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The internet at the hotel in our room is so slow that I am exasperated and have just deleted a whole post that has taken nearly two days to construct. I just have to be so brief or I can’t seem to get anything done. The photos take so long to load.

Anyway this day was a feast of light and colour. The floating gardens was a misnomer for canals surrounded by flower growing agriculture. Despite that the visit to Xochimilco was wonderful. The locals come in droves to cruise on colourful punts while partying. There were mariachi bands as well as food and drink sellers and souvenirs also on punts. People were singing for birthdays, or hens days or any excuse. We stopped also to see local animals , Mexican walking fish, snakes and lizards as well as a chameleon and tiny hedgehog.

We returned to the city and grabbed a bus tour of the historic centre.

At 6 pm we gathered in the foyer for the meet and greet of the rest of the tour group and our guide followed by dinner at a taqueria. Anne and i were pleased to discover we had chosen well the night before. Another delicious meal but this time I tried the prickly pear leaf. Crunchy and a little like capsicum, it was covered in pastor( pork off the gyro).

We had a bumpy flight of 15 hours roughly. Weird leaving at lunch time 12.00 pm and arriving at 8.30 am the same day.

The plane was only half full so we had a complete row each to stretch out and I actually slept for about 4 hours! One passenger I was talking with said he had been tempted to upgrade his seating but the flight attendant suggested it wouldn’t be necessary and he was very happy. The staff and service was friendly. Food okay but nothing gluten free. I watched Barbie ,Oppenheimer and Anatomy of a fall.

Anne was suffering with swollen feet and eventually was very uncomfortable . My dread of US immigration proved unnecessary as we cleared immigration with ease and the young man was very civil.

After yet another queue we discovered our connecting flight has been delayed 2 hours and we won’t arrive in Mexico City till 8.30 pm. I found a sunny spot to try and reset our body clocks .

The airport has lots of colourful art displayed on the walls and we have been enjoying exploring the terminal.

Now to stay awake till our next flight!

It has been awhile since I wrote about my travels, but with Mexico and Costa Rica my next destinations I couldn’t resist sharing the adventure. On Thursday this week my friend Anne and I fly via SanFrancisco to Mexico City. This country is completely new to me and I am very excited to brush up my Spanish as well as exploring a new destination. Even more exciting is the delight of having my elder brother Peter joining us on this trip too. This is an organised small group tour with Intrepid. Usually I am an independent traveller, that is, I start from a major city and take it from there with not a lot of solid bookings though a good idea of where I am going, and basically how I am getting there. Usually I am walking. This time it’s planned though with a fair amount of free time. I can’t wait. I have packed ( twice!) and I am really happy with the weight. I was a bit rusty when I went to Spain in 2022 and ended up with too much. This time I am better prepared. We have added a couple of extra days in Mexico City before the tour starts and have already booked the Frida Kahlo museum as a highlight. Lots to see and experience. As a corn based cuisine I am eager to try the local food without being anxious about my gluten sensitivity.

We arrived at Tullamarine in plenty of time and happened to meet up with Anne’s son in law Mark who was flying to Chicago for a trade fair. That killed some time pleasantly. Then it was our turn.

Although last night’s storm abated in the morning it wasn’t long before the village was shrouded in dense cloud and heavy rain again. It was fascinating watching the cloud roll up from the valley below and creep across the grass plain in front of our chalet. Out one window it was dense grey and out the other side it was clear. But not for long. Soon no other buildings could be seen at all.

We decided to light the fire and after our morning quiz test from the Age newspaper we all hunkered down with books, needlework and sudoku puzzles. The rain was really torrential, at times beating hard on the windows and the tin roof. We were all happy. The men poked and prodded the fire between reads and we just enjoyed the luxury of nothing to do but read ( and maybe eat!).

Kim had brought her travel watercolours and I demonstrated the techniques I had picked up at my workshop at Horsham in January.

Soon it was lunch and the clouds were lifting with the rain easing to mizzle. We noticed a few intrepid hikers but decided every track would be muddy and slippery and hardly enticing.

Kim, David and I opted for a short undulating walk around the village until the rain restarted. It was a refreshing break and meant we had walked everyday since we arrived.

Dinner at the Ramada restaurant that night was delicious and a suitable farewell celebration as we were leaving very early the next morning to be back for appointments in Melbourne.

We returned home, packed ready for a quick departure the next morning and fell into bed. It has been a wonderful circuit breaker for all of us. Fresh mountain air, time to really catch up and lots of laughs. I love this place- shame it is such a distance but perhaps that is the reason it is so peaceful!

