Vienna's best breads

Europe sets the standard for good, wholesome, hearty breads. And Vienna is upping the 'brot' ante for the comeback of artisan bread. Too long now has Vienna loafed around with heavily, commercially manufactured bread and now it looks for a slice of the crusty good life.

The renaissance of small bakeries in Vienna is full on - here are a couple of snaps taken around the back streets where the aroma of freshly baked bread drew me into the bakery for a bun or two.
www.austria.info/au

I was taken around the city bakeries by 'Brot Andi', Andreas Djordjevic, an institution in Vienna. Andreas is in charge of the bread cart in the two Michelin-starred Steirereck, the best restaurant in Vienna. The restaurant is divine with the most beautiful ceiling, amazing food styling - and flavour of course - and then there's the brot . . . .

Flying high in Switzerland

After a couple of lazy days in Switzerland's most charming city,I catch the ferry from Lucerne along the lake to Alpnachstad and for the thrill of the day head for the world’s steepest cogwheel railway – it’s fantastic! you are pulled up almost vertically through the clouds and then the sun shines as we alight after seeing the entire mountain experience of Heidi. Ticking off 2132m above sea level, it’s time for a cuppa, on the Pilatus Kulm peak. Looking around at 73 mountain peaks within photographing distance I enjoy pure mountain air and . . . the strains of an oompah band at the restored hotel on top of the world.

 

 

Saturated with sun and a-grade ozone, I headed for the next mode of transport. The aerial cableway opened its doors and we began the gentle swoop into the nothingness of a cheeky cloud that wouldn’t budge. Left it behind and enjoyed seeing Lake Lucerne and its shoreline perimeters; graded mountain sides; eagles diving and a winding go-cart that looked like a lot of fun track going down the mountain.

The airborne finale was the trip in a gondola to Kriens, where I ambled through the suburbs, and caught the number 1 bus back to Lucerne – a 15- minute trip, with enough daylight left to enjoy a cool drink on the balcony of Hotel des Balances, overlooking the lake and city.

www.myswitzerland.com

www.luzer.com

www.lakelucerne.ch

 

