St. Denis, Reunion

Next morning, April 4. we were already at a port in Reunion, which is a French overseas department. As a curiosity I can tell you that here in this tiny island in the Indian Ocean, the new currency, then over 10 years ago, Euro was introduced as first in the world. I had booked an excursion to the capital of the island, St.Denis.
After arrival there I however as always did choose my own ways, leaving the group.
I was after getting map criscrossing the city of 120,000 inhabitants ( whole Reunion about 800,000 ). I fell in love with St.Denis. Here I could live the rest of my life !!It just was so symphatetic and nice. I then found a fine looking restaurant
" Roland Garros ", which was named after a local WWI pilot hero. His bronce statue of 1;1 size about was standing nearby. I ordered a boef de tartar, a great delicasy of mine, and got the best ever. Very pretty young lady served me, and I hoped I could have stayed longer. The whole thing with chips, salad and a garaffe of red wine
was all together 19,80 euros.
Goodbye St.Denis ! Maybe we'll see again ?

Mauritius, Ile aux Cerfs

Mauritius was all about I had been thinking. Beautiful island, lots of possibilities to try to do, great hotels, gorgeous beaches and friendly people. We were there just at the end of Summer season but were lucky with the weather, which still at the arrival in the morning did not look very promising with heavy rains. But when we reached our excursion goal Ile aux Cerfs, said to be one of the most beautiful beaches of the world, the sun was gayly smiling from the cloudless sky. We, a part of the cruise guests, about 100, enjoyed these moments of our life absolutely fully.
We stayed there for five hours having also a marvellous barbeque buffet with exotic salads. Then back to the ship againa.

Bali,(Indonesia), Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi (Malaysia)

After leaving Australia we had three sunny days at sea before mooring outside Bali
on a slightly rainy day. I spent a couple of hours at Sanur Beach, which had changed
again a lot since my last visit four years ago.
We also made just a few hours visit two days later to KL, where I spend my time walking on the streets, which I did not know. And of course I found a nice place with magnificent view over the city in the "Sky Bar" at 33rd floor of "Traders Hotel".
Next days short visit at Langkawi was pleasant with a couple of cold beers at a beach bar.
Now we have seven days at sea, before Mauritius.
Most probably I continue my blog first when back at home. I've spent until now over 300 English pounds into this very slow machine. And it's enough.
I'll be back in Helsinki on April 28.

Adelaide and Freemantle, Australia

On March 13. I spent 3 hours in Adelaide . First with the train from the Outer Harbor
to the center, a couple of glases vine, some walking and back to the ship.
Two days later we arrived to Freemantle, which was a charming town.
There I was much more active, visiting beautiful Maritime Museum. There I saw "Australia II", which after heavy fight did win "Americas Cup" 1983, and some other famous sailing boats.Later I found The "Shipwreck Museum" where a part of Dutch merchant ship "Batavia" from 17th century with a lot of silver coins and other found articles were on show. A lot of walking and a absolutely sunny day.

Melbourne, Australia

After Sydney one day at sea, and then a typical day in Melbourne. I took a tram ride to city center from quite near to the ship, and jumped out somewhere at Collins street and took correctly my way to the South. I arrived to Melbourne Aquarium and decided to get in. It was partly as The Great Barrier Reef added with some sharks and stingrays around and above you. I then crossed river Yarra. It did not take long before I was sitting at a nice river bank bar looking at people strolling by.
Later in the evening I had a wonderful evening with my new friends from Adelaide.

Sydney , Australia

Last Friday morning we were passing very early in the morning Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge at sun rise to get our place at the center of everything, at the quay of the Rocks. I started my own tour on the streets of Rocks to find the Billich Gallery, where I did buy 1998 some beautiful graphics of women bodies with personal greetings of the artist Mr. Billich himself. I found their new much bigger gallery of three storeys, the whole old house. Mr. Billich was in China, where he is very succesful being the official artist of Beijing 2008 Olympics. His exhibition was marvellous but so were the prices too. He is at moment one of the most famous painters of contemporary art in Australia.
I then enjoyed a pint of beer at a local German restaurant, walked to the other side of the bay to visit the Opera house. I took some pictures before stopping in a nearby
harbourview restaurant for excellent oysters and vine.
Later I decided to take a ferry to Darling Harbour. When waiting for the ferry and later at the ferry I was talking with two very beautiful young girls from Sweden, Lisa and Mimmi, whose roots were in Porvoo, Finland.
When strolling in Darling I was invited to join in a bunch of young people in their thirties, and one lady said "yksi, kaksi, kolme" 1,2,3 in Finnish and I did ansver "ett, tva, tre" in Swedish the same. And she really was orginally from Sweden but living 14 years in Sydney.
Later on board at the Globe bar ( my favourit ) I got company of two younger Australian couples from Adelaide, who wanted me to celebrate with them the birthday of one of the ladies. We had a happy dancing night, the best on the trip until now.

Brisbane, Australia

After one day at sea we today arrived to Brisbane. I left the ship when I could, and took a free shuttle to the city. It took 45 minutes to the commercial center. The day was sunny 26C, ideal to stroll on the streets and to stop for some drinks at the street bars. I liked the city very much, and the time (5 hours)went very quickly before I had to be back on board again,