Friday 23 September 2011

What I did on your Summer Vacation - September 23. I went to South Korea, Madrid, San Sebastian in Spain and Biarritz in France, just for starters...



If you're looking for my #RomanticFridayWriter story, it's here today.

Well I know you guys in the Northern Hemp are saying goodbye to summer's tornadoes and floods and saying hello to winter's snows and winds, but down here in the Southern Hemp we're just saying goodbye to winter's beautiful weather and hello to spring which is actually like summer already. So I had to do a think about Michael's Summer Blogfest, but then, aha, I remembered I actually visited the Northern Hemp this summer, so let's grab out a few of the, ahem 30,000 or so pics and post them! Done!

My followers would know that during the southern winter, northern summer, I travelled to Spain, France - (country and Paris), Andorra and Morocco. I'll post a few pics from each country. I must say except for Spain and Morocco, summer seemed to be strangely absent. It was the same temperature in Paris' summer when we flew out as it was in Australia's winter when we landed at Brisbane airport.


First stop, Seoul, South Korea. Always strange not to see bright blue skies. Here is Songdu City, a new satellite city out of Seoul, where everything is new, green, and strangely empty. I was intrigued how they prop up their trees. Must be a story to that, maybe simply very strong winds.


One of those lucky breaks - happened on The Walk of the Royal Family at Incheon Airport. The South Korean national dress is gorgeous. Pity I can't show more, but...


Welcome to Madrid, Spain, the gypsies sang! They were just so great I stood for ages and listened, clapped and smiled. And yes, Alex, I gave them money!


Blue skies again you'll note! We just happened on a multicultural food and music festival in the Grand Square of Madrid. Here a Bolivian band struts their stuff. Madrid is alive with music! All day, all night! The people own their city!


Did I tell you the Bolivians are tres colourful? We were really blessed to be part of this festival with like a million or so others. Was very hot summer weather so these guys must have been frying. We enjoyed strolling around drinking real cidre (cider).


Watching the flamenco dancers in sumptuous settings and eating sumptuous tapas and drinking sumptuous wine was a treat just up the street from our hotel in Madrid. Went on into the early hours of the morning, then we had to pick up a hire car and get ready to drive north to San Sebastian , heading into France via Biarritz and Bordeaux.

I think I've used up my quota for this 'fest and I didn't even get out of Spain. Never mind, you can always check them out on my other blogs. I've left links to more below, but really, I haven't even started yet!


Ah, what the heck! One more. It is a summer blogfest after all, so I'll leave you with a photo of the carpark at the stupendous hotel we stayed at in San Sebastian, looking north to Biarritz and France. Woo hoo, here I come!


And in case you're too busy/lazy/uninspired to check out my snaps on my travel and Paris blogs, I just want to tell you Biarritz, France, is drop-dead gorgeous! Can see why it used to be a surfie mecca in a past life. It's just being regenerated now and regaining some of its past glory.


And we haven't even gone to Morocco  yet! Well it's hard to beat this for a summer pic. On top of the Sahara Desert in Morocco looking towards Algeria (7 hours by camel) with my 2 Berber guides and smelly, snorty camels who're no fun really to ride, but boy is it a great experience to see the sunset after the climb! I've already posted some Morocco pics on L'Aussie Travel and have just posted more on my Saharan Desert climb. I've just downloaded this memory stick and are there ever some stunners here!

All photos are private. Please enjoy but don't steal. See my copyright warning! 

If you've really enjoyed my pics, I've been posting photo essays on both my L'Aussie Travel Blog and Pichets in Paris blog since returning from my travels. Go there for more deliciousness if you wish.

30 comments:

ruth.the.writer said...

Looks like a wonderful trip! Great pictures!

Anonymous said...

Wow! What an awesome vacation you had. Thanks for sharing he pictures with us. People in Southeast Asia dress so cool I think.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Love the photos they are wonderful

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Denise,

These are GREAT! I love you guys with the camel in the desert. Also, you are so right, Biarritz is stunning.

Thanks so much for sharing you summer vacation with us!

I must check out you other stunning photos at you other blogs the first chance I get.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Denise .. lovely tour - thanks .. great to see the Bolivians in Madrid .. interesting. I love San Sebastien .. and the drive through the mountains, as well as Biarritz. Never been to Morocco - one day! Loved the post - cheers Hilary

Bast said...

I wish I knew you were in South Korea. It would have been cool to meet a fellow blogger. I've never been to Songdu though. I live about an hour south of Seoul.

notesfromnadir said...

How fun to see such a variety of cultures. Maybe the trees need propping up to grow straight?

What a place to see the Royal Family--I was chuckling at the cosmetics & coffee shops in the background!

Good transition going from Korea to Spain yet the characters above the restaurant are Asian!

Looking forward to seeing more photos!

Alex Mullarky said...

Beautiful pictures!

Julie Hedlund said...

Wow! What an amazing trip! I definitely need to check out your other blog so I can read more about it. Thanks for sharing your amazing photos.

Sarah Tokeley said...

I love your travel pictures, they make the world seem so exciting :-)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Wonderful photos, Denise! The Spanish are so colorful.

Nicki Elson said...

These pictures are amazing. How cool you caught that walk in the airport in South Korea! Glad to see you enjoyed NH summer. Now get out there and enjoy it in the SH. :)

Anonymous said...
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Hart Johnson said...

Oh, you're so lucky! That looks like a great trip! Good variety, too.

Golden Eagle said...

Wonderful pictures! :) They're all so colorful.

Anonymous said...

Great pics! I'll carry your baggage for you next time.

erica and christy said...

Wow. That's a pretty amazing photo journey. Hope you really enjoyed it!!
erica

Sophia Chang said...

Wow...and some people thought MY summer was neat :D

Simply gorgeous photos!!

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

Found you from a link on The Writer Revived. I think I may be a little too jealous to comment. ;)

Lydia Kang said...

What lovely pictures! Funny to see pictures of Korea (my family is Korean) on here. That's not a common place to see on travel blog posts!

Unknown said...

How lucky that you got to see the Walk of the Royal Family! I forgot to mention in my post that we arrived at the Eden Project just in time to see Prince Charles and Camilla coming to visit! Must go back to my post and add that video... Thanks for reminding me!

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

Happy Holiday Snaps = Great Holiday! Good to see a few more shots of the big break! ;)

BTW: where's your Campaigner challenge?

best
F

Anonymous said...

Obviously you had a wonderful trip! Gorgeous photographs. I love every one of them!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror, A Memoir of Shattered Secrets

dolorah said...

I enjoyed your travel posts and pictures, and these were just as awesome. Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with us.

........dhole

Unknown said...

Oh those pictures. Denise....you make me want to travel!

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Rule of Three Writers' Blogfest!

N. R. Williams said...

Beautiful pictures. Nice to be able to enjoy them online.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium

Anonymous said...

Now that's a vacation! Sounds like a heap of fun. :) I'd love to stow away in your suitcase for a trip like that! LOL

LOVE the pic of you on the camel. The guy on the right looks like he'd be a hoot. :)

Denise Covey said...

Hi all! I'm glad you liked your virtual trip. It was certainly fab. Thanks for visiting and commenting.

Denise

Lisa Potts said...

Lucky, lucky girl! Love the camel pic and the beach looks fabulous. Hoping your spring and summer aren't as hot as the ones we just got finished with.

Denise Covey said...

Lisa: Well they're promising us a hot summer, but so far Spring is glorious so we can only hope we don't get swept away with floods again.

Denise