoon warming up considerably, it was off to the Belvedere palace and gardens…home now to a massive art gallery. We were now in city traffic, and cycling became a little more stressful avoiding trams, one way streets, tour buses and lots of people! But we made it, locked up bikes at gate and entered!

In the distance…

And inside, beautiful gardens, lake and palace (do not walk on the grass)

Mushrooms growing after the heat and thunderstorms – no picking as we could not walk on the grass!

And behind, even bigger gardens and statues – female lions, angels dragons or something of that combination, en guard!

Getting near to happy hour time, and a few bits getting saddle sore, it was navigate the city and drop bikes off.

Past Mozart’s museum by pure chance!

Easier said than done…one of the many stops, and many circles around the city, Russ resetting the google tracking. We got told by a policeman not to ride on footpaths, so risked our lives and bikes with the trams, horses, buses and cobblestones. At one point we decided to follow a local who appeared to be going our way, only to have to backtrack and start again. An extra hour on the wheels, getting rather warm now….but finally here we are….

Happy hour and happy after a great day of exploring on our E Bikes!

5.30am sunrise in Malta farewelled the two Kiwis for the next six weeks. 7am madness at the airport, it seemed half the island population was on the move.

Whizz Air flight to Vienna, cattle class, there was no moving to the emergency exit seats, all of which were free, anyone who attempted this was promptly told to return to their seat or pay up! Not much empathy, even for the very pregnant woman behind me with a screaming two year old on her knee, kicking my seat for the full two hours! I almost offered to pay the extra for her to move…but no, they remained empty for the entire flight. We definitely had the seat police on, and that is all they did, no smiles, no cup of tea….trained to be cold and nasty!

Two bags, an already weary Russ, the easy option , of a taxi to accommodation, was the only one (after a bit of shopping around and securing a set price)

Checked in, dropped bags, donned shorts and set of to explore the neighbourhood until we could have our room at 3pm.

So we left a heatwave in Malta and dived into an inferno in Vienna 36 degrees celcius in the shade at 3-4pm!

We headed towards a church or two, this one is St Peters, purported to be the oldest church ( or what it is rebuilt on) in Vienna.

Jumping into any bit of shade, it was time to seek out a cold beer and lunch – silly me all menus were in German! So I finally downloaded the google translator app. Still didn’t make a lot of sense, so I nipped inside and pointed to a couple of sandwiches!

Watered and fed and having filled in a bit of the afternoon we oohed and aahed and sweated our way around historic Vienna city.

St Stephens Cathedral, the seat of the archbishop of Vienna, very gothic and remarkable with its multi tiled roof.

Getting hot and bothered, temperatures rose, we wandered past statues..

Through anywhere air conditioned – this was a jewellery and Art auction arcade.

Flower and plant shops, heading for a supermarket to buy Russell’s breakfast supplies (so the routine is not broken).

Then a beeline (Russ driving the google maps) back to the unit, which by now we could get in. Googles great until it tells you to turn right into a street that actually runs under the bridge you are walking over.

Crisis averted however as 50 meters up the road we found an internal flight of stairs delivering us to the correct street and right at a cafe and our entry! 2nd cold beer for the afternoon, and finally footsore and on fire we were able to take ownership of our room.

Entrance to air conditioning, which was the first thing we turned on. Russ crashed on the bed and I went back to the supermarket to buy milk and coffee! My needs met.

Time for a nap – until the sun goes down and we can venture out…

Packing up from our home in Birgu, and ready for the next adventure to Vienna, leaving early tomorrow morning.

Russ and I packed and cleaned and washed and left the apartments clean, as we are returning in 6 weeks, it’s worth the effort.

Kev met us with the van and we loaded all luggage and supplies into it, and headed to Paola where we are staying with Kev and Rols tonight ready for our early Monday morning start.

Lunch with Dave and Lizet lounging in the senglea waterfront for one last time, then it was back to repack into one bag…good suggestion from Roland.

