Time to complete the Bucket List

On the road again… it sounds as if I am going to burst into a Canned Heat song. More realistically, I should be singing ‘Trains and boats and planes’ as on this trip we will be travelling on all of these. We are off for a prolonged adventure – we are ‘doing’ Australia.

It is a country we have never visited. Traditional holiday breaks of two weeks would not justify a trip of such distance just to get there, let alone cover a country which some sources consider is 32 times greater than the UK.

We will be heading to Perth, then towards Adelaide where we will also take a trip to Kangaroo Island which has been so badly affected by the bush fires. A trip would not be complete without a visit to Uluru (Ayres Rock). Then we will head to Cairns, Fraser Island, and Sydney with it’s famous bridge (I quiver at the thought of climbing it… it’s scheduled). Then on to Tasmania before heading to Melbourne and back home. We shall include a map with the various routes we will be taking.

In Melbourne we will be meeting with our favourite Aussies. Well I say that, but they are the only Aussies we know! We met Diane and Eric when we were travelling in Vietnam 16 years ago and we have stayed in touch ever since, meeting them in the UK from time to time. Great friendships can be made when travelling, and we have made many friends along the way (both UK and overseas located) during our trips. The internet has been great for keeping in touch with new friends near and far.

I have had requests for more Little Ted photos. Well I shall see what is appropriate. I don’t what him getting ahead of himself and edging in too much. I have also had questions about his outfits. Well, these are made by his mum, with great effort which I hope he appreciates. A tiny outfit takes as long as an adult version. Traditional or appropriate outfits are selected for each trip. I have a few up my sleeve.

So now we head for 17 hour flight with lots of reading matter to hand.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2020.

Was it a good idea returning to a holiday destination? Well, for a big city like New York, it was. There were so many things we did on this trip that we had not done 26 years ago, and there are still many places to see.

Changes since our last visit together included the traffic. It was busy previously, but was so much busier this time. The 20 mile road journey between JFK airport and Manhattan was bumper to bumper both ways, and at any time of the day. An estimated 75 minutes is good timing for this trip. We were soon to find out that in the centre of New York sirens and toots sound continuously – day and night.

Just as busy were the pavements. There were tourists in their masses and extra time had to be allowed to get to a destination on foot. Of course, we added to the numbers. Most people appeared to have come to see the Christmas decorations and to shop.

When we mentioned we were going to New York at Christmas, many people asked if our trip was to see the decorations. It was not the intention, but we were then surprised that these were not abundant in Manhattan.

The Rockefeller Centre had its 70ft tree with a reported 45,000 lights and Macy’s had some window ornaments, but there was nothing on the scale of the London’s Regent Street lights. However, there were coach trips out of town to see community displays, which had caught the attention of a UK TV station prior to our trip – one house being the talk of the town with the owner’s 450 bright ornaments.

Despite the noise, traffic and visitor numbers, central Manhattan was an ideal location to catch a show. The theatres were all minutes away. It was also a good time to visit as the sites (particularly museums and galleries) were very low on numbers. We covered a great deal of ground during our few days in New York, but there is still so much more to see. Maybe some day we will return. In the meantime, we wish you an enjoyable 2020 and shall leave you in good US tradition, hoping you too had ‘happy holidays’.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019

Aside from the Queen’s Gallery exhibitions in London, I don’t think we have seen such an outstanding private collection of artworks in one place as that of the Frick Collection.

Hans Holbein the Younger, was followed by Bruegel the Elder, Titian, Turner, Degas, van Dyke, Rembrandt and Vermeer. The exhaustive list goes on. Photography was not allowed inside the galleries of the Frick Collection as the artworks are all original, but just a few we found especially delightful follow and can be found on the internet.

Hans Holbein the Younger, ‘Sir Thomas More’ – oh, the realistic painting of the fur, the folds in the velvet and More’s stubble.

John Constable’s ‘Salisbury Cathedral’ – such detailed architecture.