Coming down the mountain this morning just as the sun started to wash over Mt Buffalo was spectacular. It was about two degrees!

Another slow start- so relaxing. Weather wet and cloudy but after lunch we walked to Room with a view and the Montaigne Loop. Room with a view is a gentle decline to the edge of the mountain looking back towards Hotham and the Cobungra Valley.

As we walked back up the hill on the return loop track we came across a mob of emus. There were at least 10 and they seemed to have very black heads and dense feathers. We went very quietly so as not to startle them and tried to get some photos. It is the first time in my trips up to Dinner Plain that I have seen one emu let alone 10! I know they are around lower down the mountain.

It was a lovely walk through trees and then back to the chalet. For awhile it was sunny and bright. We have seen so many changes in the light and weather in just these few days. Shortly after this gorgeous respite the thunder started, followed by lightning. It continued all night. The rain was heavy and persistent and apparently there was a massive thunderclap during the night that woke everyone but me!

I was doing the dinner so I set to work on the vegetables which I needed to stir fry. The kitchen has basic implements so I needed to improvise and the fry pan was really too small for the quantity of vegetables so I had to blanch them first. We are all used to the minimal kitchens here so most of our meals are precooked and we only need to defrost.

We eat like kings and queens because we all like cooking and usually bring interesting meals. I was doing a new recipe of curried eggplant and green beans over rice, served with stir fried broccolini and snow peas in lemon and garlic, sprinkled with pepitas and sunflower seeds. This was followed with Coconut yoghurt and baked strawberries in sumac. I was so pleased because it was light and delicious but satisfying. That is a recipe I will repeat.

The fresh air, good food and perhaps Bill’s cognac have really relaxed us.

Last night we dined at the High Plains Hotel. They have the QR code menus. David was not impressed and resisted using the mobile phone to get the menu. I am not a great fan but can see how the order goes straight to the kitchen and saves staff time as well as fussing at the end of a meal about payment. It worked very efficiently and I had a receipt emailed to me instantly. The meal was good but you do miss the interaction with staff.

After dinner we walked home and we were surprised that it didn’t seem very cold. That was until we discovered we couldn’t get into the chalet! When I tried to open the door, my digital card wouldn’t work. David tried his and then Bill announced that he had deadlocked the door when we left! We were all astounded. Why? We have never deadlocked the doors before (I didn’t even know they had deadlocks!) Anyway we needed to ring the reception for assistance and suddenly the cold started to seep into our limbs. It was only about 10 degrees Celsius but standing around waiting we started to be aware of the temperature falling. Fortunately it wasn’t very long before the hotel sent a young guy to open the door for us. We felt pretty dumb but had a good laugh as we scurried into the warmth.

Rain was predicted today and we were all slow to rise. The day was gray but because we are in the mountains and looking across the cloud shrouded valleys from our cosy chalet it didn’t seem oppressive. It was rather atmospheric and soothing. The drip of rain drops onto the tin roof is comforting. Living in an apartment now I never hear rain on the roof. It reminds me of happy times in the past. We all lazed around chatting and taking a slow breakfast. It was so relaxing. I am very engaged in my book Pachinko. It is luxurious to read in large chunks of time so I was happy to stay in.

When we finally roused ourselves to go for a walk after the rain had passed, we made sure no deadlock was engaged. Bill kept his hands in his pockets and was NOT the last to close the door. We wandered up to JB plain and then across the main road to Dead Timber trail. There was a fine mist but the path was good and not muddy. Dead Timber trail is amongst many dead snow gums. They are a tree endangered by the more frequent fires that have occurred over the last few years. Because they are slow to grow the young seedlings have been burnt along with the older trees. Regeneration is stunted or halted all together. This means they are in danger of disappearing from our mountains. They are quite beautiful with many colours on their trunks and branches and soft grey green leaves. Kim suddenly remembered a poem from her school days about trees by Joyce Kilmer. It seemed so pertinent to the environment through which we were walking.

We returned just as the rain started to get heavy. The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and doing puzzles and chatting. Soon it was nibbles time. Kim had these delicious smoked salmon and balsamic pearls hors d’oeuvres. They are little black balls which look impressive and taste of balsamic vinegar. We decided to eat in so Irene provided a delicious dinner of Goulash and greens followed by a Cranberry cake. She had made three batches over the week before coming. Each had a mishap. The first was burnt because she had been distracted by a Zoom class, the second had too much paprika but the last batch was just right. For us it was fabulous but had been quite an ordeal in production. Irene and Bill are having the family bathroom renovated and the dust and destruction has been extensive. It has been a very trying time like all renovations.

