My hosts here at a Welwyn Garden City (with whom I share an ancestor or two) took me to a wonderful local museum today. The special exhibition was a collection of frocks, photographs and some memorabilia belonging to the late Dame Barbara Cartland - a local! Needless to say pink was well represented in a variety of shades, patterns and variations on a theme. It really WAS her colour. Other exhibits included Roman coins excavated at a nearby building site and artifacts representing wartime WGC. A great folk museum but the main attraction was the working mill. The guide started the mill running by opening the sluice gates and then showed us how the mechanism worked to grind the grain. A fascinating place to visit and the flour is used by local bakers and breadmakers.

Yesterday, the non-arrival of the ordered taxi was clearly a portent that Nora Bone ought not venture out this day. Hailed a passing cab in the absence of our own. Driver (almost gleefully) announced in Dutch there were NO trains leaving the Hague central station for Schiphol airport due to snow on the track. We suspected he was inching to drive us ALL the way...optimistically hopped out to await the train. Yes there were delays, but not cancellations so it arrived 15 minutes late. Fortunately had allowed plenty of time but anxiety levels really only lifted once we were underway. At the airport all seemed well enough...plane scheduled to leave as planned...then:-
1. Plane departure postponed half an hour
2. Change of Departure Gate - merge of 3 flights into 1
3. Announcement: Ladies and Gentlemen (pause) Unfortunately, due to the weather there is a delay of an hour and a half before we can take off because of the backlog. We will serve refreshments shortly.
4. Announcement : Ladies and Gentlemen (pause) Unfortunately, due to a catering shortfall we are 20% short of food. If anyone would like to forego their snack we would be most grateful. Loaves and fishes I'm afraid.
5. Announcement : Ladies and Gentlemen we hope those of you who had a snack enjoyed your meal. Unfortunately, due to heavy traffic at Heathrow we may be further delayed but will let you know as soon as possible.
6. Plane departed routine 40 minute flight. Plane landed.
7. Announcement: Unfortunately, due to a lack of grit on the stand there will be a delay...of...more than half an hour...but less than an hour...
8. Announcement: Ladies and Gentlemen (pause) Unfortunately,(universal passenger groan) due to our navigation equipment being turned off we have not parked at the stand correctly. Please resume your seats and I would remind you that as the engines are still running, DO NOT USE YOUR MOBILE PHONE. The cabin crew informs me that SOME of you are making calls!!!
9. Announcement: ...Unfortunately, we are just awaiting a ladder and coaches to convey you to the terminal.
10. Allellujah! Off that (expletive) plane at last.
11. Baggage carousel. Announcement: Passengers from Amsterdam flight blah blah blah your bags are on carousel 2...5...2...1...2 (yes a good half hour spent dodging pyramids of abandoned suitcases)
12. Finally bags and self reunited some six and a half hours later.
All over a bit of 'weather'...blimey!

Monday was brilliant sunshine and blue skies, again with the evidence of more snow falls during the night. With the lifting of the fog we could see the full extent of Salzburg's environs - Alps in the distance - and once again we were in awe of the natural beauty of this city - even in winter! Our tour guide for 'The Sound of Music' experience - a local - exclaimed that despite doing the tour daily, this was one time when he wished he'd brought his camera. Our four hour trip took in many significant locations featured in the film as well as the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut region some distance from town.
There were many Kodak moments!! Once back we had a final exploration of old Salzburg, before catching the train back to Wien.
Gathering my thoughts in the lobby of the ominously named Hotel Albatross, I couldn't help eavesdropping on a conversation between a Canadian guest and reception staff. Something about the hair dryer not working. Receptionist pointed out "There's a red BOTTOM you know. You have to turn IT on before you adjust the dryer control..."
Hummed the Harry Lime theme as we rotated then one last exhibition before flying back to Amsterdam.