Diego Velazquez’s ‘King Philip IV of Spain’ – the artist’s works are rarely seen outside Spain and this is considered to be one of Frick’s most important acquisitions.

Some of the first images visitors see when entering the gallery’s Boucher room are exquisite wall paintings of very young children taking on the role of adults demonstrating various activities in the arts and sciences. These include the children as sculptors, architects, chemists, horticulturalists, astronomers and actors, all painted by Francois Boucher, circa 1760. A virtual tour of these paintings in the Boucher Room can be found on the Frick website.

There were also incredible sculptures, Sevres porcelain, clocks and furniture – all rare and in keeping with this magnificent collection.

But how did all these items come together for this exhibition? The collector, Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919) was a wealthy man. He came from modest beginnings, born in Pennsylvania the son of an immigrant farmer. He worked his way up to become a book-keeper and later, with a cousin, invested in the local coal beds rich in high-grade bituminous coal which was just what the growing iron and steel industries needed.

Within a decade Frick was producing almost 80% of the coke used by these industries in Pittsburg. He later went into partnership in the steel industry, and in time was considered to be the largest individual stockholder in the railway industry – not just in America, but the world.

Frick acquired the site on 70th street in New York in 1913 paying almost $6 million for the land, house construction and interior fixtures. His extensive art collection was additional to this sum. This is a large amount today, let alone at the turn of the 1900s.

It was considered that Frick had intended his collection and home would become a gallery. In 1919, following his death, the property and artworks became the Frick Collection supported by a $15 million endowment, but there was the proviso that none of the works left the gallery. Today, artworks are loaned worldwide, but these are items added to the collection following his death. Family members continue as trustees.

We spent four hours at the gallery absorbed by the detailed content of the audio guide. The only thing lacking was a cafe, which would have provided a welcome break, but there are plans for this next year.

The gallery overlooks Central Park, which we also visited. Its oblong shape gives the impression that the interior will be flat, but that is far from the situation. Undulating land, trees, lawns, walkways, ornamental bridges and roads (for horse-drawn vehicles and rickshaw bikes) are a pull for joggers, dog walkers and cyclists in a city rather lacking in parkland.

Some sources say Central Park’s design was influenced by Joseph Paxton’s Birkenhead Park in the UK, laid out in 1847. One of its designers was British born architect Calvert Vaux (1824-1895) who won a competition with US agriculturalist Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) to design the park which opened in 1858.

Supper was also a treat, visiting Michelin star-awarded restaurant Sushi Yasuda, to catch up with family whom we had not seen in decades. We chose the omakase (chef’s selection) through which we were introduced to the creativity, mixture of tastes and culinary experiences provided by this New York establishment.

Most surprising was sea urchin, which had an unusual texture but lovely fresh fishy taste. Other delights included raw mackerel, salmon, tuna, clams and scallops. Some were served as ‘sushi’ (with rice), or ‘sashimi’ (without rice). One dish was served in ‘nori’ (a sheet of dried seaweed).

Accompanying this was shoyu (soy sauce), wasabi (Japanese root which was much milder than served in the UK and so did not detract from the other dishes) and bari (sweet pickled ginger). The restaurant staff helpfully advised that these three items are eaten in moderation and not mixed together, so as to retain the delicate balance of the different fish provided. The evening was a sheer delight and the chef’s expertise is highly recommended.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019

We had an elevated experience today taking the High Line, part of an old railway system that has been converted to a planted walkway above the Manhattan streets.

The origins of the High Line date back to the 1880s when freight trains delivered food to lower Manhattan. One end of the High Line is situated in today’s Meat Packing District.

Being at street level the railway was extremely dangerous and by 1910 more than 540 people had been killed having been hit by trains. In the 1920s the plan was to remove the railway from street level, replacing it with an elevated system. In 1934 this high level railway was delivering meat, dairy and other foodstuffs to the area.