We had lots of discussions ranging across serious and silly topics which produced many laughs and hilarity. Precious times with dear friend is priceless.

Leaving Madrid was seamless and my Uber driver Daniel was charming, chatty and fast. Madrid’s early morning traffic density surprised me because in our part of the city it is quiet till about 9 but in the outer suburbs it is all go at 6.30!

Madrid’s airport is the second largest in Europe and I needed a train to get to my gate. So efficient. No delays and very well organised boarding. My seat companion was Elena from Woodend in Victoria and we hit it off immediately. How lucky? She had been visiting Spain with her husband who is a French Australian,working on a project in Kuwait with a Spanish team. Very international. She was a musician, high school career advisor, budding potter and painter. We had lots in common and the flight went quickly.

She was only in Abu Dhabi for a couple of hours but I had a 14 hour stopover. We parted ways and I opted for the airport transit hotel. It was more expensive than I expected but the luxury of a bed, private ensuite, TV , wifi and tea making facilities was worth it. Especially when I emerged at 4 am to find bodies slung over chairs and across the floors.

I grabbed a breakfast and then did some exploring. When I found a waiting lounge and a chair I was only there for awhile before Airport staff came by and closed the lounge and sent us all off! I went in search of a lounger seat and eventually found one where I settled to read and nap. As boarding time neared I headed down the very long corridor to my gate, got settled and proceeded to wait. Once again we were all roused to leave the lounge so that we could all have our carry on checked for liquids and aerosols before returning to the lounge area.

I am getting hungry again but will wait for the plane. They have been giving me Gluten free meals this flight which have been good. Not long now!

Previous visits to Madrid had not allowed enough time for art galleries so I was determined to squeeze them in this time. Madrid is a city of arts and galleries and really you need a much longer time than I have to really make the most if it.

I was up early and Peter and I headed for the Prado. Wonderful and overwhelming at the same time. We did a self guided tour ( meaning we walked back and forth missing and then finding, our special paintings!). It was a sensory explosion. We decided we had seen a lot of medieval religious art over the month so we only gave that area a cursory look. Still one painting from that era has stuck with me. It seemed so fresh and modern but was from the 12th C. Lots to see but after 2.30 hrs we were done. There is only so much you can absorb. Peter and I headed off to revive with fresh air and ice creams.

We needed to meet up with Karen and Andy at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery. I had been here before but as they were only just starting their visit, ( they had been waylayed by a couple they met at a cafe) Peter and I went in for another art bath. This is a more modern collection with impressionists and Renoir and Jackson Pollock to name a few. It was also interesting and inspiring for me. About 1.30 hrs later I was starving and needed a break.

We were all hungry now and brain dead! I wanted to wash some clothes I needed for the return trip so I was eager to get back to the apartment. We only have one set of keys so keeping tabs on each other was needed. Andy wasn’t hungry but we found an Indian restaurant close by and had a massive lunch. I should have shared the plate because I had indigestion all afternoon.

Although I was ready for a nap we decided to play our last game of cards. I have become pretty competent over the last few weeks and gone from a regular loser to a frequent winner. By 7pm the washing was done and out drying( thank you Madrid for turning on a nice 27 C finish), we headed off to the Reina Sofia Muséum to see Picasso’s Guernica. That was my final wish and then a snack and bed!

Trying to find the exit was a bit of a challenge. We can find our way across Spain but not out of the Gallery! Flashes of my experience in Kyoto station came to me. Once again we headed back to our apartment but we were looking for an ATM so I could withdraw some money to pay my share of the car. It seemed like I would be thwarted as there were none to be found and when we did, it was out of order. A bit like this trip. Haha!

Of course there turned out to be more than one and all was sorted. Close to home stopped for a light dinner and drink to mark the end of the trip. It was light and tasty but with tiredness plus indigestion from lunch, by the time I got to the top of the stairs at the flat I was desperate and hurrying Andy to get the three locks(!) open because I was about to vomit. I felt ghastly and was scared it might go on and on. I vomited on my hair too( damn long hair) so I needed a bath and hair wash.

I ventured upstairs to our public bath but found there was a modesty screen provided at least. Standing up was out of the question so it was a sit down shower in the bath. I don’t think Peter will cope!

I went to bed with queasy stomach but slept and was fine in the morning. What a relief. Called the Uber and I was off for my marathon journey home. Farewell Madrid , I hope to return.