However upon our return, I ran over a glass bottle which exploded into a million shards! Kev and I decided to deposit the rental car to the airport sooner rather than later. Went to the petrol station to fill up and after 10 euros the machines malfunctioned! My car was nearly full so thought we’d leave it at that. (Still praying I didn’t get a flat tyre from the glass). Met the rental guys at the airport who said I needed to put another 10 euros in, probably best to do myself as if they had to do it, it would be 70!

So another few miles and roundabouts to find an open petrol station on a Sunday! Back to the airport, and an argument over a tiny little paint chip – under the bumper- I won! The rest of the car was rather scratched anyway, and had been showing the need for a service symbol since day one!

Now it was 3.30pm, hope they get a flat tyre!, and I still haven’t repacked. Russ had had a rest so 2nd round of packing began….

Now nearly 5pm and relaxing in the coolness of Kev and Rols rooftop garden….me beer in hand, Russ water!

One more catch up with our friends tonight here, before we head out to the Northern European summer.

Again we begin with last night and the international wine festival in Bormla….

Lizet and Dave has secured our table in prime position on the waters edge in good hearing distance from the live band, and close enough to our friends at Cafe Rouge, to use the loo, buy beer (for the non wine drinkers) and order pizza when food was needed

Our table with a view down the Bormla inlet, glowing in the evening lights.

Three quarters of the team enjoying the evening ambiance, music, wine, beer, fireworks and pizza! Then they brought on the headlining band around 10.30pm …..not flash and not relaxing and as we had already enjoyed an evening of good times and fun we decided it was time to head back to our respective abodes before we got cross (and headaches from the cacophony now belting out from the raft in the middle of the sea)

It was a little sleep in for Sue (being a Saturday) then off to the Irish Pub to watch the super rugby semifinal between the hurricanes and crusaders.

Two TVs, a yummy cooked breakky, coffee and water!

Great game, outcome….well someone had to win; Crusaders lucky day!

We backed up a great morning with a dip at St Thomas bay, Lizet found diving in with sunglasses meant the sink to the bottom of the very deep swimming hole, local Maltese man to the rescue!

An afternoon of packing/sorting for Sue and Russ as moving out, of what has become our home, tomorrow.

Too much for a hot afternoon, off to Senglea, to visit the old hood (in the shade) and a cool beer on the square by the church.

Just in time to witness a newly married couple emerge from said church and wedding party zoom off in stretch limo and bride and groom depart (actually roar off too) in a classic vintage!

Wine festival in full swing again tonight and everyone out and about in a balmy Mediterranean evening, however, after eating, Russ and Sue headed home to Birgu for our last night, Lizet and Dave….who knows; they may be once again enjoying the craziness of a Maltese Saturday night!

It seems that every story begins with the night before….and this one certainly does. A quiet little cocktail hour at, you guessed it, Cafe Rouge, Russ, Dave, Sue and Lizet, precluded what turned out to quite a big one for Russ. At the end of the night a somewhat over friendly local, sporting a Bormla rowing t-shirt, got into a discussion with Russ about Bormla being the reigning champs.

New best friends and Russ sporting his Bormla rowing t-shirt, which meant another round of drinks! Needless to say it was a long walk home and Russ slept in his new T-shirt which had little to do with him being in love with it..

However, during the evening, the plan was hatched to rent a boat from Marfa, Dave had a boat licence, and take an afternoon on the sea around the island of Comino.

So here we were at 1pm, non alcoholic drinks and a sandwich packed in the chilly bin, ready for some boat and sea time.

Captain Dave and co-captain Russell having a little lesson with the 18 foot walk around and we were off.

First close up of Comino; the fort on the south side and we then cruised up the east coast in and out of bays and caves

Shades of blue and pink, toes in very warm water!

Turquoise, deep blue, aqua and every other blue you can think of. Around the next corner the blue lagoon. Tourist city, boats people and standing room only.

Still great colours, but anchoring up was going to be tedious….

We took another wide berth and went into the back side of the blue lagoon, boats only and anchored up beside a couple of large yachts…

Lunch and swim, into the deep blue sea…the water now is so warm, however we were moved on by a yacht up anchoring, with very rudely, had his anchor under our little boat.

Not to be outdone, we motored to the next bay, which was even more beautiful, with caves and colours even bigger and brighter.