By the 1960s use was declining with the increase of truck deliveries and in the next 20 years the elevated system was starting to be demolished. However, some people were reminiscent about the High Line and wanted to consider alternative uses. As time took its toll nature stepped in, with vegetation growing where once trains passed by. The idea then came to turning this elevated construction into a planted walkway.

Today this 1.45 mile stretch has more than 500 plants and trees conceptualised by plantsman Piet Oudorf. These are interspersed with artworks placed among the remaining rail tracks. The walkway also gives a good view over many of the streets below.

Towards the High Line’s end is another masterpiece of architecture. The Vessel has been designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the artist who created the 2012 Olympic cauldron, the new Routemaster bus, and was involved with Boris’s Garden Bridge across The Thames which in more ways than one never got off the ground.

The Vessel is an attraction comprising 16 storeys and 2,500 steps. Visitors can admire the feat of copper-coloured architecture from the outside, then walk inside to again admire the architecture and the views beyond.

The concept was based on the ancient Indian stepwells. Tickets are mostly free but must be booked online. This can be done at the venue but will involve waiting for a time slot, so book if you have a chance to visit then head for the cafe at the shopping centre alongside.

But our day did not to end there. We headed to the nearby Garment District which has more fabric and haberdashery shops that I have ever seen, packed from floor to ceiling with merchandise (many having several floors to their outlets). I was in fabric heaven.

But while based in central Manhattan, the theatre district, it was opportune to take in a show. The Jersey Boys had been recommended to us… and we were not disappointed. A perfect end to a perfect (but very cold) day.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019.

Food, glorious food… and so it was in Brooklyn. We were booked on a culinary tour. We have gone on such trips in various cities in recent times as we find they provide much more than food information, such as history, culture and area orientation.

Our informative guide told us how Brooklyn has been ever-changing throughout its history, with communities continually moving in and moving on. Today, parts of Brooklyn are becoming trendy places to move to with high rise condominiums and hotels being built along the waterfront. These are just a quick subway ride from Manhattan so many visitors are choosing to stay in this less expensive area. Commuters are also moving here – Manhattan provides the work, but Brooklyn provides trendy newly built areas. Not that all housing is less expensive than Manhattan. The old ‘brownstone’ houses (they are sandstone, and brown) with their multi-storey levels, are selling at £5-12 million, which is not bad for areas that were too dangerous to be in just a few decades ago.

Our tour company had sought out many independent food producers who had their hearts at the core of their businesses. These were very different from those seen when walking along the main avenues of central Manhattan, where culinary offerings are from the fast food outlets we are all familiar with.

Our first stop was at The Meatball Shop in the Williamsburg area. You got it. We were tasting meatballs. These were beef and were served in fresh, flavourful, tomato sauce. This outlet stays open until 2am daily and, according to our guide, is the place to go after having had a skinfull.

To follow our meatball starter we crossed the road to eat falafel with tahini, which again was fresh and light. Our guide advised the area around Williamsburg, Brooklyn, had a hundred food vendors providing ‘a kaleidoscope of food’.

We then moved to the Polish community to sample a ‘king’s feast’. This comprised Kielbasa, a dried and smoked long, thin, sausage (traditionally pork). The skin was a bit tough, but the meat was tasty and was served with mashed potato and sweet fresh grated carrot. This dish was accompanied by pierogi (cheese dumplings). Dessert was jablka w ciescie (apple fritters) which was more fritter than apple, but light nonetheless.

At the next stop we were treated to a show. Not in the conventional sense. This was a pizza show, with the staff whizzing dough around until it miraculously became a 25 inch pizza base, perfectly round and thin. Traditionally, we were told, the genuine article was always served simply. A thin pizza base was covered with cheese slices and a fresh tomato mix. This was baked for three minutes in a hot coal oven before fresh basil leaves were added, which would gently wilt releasing aroma and adding to the taste. Today, Table 87 continues this tradition.

