We are mid-cruise at the moment - I'm sitting in an internet café in Rhodes as the rates on board are 25c a minute and here it's free. (And you can sip and icy freshly-squeezed orange juice while you're typing. Which is yummy. - And breathe cigarette smoke, which is yukky, but I fixed 'em. I took my shoes off under the table...)

* The Acropolis in Athens was pretty good -and we enjoyed the process of finding it. We seem to often take the least trodden path, which also means the one with the fewest number of signs for tourists, which means getting lost often...

* It was heavenly to put our gear down in one place for a whole four nights!! and to not have to pay for a meal for four whole days!! (well, we have paid already, but you know what I mean.) I love this way of travelling. Eurail was great too, but this is heaps more relaxing.

So, the islands!

* Mykonos was breath-taking. We were really enchanted, walking through the white and blue town to the windmills... and then sitting on the rocks to watch the sunset... and then walking back along the water's edge when the town was lit up and all the open-air restaurants were filling up... We were sorely tempted to sit down in one of those delightful places for dinner, but which one would you choose???? and when we arrived back at the ship, our meal was delicious and there was a show to go to.

* Patmos was lovely also, although I couldn't track a delicious smell of spinach and cheese pastry to its source. It was very frustrating! There was a sign saying "To xxxx Pastries" but no arrow. I stood at the intersection sniffing for a while but whenever I tried a street the smell soon disappeared. We were there very early, so I suspect that the shop's treats were being cooked but the shop was not yet open.

* We had planned to do an excursion in Turkey to Ephesus, but ours was cancelled due to a lack of customers. This proved to be a lucky stroke as we ended up joining forces with a family of Texans and sharing a cab to the site with them. Saved ourselves a stack of money and had a ball - I feel we've made friends for life. He's a fun Baptist pastor - 'light on the Baptist!' - and his wife is an artist who is one mean negotiator. She got that cab driver right down on his rate and then put the squeeze on a leather good salesman and walked away with a 780 euro jacket for 220... They are travelling with their nurse daughter, who is continually shocked by her parents, and junior pastor son-in-law (followed his mother-in-law's footsteps and bought a jacket too. I'm not sure what he achieved on the price). (And these Texans really do say 'you-all'.)

Ephesus, by the way, was awe-inspiring. They have, among other wonders, an amphitheatre that seats 24,000 people... Lots of 'intact' ruins. And the Turkish salespeople with their 'genuine fake watches' were very entertaining also!

Well, it's time to return to the ship and have a dip in the pool before cocktails with the captain...

Love,

Liliane

PS If you think we're only have a charming time, just wait till I publish my Seamy Side of Travelling book! (My personal journal, which notes the WHOLE trip, is some 60 pages now...)

France to Italy!

* Our time in Marseille was special as we were hosted by my father's dearest friends, who showed us around, pointing out his old lodgings and university, and took us out to a classy restaurant for lunch, as well as opening their home to us for the night (and giving me a suitcase they no longer needed as mine had broken!!)

* From Marseille we travelled by train to Venice, and as we hadn't pre-booked this trip by much, we had to do it in five sections, so by the time we arrived at our new couch host in Padova, we were pooped. We arrived anticipating another wonderful experience, a warm welcome, a home-cooked meal, and a chat with our new hosts - and early to bed as we'd been up since 5 am. This didn't quite eventuate: the house was buzzing with a varied collection of humanity, including a chain smoker, and dinner (take-away pizza) didn't arrive till 9.30 pm. We ate, went to bed, and moved to a hotel in Mestre, just outside of Venice, the next morning.

* Venice was a wonder to behold with its canals and narrow streets and boutiques selling decorated masks and shoes and clothes and all the pizzerias... We were very impressed with all the fountains (here and in Florence and Venice) where one could fill one's water bottle with clear, clean, fresh, running water at any time, and avoid the plastic bottled water. St Mark's Cathedral and Square were great to behold. We can't get over how big these Europeans' cathedrals and monuments are! The elegant gold and red gondolas with their traditionally dressed gondoliers (striped blue and red tops, hats with ribbon, dark pants) were charming.