Sue and Lizet could not resist another swim…

If you look closely you can see Sue standing on the rock, not sure who the man in the water is…then, as a day cannot always be perfect, Lizet swimming towards Sue she got bitten by something in the water, realising it was a jellyfish and right arm very painful, she headed back to the boat.

They say forewarned is forearmed, not so. Sue scanned the sea, seemingly clear, made a beeline for the boat, from her rock haven, only to be stung as she hit the water. Ouch, one arm over arm back to boat…..

Back on the shore, a cool beer, vinegar on jellyfish stings and all is well.

Now back home, and about to have a shower and head to the international wine festival at Bormla…no wine for me.

When a bloke in Bormla comes begging and you offer him your biscuit and he bares his black stubby teeth, I guess that means he is not hungry. Anyway he stayed for a while mumbling about how I would go to hell, so I ate my biscuit!

Yesterday was nail day and shades of lilac for the summer. An early night and an early morning to start work.

And the ships keep coming, this morning a particularly small one slipping into the harbour at 6am.

Dave and Lizet packed and cleaned, as today they moved into their own air BnB. I dashed to Bormla post office, bank and Vodafone shop and met the team at Cafe Rouge for the morning coffee and “biscuit” (that I was totally prepared to share)

Excursion, after coffee, was to Mosta and a visit to the dome.

The usual parking issues, but lucked out with a side back street in the shade of a tree. And an interesting walk though new streets and old villas.

This particularly large villa with a huge rooftop garden at the back, in the middle of the town.

And a tiled plaque on the road in front, I am guessing the family crest!

Green spaces, and Lizet exploring the park.

Dave, Lizet and Russ went into the church, and I explored the outside shopping area; successfully only stopping to buy a coke to replace the fluid already escaping my body in the warm humid morning.

Resisting the WWII bomb shelters underground and opting for a street level cafe with umbrellas for shade.

By midday, it was time to head to the coast for a swim, Gnejna Bay.

The girls enjoyed the sea and sand and…

The boys enjoyed the kiosk bar!

Time to head home and move our flat mates to their new home, about 1km down the road…..thankfully we can still meet in the middle (Cafe Rouge is a perfect half way point)

It’s siesta time for the Maltese and Russ, in the heat of the afternoon and maybe today I will partake in this tradition before the evening kicks off. Don’t think I will get away with another alcohol free day!

For a beer drinker, a wine can pack a punch, Maltese wine is no exception.

Yesterday’s story got lost in the pink glow of Maltese sunset, Maltese Rose and Maltese Karaoke. Needless to say it was a great evening again with some special people.

The morning was unremarkable, work, street market, coffee, noise…..it seems we are becoming a bit blasé about these wonderful summer days.

After a Late morning swim and lunch at Rinella Beach and it was back home for all, bar one, to have a nap. One worked!

The evening plan fell into place well… a Luzzu ride from Birgu to Valletta, and a chance for our visitors to enjoy a cruise free Valletta experience.

Some more images of Valletta, in the quiet hours, before the evening starts.

A stroll down Merchant street to a welcome refreshment break in a colourful cafe in front of St Johns Co-Cathedral , in the heart of Valletta.

Dinner at the Taproom, a return to a restaurant found by George and Kat, with again excellent food and service.

The remainder of the evening is where all the fun began…. meeting family and extended family at Senglea for an evening of karaoke. We took a Luzzu back across the harbour and were delivered straight to the kiosk, where all the action was starting. Being heralded to our table with a great rendition of Hallelujah by one of the locals, or maybe Susan Boyle in disguise!

A little snapshot of some of the stars of the night, after several bottles of the local wine, we are all stars…..

And finished the evening at 11pm in fine form, yours truly one of the finest, conquering a rather long walk back to our house on the adjacent harbour, with the assistance of my new (very patient and strong) friend Lizet.

Needless to say I needed a sick day this morning (as could not raise myself at the usual 5am start time) but will catch up this afternoon before the kiwi counterparts (workmates) start their day! This time difference thing does create a bit of work/life choices!

P.S. I hope my Maltese cousins are still talking to me. (Now they know what a terrible singer I am)