The room was quiet, the king bed was comfortable and a good night’s sleep was had.

When I opened the blinds, I realised that I had a distant view of snow covered Mount Rainier which can be seen from most of Seattle. 

I needed to go to the closest Sephora which was located in the nearby Westfield Southcenter Mall. I booked an Uber to take me there, wait for me to run in and grab my products then take me back to the hotel. Lucky I did this as the other shops were tempting me and I have no room in my luggage. 

The Hilton has a complimentary airport shuttle that runs every 20 minutes. The traffic into the airport was congested but we arrived in plenty of time. 

I know I go on about it but priority gives me the opportunity to ask for a better seat, the ability to join the short queue at security screening which took me 3 minutes,as opposed to the other queue which looked like a 20 – 30 minute shuffle. I could then relax in the United Club with a meal and beverages while charging my devices. 

At about 2:30pm I was notified that my flight time has changed to about 20 minutes after the scheduled time. So more time in the lounge here but less in San Francisco….suits me!

We arrived in San Francisco at 6pm local time. The flight was very smooth and I had the Sea Salt Chocolate Quinoa snack with a coffee.

I found the lounge nearest our landing gate and it was a different one again than the one I went to on the way here. It has a better outlook than the others where I can watch planes take off and land.

I leave later tonight to fly across the Pacific to home. Looking forward to being home again.

Good night

As a Hilton Diamond member, I have a late checkout of 1pm. This membership is connected with my Velocity Platinum status. 

Luckily I had packed light (although I could have left one of the jackets at home) because I needed the room in my luggage for the purchases I had collected on my trip.

I took a reconnaissance walk to check where I had to go to board the Clipper, without my luggage. The attendant informed me that it was going to be a full boat and there would be long lines to go through US customs. On the way back I accidentally bought a jumper that I couldn’t resist.

I decided to while away the time at Bartholomews while waiting to go to the Clipper. I absolutely loved Victoria as a safe and happening city with plenty to do! 

I grabbed my (heavier) luggage and walked down to the harbour. There are plenty of stairs to the lower harbour but you have to go around the visitor centre to be able to find a ramp, which adds to the distance. So I decided to struggle down the steps when this Amazonian amazing young woman insisted on carrying my luggage to the bottom… people are always willing to help. After checking in my bag, I decided to stop at the Cafe in the Steamship Terminal and ordered a  Chowder and a drink. It was quite hot!

When it was time to board I had to go through USA Customs which was fuss free. Just a few questions about where I’m going and when was the last time I was in the states.

There were complimentary ice, water bottles , fruit juices, coffee and sodas that one can help themselves to in the comfort class on the ferry, plus a welcome Prosecco.

The sea was very calm so it was a smooth ride. No offers of drugs or briefings about life jackets on this trip. Visibility was also excellent so we could see the Olympic mountains and more snow capped ones in the distance.

Getting off was quite efficient and the border was simple with one question, do you have any food? I said yes commercial food and he waved me through. It didn’t take long to get an Uber outside the terminal but the traffic through Seattle was a crawl. It took a while to get onto the freeway. And it’s a Sunday night!!! The Uber driver blamed the World Cup for the traffic snarls. 

It took around 30 minutes to get to the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Centre. This was a much older building than the last but my room was spacious and comfortable. No room service here! I had to sit at the bar to order food that I wanted to take up your my room. (I was also given 2 water bottles to carry to my room when I checked in).

I had chosen a classic flatbread for dinner which consisted of three cheeses and pepperoni and I finished the Unsworth Pinot Gris from Vancouver Island.

Good night

Although the temperature was only 22C it was hot in the sun. People were in shorts and sleeveless tops enjoying a Saturday of good weather.  There was also the glimpse of a soccer T-shirt (not Aus) or a Türkiye flag.

After breakfast I took myself shopping and into touristy Government street. There were some beautiful items that were designed to tempt tourists due to their quality and creativity.

The sun was shining and it would’ve been a tragedy to ignore it so I wandered back to the Flying Otter restaurant next to the seaplane terminal on the harbour. I ordered a Spicy Margarita and settled back to watch the water taxis and taking in the aroma of the fuel from the sea planes while soaking up some rays.

My accommodation, the Doubletree Hilton in Victoria is central to everything I needed to do. The suite was more than I needed but was very clean and well stocked. There was no room service for dinner but you can go downstairs to one of the restaurants and bring your food into your room. I decided to order a hotdog from Bartholomew’s. It was tasty and would see me through to meeting Betty and Dan for dinner.

I connected online with mum, Michele and Irene in Australia on Messenger and we did our ritual trivia quiz.

Last August,  Michele and I flew to Vancouver Island for the wedding of Bettina (who she worked with in Port Douglas) and Dan, her Ecuadorian love. We regretted not having documented our experiences in Canada but I could understand why Betty and Dan have settled here and chose to become citizens.

Betty met me in the foyer and we walked to the Sticky Wicket, starting on the rooftop bar. There is even a beach volleyball court on this roof!

We ordered drinks and I noticed corn ribs on the snack menu. They were delicious with some sweetness and then a nice spicy kick. 