Then on to dessert. Monteleone’s Bakery was incredible, packed with highly decorated and individualised cakes. The owner, Antonio, is the ideas man when it comes to cake design and the ingredients. I asked him how he got into cake making. ‘From the age of three I loved making marzipan with my aunt, and I never really stopped,’ he said. His father insisted he ‘went to school’ which he reluctantly did, but his heart was still with the marzipan. Today, his passion for sweet treats is well recognised. While we were in the shop there was a continual stream of very happy purchasers.

But Brooklyn is not just about food and housing. Within the area is the large Prospect Park, created from the 1860s. At one end is a memorial arch, rather like the Arc de Triomphe, dedicated to the soldiers and sailors who were killed in the Civil War. It is within this park that Victorians would perambulate and residents continue to enjoy today.

For our return journey we were given the opportunity to walk across Brooklyn Bridge. Had it been the summer we would have enjoyed doing so, but this turned out to be the coldest day of the winter so far with minus recorded on the temperature charts. This, coupled with a strong wind, led to us and the other friendly tourists on this trip to give it a miss.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is one of those places in the world everyone should visit in an attempt to gain an insight into human nature and the good and evil mankind is capable of. Thankfully these places are few, and there is no need to name them here, but they all involve acts of atrocity.

Today we paid our respects to those who lost their lives during the 9/11 attack with a visit to the museum located in Manhattan’s financial district where once the twin towers of the World Trade Centre stood until that fateful day in 2001.

Little did we know we would spend five hours at the museum, the inside of which is spacious, but contains a huge amount of information. This could be gained via tours and audio guides, but on this occasion a go-it-alone approach worked well for us.

I was expecting to read stories of what had gone on throughout that day, and to see re-runs of the media footage, but was not expecting to see enormous pieces of crumpled architectural structure that had once supported more than 100 floors of the giant towers; crushed fire engines and police cars that had been on the scene as the buildings collapsed; or the choking thick dust. Even some of the steps down which some people escaped had been left in place – they were advised to walk down the stairs, ‘then just run. Run as fast as you can.’ These exhibits all helped to bring the viewer a tiny bit closer to the reality of that day.

The museum seemed to have every angle covered, including many examples of acts of bravery and humanity, not only by the rescue services but by members of the public who helped day after day in the search for survivors. Many offered support in the form of food and comfort. Others joined the long lines of blood donors.

Some of the stories and photographs were poignant for John whose company at the time had its New York office located in one of the towers. There were also other familiar company names from the insurance and financial sectors that were caught up in the tragic events that day.

It was sobering and not an easy story to relay, but it was part of our trip and a visit to Manhattan would not have been complete without it.

We did manage to end the day on a brighter note, however. While at the museum we received a blizzard warning which was not appropriate for us as sunny weather was scheduled all week. Our next stop was the One World Trade Tower viewing platform on the 100 floor. This is the rebuilt World Trade Centre and also referred to as the Freedom Tower.

It is close to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. We headed outside to find the notifications correct. It was snowing.

Once at the Tower we were advised that we would not see the ground, let alone a skyline view. Our tickets were already booked so we headed upwards, being the only two in the queue. The lift whisked us up in seconds, by which time the snow had stopped and we had beautiful views of the skyline over Manhattan and New Jersey. So we will leave you with some of the more cheery views of the day.

The Freedom Tower at night

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019

Some might say it is not a good idea to return to a holiday destination. We might agree as it can take the shine off that initial excitement and intrigue. But after a break of 26 years since we visited New York together I think it will be safe to go back and maybe get some new memories.

Way back then I was not writing a travel diary, but we were taking photos. Today’s prologue urged me to dig into the archives to find out just what we were looking at in 1993. (I knew those photos would come in handy one day!)

Of course, one notable difference will be the World Trade Centre twin towers which we travelled to the top of at that time, but we shall be paying our respects to all those who lost their lives on that tragic day by visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

It will be interesting to see if there are many more skyscrapers. I remember how I found their feats of architecture and engineering breathtaking at the time, and way in advance of London. As our capital has changed in this respect, how might New York have done?

