A Start in New York

A early start to the day on the Heathrow Express from Paddington to terminal 4. Finally on our way at 11:00 am for New York. Seven hours to JFK airport. We got through immigration and customs within an hour and wihtout any problems.

We met Giovanni at the sublet apartment studio at 344 E. 85th Street and settled in followed with a walk around the neighbourhood and shopping for food. We then crashed for about ten hours sleep.

A two hour sight seeing bus tour of Manhattan was a good introduction for Karen. The only problem was, there was light rain - not good for an open-top double-decker bus.

The Guggenheim Museum was a nice finish to the day. The main exhibition was a collection of drawings, paintings, concept sketches & models, cardboard relief models, and cardboard, acrylic, wood and metal models of the architect, Zaha Hadid. Her work is incrediable and all over the world. It was a really exciting experience for me.

The other feature exhibition was the work of Lucio Fontana. You know the "cuts in the blank canvas". However much of the large works were with sheets of metal.

Time Square was good to experience again and the big surprise was the change in the quality of food. We also received some good news about Dave. He has been accepted for an overseas Uni student exchange in the Netherlands.

By good fortune we came across a poster advertising a art exhibition 'ART&AIDS 25 Years' outside a building in Chelsea, on our way to a cruse on the Hudson. We were noticed by someone involved and we were invited to attend the exhibition opening that night.

The Circle Cruise down to the Statue of Liberty and back to Pier 83 on W42nd Street, was relaxing and enjoyable. A good way to get a panaramic vew of New York.

Last Day In London

The National Portrait Gallery was our first stop on our last day in London. The exhibition 'David Hockney Portraits' opened a few day ago which is real bonus. Hockney is perhaps my favorite English living artist. His ability to draw with real expression and character is outstanding and seeing over 150 original works from when he was seventeen years old to 2006 confirmed this for me. Julie, Leigh and John, you were constantly in my thoughts - shame!

The last experience in London was a visit to Kensington Palace. Before we looked through the palace we had a delightful lunch in the Orangery in the palace gardens. As well as the Royal apartments there was an exhibition of photographs of Princess Diana alongside a selection of her evening dresses. The large black & white photographs were stunning.
We are off to New York tomorrow (Monday).

Cotswolds and Oxford

Travelled to Oxford by train (two hours), picked up a car and then on to Blenheim Palace. This was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and owned and lived in by the Duke of Marlborough.

Oxford to Stretton on Fosse
We discovered that the word 'fosse' means 'Old Roman Road'. Stretton a village is right in the middle of the Cotswolds. Dinner at the village pub and a walk home through the village, without any street lights, to a big warm bed.

Our first stop for the day, Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare's birthplace and death place. Stratford was a very strange experience. In the main street there was Mop Fair in the form of Side Show Alley at the Ekka. Trivial question for you all - What is a Mop Fair?

Tea in the Swan Inn and then off to Ann Hathaway's cottage and we discovered the origin of the words and phrases: 'turn the tables', 'the board' and 'chairman of the board'. All from the same 'object'. Second trivial question for you all - What is a 'board'?

We then drove on through the hedge divided fields on narrow country roads to Hidcote Manor Garden considered one of England's great gardens. Very delightful and inspiring. I have now developed plans to establish some of the ideas at Everton Park, room permitting.

Back to Stretton on Fosse and dinner at the village pub for a second night.

After our second full English breakfast we left Stretton-on-Fosse for Stow-on-the-Wold and the Farmer's Market. Beautiful local produce including Brie, venison, bread, fruit & vedge. We walked around for about an hour and then we moved onto Lower Slaughter. After morning tea we walked to Upper Slaughter and back across several fields. The local community, like many at this time, were celebrating the 'harvest' at St Peters, the local church. Experiencing Upper and Lower Slaughter was perhaps the highlight of the Cotswolds.

Bourton-on-the-Water was the next Cotswold experience and afternoon tea. A very beautiful and old village with a 'perfumery' and interesting antique shops.

The B&B for the night was at Shipton-under-Wychwood and dinner at a seven-hundred year old pub, The Shaven Crown. Unbelievable!

Shipton-under-Wychwood to Oxford with a stop at Witney, a small town just outside Oxford. More of a Georgian town and with a market square.

The Royal Oxford Hotel was our stay for the night after exploring this city of university colleges. We had a walk through Trinity College and looked at the other twenty or so. The history of learning in this place is incredible. I kept hearing Neal Nuske behind me delivering philosophical meanings of creation.

The Covered Markets was an interesting place with fresh produce, meats and cafes. Lots of cakes and baguettes filled with healthy bits. Difficult to find 'grease' food except for the occasional chips and McDonalds.

TATE Modern

We started out at about 10:30 on our way to the Tate Modern, stopping on the way to see Buchingham Palace and have a chat to Liz. Walked through The Green Park, and supprise, the 'changing of the guard' had just started. Traditional, serious, and at times quite comical, however a wonderful spectical to see.

When we arrived at the Tate Modern it was time for sometning to eat and drink, at about 2:00 pm. What a building! It's a converted power station. The art spaces are are beautifuly 'clean' and the ceilings hights range from about five meters to thirty meters.