When Dan arrived, we relocated to the Sports Bar downstairs. We found a perfect table in front of two screens of different sports …. FIFA and the final NBA game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio spurs. The Knicks have not won in 53 years so there was a lot of excitement when they managed to win.

We ordered dinner, fish and chips for Betty and Dan while I chose a Chicken and Corn Chowder. In Canada you do not order directly from the bar but service personnel take and deliver your drink orders to you.

The FIFA Australia vs Türkiye game started and I must admit that I wasn’t confident that Australia could win this match. It was 9pm but it was still light outside. Australia was amazing and kept Türkiye scoreless by the determined work of our goalie. Congratulations also to the two goal scorers.

We walked back to the Hilton, a whole block away and said our farewells. It was a lovely night.

Good night 😴 

The sun was out again and the day promised to be warmer with a light breeze. My wine tour started down at the harbour again opposite the Empress hotel. While I was waiting, I noticed that a crow was not happy with people gathering near his territory and he was swooping without contact…and making a lot of noise.

The Canadian Craft Tours bus finally arrived with enthusiastic tour guide Scott directing all 5 of us onto the bus and we got on our way after a briefing.

The Cowichan Valley was our destination where we would visit 3 wineries. The valley is an hour’s drive from Victoria and Scott took us on the scenic route where possible off the highway.

This part of the world has snow capped mountains in the distance all year round. Scott stopped at some scenic spots which made the journey very enjoyable. 

Our first stop was the Cherry Point Estate Winery which specialised in a very European method of producing wines. It was a quaint family run business.

About 12 minutes drive away we reached the Unsworth Vineyards. This was a very modern and expansive establishment. We were placed at a lovely outdoor setting for our Charcuterie board of food such as bison and elk salami, a range of 3 local cheeses with accompaniments such as a habanero jam! We were hungry and happily shared the food while our presenter offered us a range of wines to taste. The gardens were very manicured and very pleasant.

Another 12 minutes drive away we reached the Cobble Hill Winery. I saw deer in the fields before we reached the driveway and there were lovely fields of lavender next to the vines. We were seated on a lovely sun drenched table and chose the White flight for our tasting. The gardens here were also spectacular.

The journey home was another one hour drive out of the valley and we were dropped near the Empress Hotel where we started.

As I entered the foyer it was very busy with people checking in for the weekend.

I headed down to Bartholomew’s public house and ordered the Crispy Dry Ribs of pork with honey garlic dip. I brought them back to my room ready to do the quiz online with family in Australia.

I went out on the balcony after this and noticed a number of police cars with police going in the direction of the foyer downstairs. Not sure what that was about but I will try to investigate.

A great day had….Good night

The weather was predicted to be clear with a high of 19C. My suite has a balcony which was sun drenched at the crack of dawn. 

Breakfast downstairs was perfect with soft poached eggs and Canadian bacon.

I had made an appointment for a hair wash and blow dry at the Blo Blow Dry Bar Victoria. It’s less than a 5 minute walk from my accommodation. My hair stylist was the same girl that did my hair last August!

Then it was time for some retail therapy. I went to the department store called Winners. It was set out like a TKMaxx with lots of clothing, homewares, cosmetics and the promise of discounts. Unexpectedly I found some items that I could not resist, a pair of cool jeans, some tops and a pair of shoes. Luckily I packed light and have room in my suitcase for the flight home.

The wind had abated so less layers were needed for my Bites and Sights tour. The meeting point was outside the impressive Fairmont Empress Hotel on the harbour.

Our guide was Michael from Hidden Victoria tours and our group consisted of only 6 guests. We started out by catching one of the cute Water Taxis to the Chinatown of Victoria.

Michael explained the history of Chinese immigration basically for work on the railways and to look for gold. Supplies could only be purchased in Victoria so these traders flourished while the fossickers usually came back empty handed. 

We wandered down the narrow Fan Tan Alley to our first bites stop at the Drake Eatery. This pub brews their own specialty beers and kombucha so along with our choice of beverage, we were served house made Babaganoush with sourdough bread and charred chillies. All was delicious.

We emerged from the rear of the Drake to a sunken courtyard bustling with activity and markets. Michael then walked us to Waddington Alley which is unique because the ‘bricks’ used to make the alley were made from Douglas fir wood blocks. It is protected as a heritage site and an example of what a Victoria street looked like more than a century ago.

Next stop was down the steps to Finn’s Seafood and cocktails for some traditional Poutine – fries, gravy and cheese curds. 

Back up the steps we walked to Bastion Square where we heard about how this is the legal centre of town with a courthouse and what used to be a gaol. Market stalls were set up with locals selling their wares.

We strolled along the square back to Government Street and our next stop was The Bard and Banker pub. It was actually an English pub that was reassembled in Victoria. Here we chose another beverage, I chose the dark lager, and we were served tempura king prawns with a lemony sauce. Michael regaled us with more history and quirky characters while we ate.

Our last stop was Roger’s Chocolates where were given a Vanilla Cream sample each and farewelled each other as the tour ended.

It was only a short walk for me to return to the Hilton and finish the day.