Our second day in Venice was a bit of a wash-out however, as it rained pretty steadily. We tried the boat trips to the islands of Murano and Burano, but eventually gave up as it was just too wet to do much of anything. Next time we'll stay inside Venice.

* From Venice we took the train to Florence where we stayed in a youth hostel, and received a very enthusiastic welcome from the young staff. (Florence Plus - highly recommended.) We undertook the 'Hop-on, hop-off' bus tour one day, and spontaneously headed out to the gorgeous seaside villages of Cinqueterre on the second day. We didn't have time to visit more than two, but what we saw was absolutely beautiful. The ocean was clear and it was wonderful to have our first swim - despite the jellyfish sting I received... We also enjoyed a delicious meal in one of the many restaurants lining the main street.

Back in Florence after that long day we ate a late dinner at Il Vegetariano, a whole foods restaurant just around the corner from our hostel that was divine. It was so good to eat wholegrain bread, pasta and even brown rice!! And there was a vast range of salad and vegetable dishes to choose from.

* The following day we moved to Rome and that afternoon were enchanted by the Coloseum and Pantheon. We had joined a tour, and that was utterly worthwhile. We stuck with this company, booking in for a tour of the Vatican the next day, which was also good though we spent over eight hours on our feet, including a long wait (over an hour) in the security queue. Then we (madly) walked across Rome back to our pensione where, exhausted, we collected our gear and moved to a camping ground outside of Rome. Ironically, the pine forest location was noisier than our pensione in the middle of Rome, as it was positioned next to a highway...

Now we are packed and about to head to Athens and our cruise around the Greek Isles!

So far we have stayed with

* a young couple in an apartment near Paris

* a family with teenagers in an apartment in Aix-en-Provence

* a young couple with young children in a rural farmhouse in La Tour d'Aigues

* an older couple in a smart apartment in the large seaside port of Marseille

* a single mum in an apartment in a suburb of Padova, Italy

and in

* a hotel in Mestre

* a youth hostel in Florence

* a pensione in Rome

* a camping ground in Rome.

We are about to experience a hostel in Athens and then a cruise ship! (We're looking forward to a bit of luxury after all the trekking and schlepping...)

France update!

Wow - so much has been happening!

* Versailles was stunning.

* Then we went to see the Notre Dame (on l'Ile de Paris or s on l'Ile de Louis? we got a bit confused...) and discovered Berthillon ice cream - the best in Paris! - while we were there. We had to test them quite seriously to decide which flavour was best: chocolate or chocolate mint or chocolate orange or the famous caramel and salt or rum and raisin or mango or strawberry??? (We had help tasting.) I've decided it's choc-orange...

* That night we explored Paris with our host, who led us a dance up and down the metros and landmarks of Paris. Quite a night! We fell into bed at 1.30 am.

* Then we were off to Aix-en-Provence where we spent a delightful two nights with a new family. Lots of laughter, great conversation, delicious food... and discovery of this very beautiful town. I am hooked on those narrow streets and ancient-looking buildings, and also on French bread, and on couch surfing... (I've decided I much prefer meeting real people and learning about their culture first hand to visiting monuments.)

* We have just come to the end of a brief stay in a provincial village with yet another couple from the couch surfing organisation. Again, fabulous. I have collected a yummy recipe from each town. We walked from their country home into the village to visit the market, walking through vineyards and getting lost in narrow streets with deadends, enjoying the hourly church bells. Had a looooong siesta this afternoon.

* Tomorrow we head to Marseille, a seaside port, and then we are on our way to Italy where we will truly be tourists as we don't know any Italian. It's been magnificent to test my French and improve it and be surrounded by French while in France. I will have to return for more...