Meet the characters of the Kimberley

Blog posting courtesy of Western Australia Tourism While Western Australia's Kimberley region is renowned for its sweeping landscapes and spectacular coastline, it's the characters you meet in this untamed wilderness that provide you with a memorable travel experience. Building on the success of last year's campaign, Australia's North West Tourism has unearthed another four Kimberley characters each with their own special passion for the outback and the natural attractions they live and work amongst. Videos of each character will showcase their strong connection with the region and their spectacular surrounds. Viewers are given a chance to win a trip for two to spend seven days with one of these unique Kimberley ambassadors. http://competition.australiasnorthwest.com "Whether they were born and bred in the Kimberley or set foot on a wide expanse of beach and decided never to leave, these people bring life to the landscapes they live in," said Glen Chidlow, CEO, Australia's North West Tourism. "They love to share their exceptional local knowledge and larrikin humour with travellers eager to soak up this unique part of Australia," he said. Meet the 2013 Characters of the Kimberley: Charlie Sharpe - Lake Argyle Pioneer Charlie spent his childhood seeking big adventures on and around the big waters of the lake with his brother and their surfcats. Even after his adventures in building extreme white-knuckle rides took him to Europe, China, Africa and the US, Charlie still gets his biggest thrills just taking in the view across Australia's largest man-made lake.  On a full moon, Charlie loves getting out on the water and soaking up the calm and chaos of nature. And when he's not busy redeveloping the Lake Argyle Resort to complement the landscape he loves, you might find him out there on the islands, beaches and southern wetlands with his family and resort guests - fishing, swimming, diving, water skiing or just sharing a quiet moment with the brolgas, ducks, pelicans, jabirus, crocodiles, wild horses and wallabies. Brian Lee - Indigenous tour guide and spear fishing legend of Kooljaman When Brian first came out to the birthplace of his grandparents and parents at Cape Leveque, he was in complete awe of his Country - one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth. Here, in the sand hills, he stands on a time capsule containing thousands of years of his ancestors' history and proudly shares the stories and experiences his people once shared with him. Brian treasures every moment in his Country, especially when he's out on the reef with a tinny full of local Djarindjin kids, or fishing the crystal-clear waters of Hunter's Creek (named after his great grandfather). With fishing spear or mud crabbing hook in hand, he'll demonstrate how an old hand makes the perfect catch.  He'll happily share his secrets with anyone who cares to join him on a Kooljaman tagalong tour to his favourite spots on pristine Cape Leveque. Ebony Muirson - Kimberley Coast Adventurer and nature lover As an eight-year-old from Busselton, Ebony was charmed by the Kimberley's wild side on her first bumpy ride through Kununurra's cattle station country 21 years ago.  For Ebony, living with the Kimberley's incredible diversity has brought adventure in spades. Fishing in creeks beneath trees filled with orchids. Cruising the spectacular Kimberley coastline. Camping beside thundering waterfalls. Getting engaged on the summit of Steep Head Island in the Admiralty Gulf. It's these simple pleasures of living with nature that Ebony loves to share with visitors to Kimberley Coastal Camp. Chasing Barra. Sharing a moment with Foxy and Harrison the dingoes, Olivia the olive python who hangs out in the kitchen, and the friendly sleepy sharks in the bay. Or taking a bush walk to view ancient Gyorn Gyorn paintings. Ask nicely and she might play a request on her ukulele beside the campfire, while hula-hooping.   Daryl Roberson - Broome's Cable Beach is his office Many say Daryl has the best job in the Kimberley, spending the day under a brolly at the Cable Beach Hut, and this Brisbane boy would have to agree. When Daryl walked over Broome's sand dunes and first laid eyes on Cable Beach, where the desert meets the sea, he knew he was in paradise. That was back in 1991 and he still gets a thrill when he walks over that dune to work every morning - always taking a moment to drink in the contrasts of red earth, pure white sand and vivid turquoise water. He takes as much pleasure in the rhythms of beach life as he did on his first visit, marvelling at pods of dolphins chasing mullet, watching the rays cruise the shallows or spotting sea eagles and kites.  Whether you're a millionaire mogul or a regular working guy, Daryl's the bloke who'll get you set for the perfect day on the beach. "The winner will experience an insider's guide into what makes this region of the North West so popular with travellers wanting the quintessential Australian adventure," said Mr Chidlow. Entries open online http://competition.australiasnorthwest.com on 1 May 2013 and closes on 10 June 2013.

Going Troppo in a Berlin rainforest . . .

Wild and whacky?

On his travels, guest blogger David Ellis found this hot spot . . .

We had never really considered Berlin the place to go for a tropical holiday.

So when a British-based colleague told us in January he was ducking over there to swap the Poms’ winter snow and zero-temperatures for a week of tropical 26deg. temperatures, maybe camp in a rainforest, play golf in shorts and T-shirts, and get a suntan on a sandy beach, we considered he’d gone, well, maybe a little bit troppo.

After all, if it was winter in Britain, it was winter in Germany. And that meant anything but the balmy likes of the tropics, until he sent us photos of all the things he told us he’d do – and done. Plus others be-sporting himself amongst longhouses, temples, a falé and grass huts straight out of Borneo, Thailand, Samoa, Bali and South America, and amid the rainforest he’d boasted had waterfalls, palms, macaws, strutting pheasants and even flamingos.

And he said he’d done it all 35km south of Berlin – with thanks partly to an Australian who now lives in Bali. Now it was us wondering which of us may have gone a little bit troppo…

But it turns out we’re both quite normal: our colleague had taken his holiday at Tropical Islands, an extraordinary 66,000 square metre man-made bolt-hole that’s been created within a gigantic dome built to house massive freight-carrying German airships. But the company that built the dome went belly-up in 2002 without a single airship being completed.