Will the traffic be much heavier, just as many busy cities today? And what will the Christmas festivities look like? Will they be more abundant than those in London? We didn’t visit at Christmastime previously so that will be different. We also didn’t see many museums or art galleries. Those are now high on our schedule.

But something we are not planning this time around is a helicopter flight over New York. This was a tremendous experience as we tipped from one side to the other shooting off rolls of film. This is one memory I wouldn’t wish to spoil through repetition.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019

Well, we made it there and back unscathed. Colombia has certainly moved on from the dangerous days of the past. The country’s biggest difficulty is getting this message across to the outside world. At no time did we feel under threat. We found all the people we came into contact with were really friendly and helpful. On one occasion when we were looking at a street map of Getsemani someone came up to us offering help. Between his Spanish and our English we managed to demonstrate that we were looking for ‘umbrella’ street. It was rather like a game of charades.

Concerns about altitude sickness were unwarranted. Despite our highest point being Bogotá at 8660ft and higher than Peru where we had suffered previously, we did not have any symptoms apart from slight shortness of breath on my part.

Speaking of high points, the mountainous landscapes and rolling hills were spectacular, as were the brightly painted houses along the way. The artwork on the outside of some of the buildings added to the ambiance (although the graffiti did not).

If I had to choose just one highlight I think it would be the terracotta house, the life’s work of Octavio Mendoza. This was not on the itinerary but was a change made because of a public holiday closure elsewhere. To think this house was built from clay and ‘fired’ in situ as the building developed, requiring specially built ovens covering each part, is incredible. The artist still lives there today and to open the house to the public is most generous.

But perhaps my most memorable experience was my decision to try out some Spanish. I have never studied Spanish, but after a few days had picked up buenos dias, si, no, por favor and muchas gracias. A week into the holiday we were in a hotel bar supping a glass of wine. I felt a little hungry and fancied some peanuts. The waiter was such a nice, mild mannered chap of about 60 years, always with a smile and keen to help.

Having mobile to hand I decided to search for the Spanish equivalent of ‘nuts’. I was just about to ask ‘Do you have… liendres’ when I realised I had written a typo meaning ‘Do you have nits?’ John and I were in fits of laughter and I tried again. ‘Do you have nuts?’ Up came the translation… I was just about to brave it for the second time when I scrolled down the screen a little further to find the offered term also meant ‘Do you have… balls or b*ll*cks?’ I shall let you work that one out.

My Spanish speaking quickly came to an end and I reverted to my charades interpretations. So here endeth another brilliant trip. Next will be a few days in New York. Until then, thank you all for joining us along the way. We will be back soon.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019

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Our last full day dawned and we decided to visit an area outside the Old Town of Cartagena, called Getsemani.

It was a very hot day, 32 degrees centigrade with 86% humidity, so after a hour or so walking around Getsemani, we decided to go back to the Old Town and retreat to the air conditioned atmosphere of the Fokelore Colombian Cafe that we had visited the previous day. The lady behind the counter, Maye, remembered us and, apart from discussing our travels in Colombia, wanted to practice her English which was very good.

After refreshment we moved on to the Cartegena Gold Museum (Museo del Oro), a smaller version of the one in Bogota, that was further reduced due to refurbishment but is still worth a visit. It contained items from Colombia’s indigenous peoples prior to Europeans arriving and the map shows that the gold items were found in many different parts of Colombia. Most of the artifacts in the Cartegena museum are from the Zenú people who inhabited the costal inland plains to the south of Cartegena and it was their elaborate work that attracted the Spanish conquistadores. The Spanish, including Cartegena’s founder Pedro de Heredia, led countless expedetions into Zenu territory to steal the gold by rading the villages and robbing the graves.

Cartegena is so different to the rest of Colombia, not just being at sea level and therefore having generally better weather, but it feels more like being in the Caribbean. The people generally have darker skin and our guide said that this was the natural influence of the West African slaves that were brought to the area many hundreds of years ago.