Photos - hmmm... we've run into some problems uploading them. Hopefully we will figure it out soon!

Update from Paris

We climbed the Eiffel Tower today - wow! It's absolutely worth the climb (which will really test your calf muscles and knees etc.) And we visited Montmartre - so picturesque, and Sacre Coeur - stunning. Here's a tip if you are going to the Tower: pre-book!!! The queues are extraordinarily long and move forward inch by inch. And pack your own lunch!!! The prices are exorbitant.

Tomorrow: the Palace at Versailles. Fortunately our wonderful Couch Surfing hosts are giving us a taste of authentic Parisian home life in between all the tourist jaunting we are doing... www.couchsurfing.co - highly recommended! We are enjoying their cooking, music and conversation. Had a chance to 'play' their accordion tonight - wearing a Parisian beret!!

The flight and Hamburg

Hello all,

We survived the 30 hours or so of travelling to Hamburg - the flights were pretty good and the train trip offered lovely views of a very green Germany. Amazing to think that in four hours on the train we had covered much of the length of Germany, where in Australia we'd just have crossed Victoria...

Julia picked us up from the station and drove us to her home. At one point on the freeway we got to 180 km an hour!! All I could think was, 'I wish my 18 yr old son was here - he would be green with envy!' Emma and Lesley, sitting in the back, loved it.

Julia lives in one of ten houses on land that was farmland for 100 or so years. She is surrounded by fairly traditional German houses (red brick A-frame roofed with those gorgeous attic windows and window boxes with flowers), but her place is quite different - it's architect-designed (she was the architect), bright and sunny inside with lots of pine. Yesterday at about 5.30 pm I had a bath and found myself gazing at a blue cloudy sky through the attic-style window that was cut into a ceiling painted as a blue cloudy sky. So real and painted merged together. It was lovely. Crashed into bed early and rose to a lovely long brunch (fruit, home-baked spelt rolls, home-made jams, cheeses, chocolate-hazelnut spread, yoghurt... and some of last-night's mushroom and rice dinner that I was too jet-lagged to eat...)

We've chatted about differences between Germany and Australia, about education, about their lifestyle... Now we're heading out for another walk along the lane ways and by the river. Her son Janus is on the trampoline outside with his friends. Their puppy is watching 'Dog TV' (= the rabbits in their hutch on the grass). Later we're going to video some interviews of us for when she launches The Mastery Club in German/y.

More later!

Acting on my dreams - about to fly to Europe!

I've been a very unfaithful blogger since starting this blog, but am about to turn over a new leaf!

Tomorrow I fly to Europe and this seems like the perfect place to share about my adventures, so here's to that!!

Stand by for more details and maybe even some pics!

Liliane

Fires, spirit, healing, and practical strategies for our future

The last couple of weeks have seen Victorians facing the worst bush fires we have ever experienced in this state, and those fires are unleashing a great torrent of caring as people from all over the country, and even the world, contribute money and resources to help those who have lost everything.

It's almost presumptuous to comment when one has not been directly affected, but witnessing the courage, love and spirit of those who have been touched by the fires is immensely inspiring and reminds us that every cloud has its silver lining. 

For those who are in Melbourne, I'm offering two Sacred Writing workshops in Croydon on 1st March so that participants can express their feelings and help heal the land by owning our own Fire and Rain energies... Half of the proceeds will be donated to the Fire Appeal. (Email me if you'd like more information.)

Meanwhile I'd like to mention that last Friday I attended the launch of a wonderful new book by futurist Dr Peter Ellyard called Designing 2050 - Pathways to Sustainable Prosperity on Spaceship Earth. Dr Ellyard's mission is to convince humans that our task is to become 'planetists' and 'future makers' rather than 'future takers'. He offers many practical suggestions including the new businesses and products that will need to be created in the years ahead... and will cause some entreprenurial people to become the new billionaires. For those of you who are interested, visit www.preferredfutures.org