A dimily lit room with nine hugh Mark Rothko paintings, Warhol, Duchamp and so on. A highlight was my favourite Picaso painting, 'Weeping Woman'. There were also works by Donald JUDD and Carl Andre (firebricks) - have a look at the website.
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/

Quote of the day from a BBC commentator referring to a Graham Norton drug scandal. Said it was just "a storm in a coffee table".

Notting Hill and the National Gallery

Our second day in London was at a very easy pace.
In the morning we walked to Portobello Road markets at Notting Hill. (You know the movie). Wonderful experience especially the World Travel Bookshop.

Then in the afternoon we went into Piccadilly Circus and the National Gallery. The two major exhibitions primarily from the Nation Gallery collection were 'Manet to Picasso' http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/collection/features/manettopicasso/default.htm and
'Cezanne in Britain' http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/cezanne/default.htm. They were wonderful. Karen had to pinch herself when she saw some of the works. We also had a look a few other works we had seen before. e.g. The Witon Dypitch and the The Arnolfini Portrait.

Our First Day in London

Our first day in London started at 6:30 at the airport after 22 hours on a plane. The rain or sleet fell all day while we had a look at London on the BIG BUS and then walked through Hyde Park back to our hotel a block from Paddington station and a block from Hyde Park. We had forgotten the incredible amount of history in London. The bus tour lasted for about two and a half hours and way the best reintroduction to London. Karen crashed at about 4pm and I went down to one of the local PUBS for a few drinks with the locals. I the crashed and we both slept for about 12 hours.

Fenoglio Travel

We arrived at Ghangi (Singapore)a little weary. Good flight and great movies. We have spent the Singapore dollars which our dear friend Sue gave us at Brizzie airport. This is a lovely clean airport and very easy to navigate, except it's the size of Southbank in Brizzie. Very happy - they make coffee on soy and the internet is free!
Will write again when we arrive in London.

The Travel Itinerary

London - New York - Italy
here we come!

THURSDAY QANTAS AIRWAYS FLIGHT QF 51
05 OCT 06 - DEPART - BRISBANE INTL 1355

05 OCT 06 - ARRIVE - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A 1950

When we get to Singapore we hope to freshen up at the Ambassador Transit Hotel pool. Four hour stopover.

THURSDAY QANTAS AIRWAYS FLIGHT QF 31
05 OCT 06 - DEPART - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A 2359

06 OCT 06 - ARRIVE - LONDON/HEATHROW,,GB 0645

Express train from the airport to Paddington Station and a 2 minute walk to our hotel: Westpoint Hotel. 170 - 174 Sussex Gardens, Tel: 00110207 224 9114, and a 5 minute walk to Hyde Park. On the third night we see the musical Evita in the Strand. Then off to the Cotswolds for five days.

Back in London at the Westpoint Hotel for two nights and then we go to New York.

MONDAY BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT BA175
16 OCT 06 - DEPART - LONDON/HEATHROW 1025

16 OCT 06 - ARRIVE - NEW YORK/JOHN F KENNEDY 1255

In New York we are staying in a Sublet.com apartment in the Upper East side a few blocks from the Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of art, Whitney Museum of American Art and Central Park.
ACCOMMODATION: 344 E. 85th Street, Apartment 4B (tel: 0011-1-212-717-0541)

On the second day we will have a free Big Apple Greeter tour of the area.
Wednesday 19 October we have tickets to the musical, The Color Purple in Broadway.

MONDAY BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT BA 112
23 OCT 06 - DEPART - NEW YORK/JOHN F KENNEDY 1825

24 OCT 06 - ARRIVE - LONDON/HEATHROW,,GB 0625

Then off to Italy.

TUESDAY BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT BA 572
24 OCT 06 - DEPART - LONDON/HEATHROW 0750

24 OCT 06 - ARRIVE - MILAN/MALPENSA ARPT,,IT 1045

We have two nights in Milan at the Hotel Serena Via Boscovich 59, Milan 20124.
Tel 0011 39 0 22 9404483.

Then by train to Torino and for the first three nights we will be staying at Moncanino B&B (signor Antonetto and his wife, signora Bianco), Via Moncanino 21, San Mauro, Tel: 0011 39 0 339 4115932

I have a second cousin there, Eraldo Fenoglio, Via Torino 131, 10099 San Mauro Torinese, Tel. 0118223950

29, 30, 31 October, 1, & 2 November, OPEN to travel in the countryside of Piedmonte.

We have two nights back in Milan before we fly home on Sunday 5th November.

SUNDAY BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT BA 569
05 NOV 06 - DEPART - MILAN/LINATE ARPT 1855
05 NOV 06 - ARRIVE - LONDON/HEATHROW,,GB 2000

SUNDAY QANTAS AIRWAYS FLIGHT QF 10
05 NOV 06 - DEPART - LONDON/HEATHROW 2200

06 NOV 06 - ARRIVE - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A 1835

MONDAY QANTAS AIRWAYS FLIGHT QF 52
06 NOV 06 - DEPART - SINGAPORE/CHANGI INTL A 2110

07 NOV 06 - ARRIVE - BRISBANE/BRISBANE INTL 0645