At 360m long, 210m wide and 107m high their hangar was – and still is – the world’s biggest free-standing, pillar-less hall – high enough for the Statue of Liberty to stand in its centre, long enough to house five football fields side-by-side, and big enough for the Eiffel Tower to be laid lengthways inside it.

And its 70,000 square metre roof is strong enough to carry consistently falling snow throughout winter, and any amount of rain year-round – and with UV-transparent film panels on the southern (equator) side, warming sunshine washes over those on the inside and gives a natural tan.

After the failure of the airship venture, the group that came up with the idea of an indoor tropically-themed waterpark recruited Bali-based architect, Made Wijaya – who was born Michael White in Australia – to design the core Bali Lagoon for them. 

A specialist in exotic gardens with some 600 to his credit world-wide, Made worked hand-in-glove with other landscape architects and designers from South America, Sri Lanka, England and Germany who were charged with designing the world’s largest indoor rainforest, between them all creating an indoor theme-park as close to reality as possible to the real tropics.

Opened in 2004 and being right on Berlin’s doorstep, Tropical Islands is today an escape-hole for not only Berliners but other Germans and Europeans, by-passing the need to have to fly to the other side of the world for a day, a week or longer in 'the tropics'. 

Here in the 30,000 cubic metre Rainforest are 50,000 plants, bushes and groundcovers comprising some 600 species from palms to ferns, mangroves and diverse tropical fruits, a swamp that’s home to Amazon black pacus, Asian archer fish, Japanese koi and Columbian shark catfish to name a few. And flitting through it all parakeets, Chinese blue-breasted quail, silver pheasants, zebra finches – even a pair of macaws.

And guides along the kilometre-long pathway will answer questions about the rainforest’s plants and wildlife, and solve such navel-gazing questions as why are bananas bent? 

Tropical Islands’ 1,200 square metre Bali Lagoon is a constant 32-degrees with water slides, whirlpools, a waterfall and grotto, while a Tropical Sea zone sprawls over 3,000 square metres (three times an Olympic swimming pool,) it’s waters a pleasant 28-degrees and has a sandy beach, sun-lounges, children’s paddling pool, Germany’s highest waterslide, 18-hole mini-golf, and under that UV roof you can get a natural suntan.

And a Tropical World has a shopping boulevard, sauna and spa, games for the kids, and an accommodation block and lodges can sleep 520 any night – or you can camp-out in tents back in the Rainforest, or even on the beach. Everything’s 26-degrees, 24-hrs a day, year-round. 

There are also thirteen restaurants and bars offering self-service or a la carte tropical-countries’ themed-dining, and spectacular evening stage shows.

If you think we’ve gone troppo, checkout www.tropical-islands.de   

Law & Order on the road!

While driving in Europe, beware of these unusual driving laws:
 * France - all drivers are required to carry a breathalyser.
 * Scandinavia - it is illegal to drive without headlights, even in daylight.
 * Spain - if you need to wear glasses, you are required to carry an additional pair when driving. And in some cities, cars must be parked on different sides of the road according to the day of the week.
 * Germany - it is illegal to drive without winter tyres at certain times of the year.
 * Belarus - it is illegal to drive a dirty car.
 * Serbia - compulsory equipment to be held by driver includes a tow bar and 3m rope!
 * Russia - it is forbidden to pick up hitchhikers.
Anyone know any strange driving laws from around the globe?

Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car. -- E. B. White


 

Travel intelligence?

In his continuing search for the more weird, wacky and wondrous in the world of travel, guest blogger for Get Up & Go David Ellis says travel agents get used to fielding some pretty oddball questions, and a recent survey amongst agents brought these pearlers to light:

. Are there any lakes in England’s Lakes District?

. Is Wales closed during Winter?

. The brochure says “No hairdressers at the resort.” We are trainee hairdressers, so will

   we be okay staying there?