During the night there were heavy snowfalls which continued throughout the day. This did not deter Averil, Ross and me from trekking in the snow to the top of Hohensalzburg fortress, begun in 1077 and expanded over the centuries until 1495. We took a guided tour and learned of the Archbishop princes and various moments of historical significance. One fascinating legend was that during a siege, although desperately short of food, they paraded a cow in front of the enemy. The next day they painted it another colour and paraded it again so the belief went out that there was plenty of food inside and the besiegers departed in frustration.
We explored the fortress for most of the day whilst snow fell continuously. Visibility was relatively short-range (we knew there were alps out there somewhere) but the unique atmosphere and beauty was at every turn as the snow blanketed every surface -selves included!
On our return walk back to the hotel as the light gradually faded I experienced a typical Norabonesque moment. These are occasions when I haplessly, clumsily draw attention to myself for all the wrong reasons. Another such moment occurred once at a Boynton family function. I was waltzing with boynton's father when, at a crucial moment I accidentally began to 'lead'. Instead of going with the counter-clockwise flow, my clockwise steps saw me spin awkwardly and end up flat on my back with both shoes flying off. One of boynton's sister's exclaimed: "Nora! I wish I'd had my video camera."
This time, walking a little ahead of Ross and Averil, my otherwise faultless tramping boots lost their grip in the snow. As I frantically tried to disengage both gloved hands from my coat pockets, I fell to my knees then: Boof! Face fully shoved into snow. As I STILL couldn't get my hands out of my pockets, there I stayed...flapping my wings, giggling helplessly as the ice packed my face and I imagined how it must look to my compatriots - mercifully the ONLY witnesses. Finally one gloved hand out, then the other I quickly jumped up and nonchalantly brushed off the snow. R & A were far more restrained than I'd have been. Averil did point out however, that in the hole where I'd landed she had observed the imprint of my nose.

Our long weekend in Austria was off to a cold early start as we departed Amsterdam 7.25am on Saturday. Not far from our destination, the announcement of the temperature in Wien of -9C induced an exchange of horrified looks. When we did arrive however, there was glorious sunshine and blue sky. Emerging from the U-bahn at Stephansplatz we were awe struck by the beauty of Wien's grand old buildings and monuments. Remnants of snow were lying about, the air was sharp and crisp as locals and tourists blended in a somewhat exclusive retail area. After shopping for the obligatory gore-tex jacket for Ross we then went to see an exhibition at the Leopold Museum. This contained mostly works of Austrian artists working in the late 19th and early 20th century. We spent the remainder of the day exploring the Museum quarter of Vienna prior to our 4 hour train journey to Salzburg - in a warm, cozy compartment. Our hotel, 'Via Roma' was quite convenient to public transport and walking distance to the old town.

My current bedside reading material contains the following oft-quoted passage: `When I was nine, my mother gave all my books to the Salvation Army. I was distraught. "But you've read them, Barry," laughed my mother, as if it were the height of self-indulgence to retain books after a first perusal. "I hope you're not going to grow up to be a selfish little boy." Sadly, I did.' Ahhh!
What I'm most enjoying though is the way it parallels the other autobiography 'More Please' which I'd recently re-read.

Pub trivia. Our 'local' which serves Strong Bow on tap and is literally a few hundred metres stumbling distance from the apartment was hosting 'International Trivia' on Tuesday evening. As three of the four paws of 'Barry the Cat' we took on the world. The competition was fierce. The host, a frustrated DJ interspersed music at every available opportunity. Not good. Not Dave. Not Jim. Not even Leon. A sign of the boredom levels were the third degree burns appearing at tables all around as participants played with the hot wax on their melting candles. Ours was no exception. We were never really 'challenged' until the round devoted exclusively to hits of 2003 arrived at which point we took an even greater interest in the candle. Not a total disgrace though as Ross and Averil came up with a correct answer each. No point on dwelling on the final result (we was robbed) but thanks to Ross's lucky ticket and my fortuitous selection we won the 'Star Prize' a 50 Euro voucher to spend at the 'ex pat' shop. Not to be put off we might try an alternative venue tonight...

Not all the streets of Den Haag are safe! Strolling around the retail centre today I was shocked to see these lurking outside an otherwise benign shopping outlet. A warning: Never make eye contact!!