Good night

A full breakfast was included with my room so I wandered downstairs and consumed some perfect poached eggs with yummy crispy Canadian streaky bacon!

I then walked down to Bulk Barn on Yates street to buy some more treats to take back home. 

The Harbour Air Terminal is a nice 5 minute walk from the hotel. 

Passengers are asked to arrive 30-40 minutes before the flight. Flights also take passengers to Vancouver from here. 

The Viator app is very good for keeping track of your bookings, providing tickets, reminders and other information relevant to your bookings. Highly recommended for booking tours. 

The plane was fully packed and it was amazing how many people can fit on the plane! I managed to grab a good seat away from the crowded area!

The landing was smooth and fuss free! 

Lunch was then at the Flying Otter Grill. The sun was out and it was pleasant sitting outdoors. They played music that was for my era…Doobie Brothets, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, The Clash, Human League…. I was back in the old days!!

Trying to complete the blog I accidentally deleted what I thought were drafts and not published posts… so it took me an hour of research to find out how to restore them… not an easy task. 

Still catching up with the time zones! 

Good night!😴

We decided to catch trains to West Berlin today. We walked to Nuekölln Rathaus to catch the U7 train. At Bismarckstraße we changed for the U2 line to go to Wittenberg, the station outside KaDeWa.

Being a Saturday, lots of people were out and about. We perused the sales but then decided to hit Level 6, the bourgeois food hall! (Not the level 7 food court). 

We first sat at an Oyster bar, enjoyed some bubbles and observed the locals enjoying their afternoon with food and drink. We then relocated to the Verve Cliquot stand and continued with tasting the wares and people watching. 

It wasn’t as cold as yesterday so walking back from our train trip was quite pleasant. 

Guten Nacht

We had a simple day today staying warm and taking it easy.

The simple plan was to make another pea and ham soup as well as a Chinese Chicken and Corn soup. 

We walked down to the Edeka supermarket and gathered the ingredients for the soups. The Chinese Cooking Wine had to be sourced from the specialist international store down the road.

Both soups were easy to prepare, one ready in 20 minutes, the other slow cooked over night.

Scott pottered around with his remote controlled car. He wanted to drive it on the icy canal.

Unfortunately even the car thought it was too cold for a run so we gave up and went back to the warm apartment for the evening.

Guten Nacht 

It was another beautiful sunny day in Berlin. The plan was to go to the Hermanplatz Galeria to get the ingredients to make an authentic Pea and Ham soup. 

My day started with an omelette prepared by my domestic chef served with a glass of bubbles. Scott showed me the book he was given when his unit in Leipzig was complete.

The walk to the Galeria was enjoyable in the Berlin sunlight although it was cold enough for coats, beanies and gloves. The canal was still frozen but clearly not solid enough for people to walk on, cracks were showing. Disappointingly, there was also a lot of debris and rubbish left behind by people who had enjoyed the solid canal a week ago. 

We wandered through the department store and perused the goods on sale. Teresa found a unique jacket on sale. 

The food market was downstairs and we went to find ham bones if possible but we found a piece of smoked pork which would be suitable. At the delicatessen counter, the young worker insisted on giving us samples of dips and olives to taste. He kept offering more but we chose to purchase the spicy capsicum dip & chilli olives and then he gave us some complementary olives with almonds.

We loaded up with the other ingredients for the soup and walked back to the apartment. 

The soup needed to be slow cooked overnight so it was prepared and left to do its magic. 

Younger was a series on Netflix that was recommended for us to watch. We settled in for the night with some Cherry Vodka and bubbles.

Guten Nacht

The pea and ham soup was a success! The smoked pork was the right choice for the flavour and the meat fell away as it was shredded. It was delicious for breakfast.

The weather promised to be perfect again, although cold! 

The plan was to go to Potsdam for the day, a city about 25–30 km (15–18 miles) from Berlin. We strolled down a few blocks to find the car Scott had hired for the day, a modern Peugeot. The traffic was heavy in places but we persevered and finally reached our destination. 

We walked down to Brandenburg Straße and stopped at Das Eiscafè am Brandenburg Tor for coffee and apple cake. The coffee, food, service and atmosphere were excellent.

We wandered up the Main Street which was lined with shops vying for the tourist dollar. There were a good variety of stores that enticed us to buy some items too. We also picked up some beef roulades and placki (potato cakes) for dinner from the fancy delicatessen, Lindner. 

Onward to the Sanssouci Palace, through a run down church building with a bell tower and religious statues. We followed the paths, some with ice, to the impressive estate and gardens. 

Potsdam was a major Prussian royal city.  This palace was built in the 1700s as the summer palace of Frederick the Great. Its name means “without worries.” It’s famous for its Rococo style, gardens, and for hosting thinkers like Voltaire.

 In 1945, the Potsdam Conference was held there, shaping post-World War II Europe and Potsdam’s palaces and parks, including Sanssouci, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the drive back to Berlin we encountered some traffic but the setting sun was casting a lovely light over the landscape.

We found a parking spot relatively close to the apartment for the hire car. We settled in for the evening enjoying the food we purchased in Potsdam and catching more episodes of Younger on Netflix.

Guten Nacht