. What month should we avoid being in New York so we don’t get caught up in the May

  Day demonstrations?

. What kind of performances can we see in London’s Piccadilly Circus?

. We saw ruined castles and abbeys almost every day of the tour in the UK. Why did

  they build so many of them?

. And this couple who complained to their agent on their return home from a

  Mediterranean cruise, that they were enjoying one particular port so much that they

  left a note in their cabin asking the Captain if he could stay in port a bit longer for them

  to enjoy even more of it. Their complaint?  “When we got back from our sightseeing,

  the ship had gone…”

Some mothers do have ‘em.

                                                           

Brisbane's best 10 offerings for Autumn

Want to know what’s keeping Brisbane busy this season? Read on . . .

1. Bolshoi Ballet

Bound into QPAC from 30 May and be blown away by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet. Almost two decades since the world-renowned company performed in Australia, Bolshoi is back for a 12-show season exclusively in Brisbane. A once in a generation opportunity to see truly first class ballet.

2. Football Frenzy

Unleash your team colours this June as football fever roars into Brisbane. With the British and Irish Lions here to kick off one of Australia’s biggest months of football, Brisbane will be alive with non-stop action on and off the field. 

Our very own Queensland Reds will commemorate 130 years, Brisbane will host the second, and often deciding, match of the hotly contested State of Origin, the Brisbane Broncos celebrate 25 years of glory before facing off against the NZ Warriors, and local heroes, the Brisbane Lions, dive into a nail-biting season. Our champions are out to win, but they can't do it alone. Show your colours and rally behind your favourite teams as they collide at Suncorp Stadium.

3. The Walrus Club at Regatta

Make your way through the hidden entrance and descend into the atmospheric 1920s-themed world of The Walrus Club. Tucked away underneath the newly-renovated Regatta, you can lose yourself in a leather armchair as your enjoy a top-notch drop.

4. Walk the Gorge

Revive the spirit with breathtaking Pacific Ocean views on the North Gorge Headland Walk on North Stradbroke Island. From June, hire a pair of binoculars at Fishes Café to view the migrating Humpback whales from this excellent land-based vantage point.

www.visitbrisbane.com.au

5. Brisbane Racing Carnival

Glam up and gallop your way into Brisbane from 11 May and revel in the excitement and style of the Channel Seven Brisbane Racing Carnival, Queensland’s biggest racing carnival culminating in the one of the largest races in the country – the Stradbroke Cup.

6. At Sixes and Sevens

An inspired renovation of a heritage-listed cottage on James Street, At Sixes and Sevens is a gastro pub with style – tuck into some tapas, sip on one of their many craft beers and stretch out in the astro-turf ‘yard’.

7. Anywhere Theatre Festival

Expect the unexpected when Anywhere Theatre Festival takes theatre anywhere but actual theatres for ten exciting days in May – dance in shop windows, drama in karaoke bars, opera in science centres, plays in bowling clubs, abandoned sheds and 120-year-old houses.

8. Explore D’Aguilar National Park

Walk, drive, or take a motorbike, horse or mountain bike to uncover the beautiful D’Aguilar National Park. The World Heritage listed park starts just 10km from the city centre and stretches to the area around Mount Mee, an hour north of Brisbane. Here you’ll see remote gorges, sheltered pockets of subtropical rainforest, expanses of eucalypt woodland and spectacular flora and fauna.

9. Warhorse

Don’t miss Warhorse, one of the world’s most celebrated productions. Already seen by two million, marvel at the brilliant life-size puppets and be inspired by the heart-warming tale of courage and friendship. The blockbuster is showing at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC from 6 July.

10. Bacchus at Rydges

Bacchus brings a bit of LA luxe to South Bank with an opulently decorated restaurant, chic bar and a glowing blue pool for those wanting a late night dip. The venue, named after the Roman God of food, wine and good times, lives up to its namesake. Each element of Bacchus has been created for those wanting to indulge.

For more information, visit www.visitbrisbane.com.au