Today we took a guided tour through the Peace Palace, located a short tram ride away from the apartment. The tour was interesting and informative, as the guide discussed Tsar Nicholas II's peace imperative in the late 1880's. He was apparently feeling a bit 'jittery' after the unification of Italy and Germany and the Palace was built as a venue for peaceful negotiations between states. Many of the features of the palace are donations from various countries, from mosaic floors to stained glass windows and even a solid oak ceiling held together by dove-tail joints.
In the meantime I have discovered via boynton that
Your are Dorothy Parker - a cute little smart-ass,
armed with rapier wit and agile hands. You run
with the foremost minds of your generation.
You are appreciated in your own time, as well
as after your death.


Which Dead Poet Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Yup.

My introduction to Den Haag today was accompanied by sunshine so we made our way to the beach with overcoats, scarves and a goodly proportion of the town's population. It was the place to be. En route we watched ice skating beside a canal, walked to the Centrum station and caught the tram to the beach. Walking along the beach was like a who's who where I even caught sight of somewhat timid version of Bronte. The only ones voluntarily swimming in the North Sea were black labrodors! An acrobatic miniature poodle revealed an impressive urinating technique of standing on it's two front legs and pivoting with both back legs in the air, like a rotating lawn sprinkler.

The streetscapes around here make me feel like I'm on the set of a Jacques Tati film. I have already heard a guy chatting on a mobile with excerpt: "ce soir?... Voulez-vous?" but with my abysmal French he was probably talking about hiring a video. Hah! Other noteworthy clichés observed: man striding down street wearing a beret with a baguette tucked under his arm...canine relieving itself outside hotel lobby. Can't work out which quarter I'm in but it has a fantastic ambiance.

Best T-shirt slogan seen today: "To lah or not to lah that is the question in Malaysia."

Flight to Singapore was without event other than the very public vomit by a kiddie on the check-in conveyor belt at Tulla airport. Enormous restraint shown by the hundred or so observers, including self. Tuning in to a local TV news channel my attention was caught by this exhibition but my squeemish sensibilities will probably propel me in this direction, in the few hours I have left here.
Another "news" item was a Japanese electronic device designed for people to pre-determine their dreams. With a combination of music, aromas, and as the gal in the item showed, a photo of he of whom you wish to dream...the devise chugs away as you sleep...
Then there was the local "Singapore Song" competition where young people have been encouraged to write and record the consumate anthem. My personal favourite entitled "Rap Lah" extolled the virtues of low crime, good education and a corruption-free government. Chorus : "Oh like that lah! Oh like this lah!"

Bags are packed...and I've heeded the advice "We can't stress enough how COLD it is right now." I have dutifully purchased boots, socks, thermals and dusted off the jacket. This leaves just enough room for a few essential items for my ex pat hosts.
One last task was to stock up on products for the ones left behind...

Chatting to a relative about my destination - Den Haag - she urged me to visit the gallery with 'The Girl with a pearl earring' - which inspired the novel by Tracy Chevalier referencing some of Vermeer's paintings which inspired the movie which inspired the truman music clip. Where does one start?...or stop?

Driving around today half listening to 774 Grandstand broadcasting from Adelaide. The commentator (name unknown) had Kerry O'Keeffe on the line to announce his commentary had been voted 'best of the series' for an exchange that went something like this:
Kerry: (Australian cricketer) is playing like a triple scotch.
Harsha: Ah Kerry. By that you mean he's playing a bit stiffly...blah blah blah...So Kerry, how many stiffies would you have in a night?
(TEN SECONDS OF EXPLOSIVE LAUGHTER)
Kerry: Well I'm 54 Harsha. I'll be diplomatic here and say...one.
Harsha: As soon as I said it I was wondering how you were going to handle that...
(MORE EXPLOSIVE LAUGHTER)
After the playback unknown commentator mentioned the dangers of giving Kerry an inch to which he replied "Yeah I'll always grab it." followed by that diabolical laugh.

In the throes of preparing for a trip to Europe, I was searching the London Underground website for the most convenient way to get from Heathrow to Relatives (somewhere in East London).