The old town of Cartegena has many good restaurants to suit all budgets and it was nice to be able to sit outside in the evening at one of the many small squares and enjoy the buzz of the town with a nice 28 degrees centigrade.

That said, if you only visited Cartegena, as the cruise ship people do, you would get an unrealistic view of Colombia as the other parts are very different. The tourist industry has no doubt suffered from the many years of internal conflict. Consequently, the people in the hotels and restaurants often do not speak English, as in other countries we have visited. This presented a good opportunity to test my Spanish which surprisingly came back quickly when I started using it again. That said do not be put off going to Colombia as the people are very friendly, the sights are worth seeing and the food is good.

We then went back to the hotel and got ready for the long trip home which started with a flight back to Bogota and then to London Heathrow.

Adiós Cartegena and Colombia.

Copyright: Words and photos John Cruse 2019

Arriving in Cartagena was a culture shock. We thought our plane had taken a detour and landed on a Caribbean island. It could not have been more different to the Colombia we have got to know. The temperature was much higher (29 degrees C) and the humidity was an oppressive 86%. When we got off the aeroplane it was like opening an oven. But of greatest surprise was the different culture.

This side of the country has a Caribbean feel, lots of bright colours, fun, music and dancing. Above all, the facial features of the people are different to the Spanish or indigenous tribal characteristics we have become familiar with during our journey, and the skin colour is darker. When I enquired of the guide about these obvious differences, he said: “It’s the result of slavery. The community is formed largely from the descendants of slaves.”

Further reading has revealed this is an aspect often avoided or glossed over, but it is a fundamental part of the area’s history and makes Cartagena what it is today. The town was a major slave trade port. Some sources consider at least a million African slaves entered the town and were sold at its Plaza de Los Coches. The slaves were to work in the gold and silver mines, ship building, churches, convents, the docks and in domestic work. Owning slaves was considered a symbol of wealth for the rich.

One person on their side, however, was a Spanish Jesuit priest named Pedro Claver (1580-1654). He dedicated his life to helping the slaves, particularly those in the worst condition, when they arrived at port having suffered dreadful conditions during their transportation.

A third of those transported are estimated to have died in transit. Claver would board the ships and tend the sick. There are mixed messages as to the further role he played. One resident I asked said he freed many slaves and asked families to welcome them into their homes as long as they were not treated as slaves. Other sources say there is no evidence of him freeing anyone and that Claver’s role was to convert as many to Christianity as he could. Maybe we will never know, but it is said he baptised 300,000 in his lifetime.

However, his role must have been a worthy one as he became the Patron Saint of Slaves. His skeletal remains are (somewhat surprisingly) on view at the Iglesia San Pedro Claver, in Cartagena.

We also visited the Museum of the Inquisition. The Inquisition ran for 201 years in Cartagena. The stories are too grim to report, but something we can thank Pope Francis for during his visit to Cartagena in 2017 was his insistence of removing much of the museum’s items of torture. Some people might be critical of this as it is a part of the history of this site, but the museum was a destination for primary school children, many of whom were badly affected by the contents. Probably many adults too. Words and images were certainly enough to tell the stories.

On a far brighter note, the port of Cartagena continues to be important today, especially financially. At least 2,500 day trippers pour into the old city each morning from a steady stream of cruise liners, keen to barter for cheap handicrafts or splash out for top quality emeralds. Colombia claims to have the finest in the world. As they do so the town’s colourful streets will not go unnoticed. Many of the houses are beautifully painted and form a photographer’s dream.

Each year the town has a flower competition. The winning building is exempt from paying tax for one year. We assumed this was probably a council tax rather than income tax, and think it would be a nice idea for the UK too.

Interesting doorways with their many different door knockers reveal inner courtyards of running water, fountains and plantings.

A trip to Colombia would have been incomplete without seeing Cartagena. It provided a very different view of the country, its people, climate and culture.

Copyright: Words and photos Sue Barnard 2019