Monthly Archives: June 2011

Spruikers With A Scottish Twist

Spruiker — a word I had never heard before I moved to Australia in the mid-1990s. And many of you may be as clueless to what that word means as I was! The Dictionary.com interpretation of spruiker says that it is indeed based on Australian slang, and the verb spruik means “archaic , slang ( Austral ) to speak in public (used esp of a showman or salesman).”

Most of us will have passed a shopping district at some point in our life and heard the annoying sound of someone with a microphone trying to talk you into coming in and checking out the sale at the store that they are standing in front of. And that’s exactly what these incongruously clad gentlemen were doing on this particular day in Dresden, Germany.

The blaring soundtrack on their portable stereo was playing a mind-boggling mix of Scottish tunes and 1950s rock-n-roll. And dressed though they might have been in Scottish kilts and hats, they were indeed German through and through.

They did accomplish one of their goals even if I never went inside the discount shoe store — they made me stop and look!

Spruikers in Scottish garb on a shopping street in Dresden, Germany.

Photo Of The Day: Living In The Past

There were no smiles as they passed us and all four of them concentrated deeply on the task at hand. They took themselves quite seriously, these local Frenchmen of a 20-something age.

Garbed in pseudo-medieval clothing, faces dabbed with fake blood, and carrying handmade arrows, they positioned themselves outside of the somber gray walls of the fortified castle in Fougeres in Brittany. Again and again they shot those arrows into the sky and then shouted unintelligible phrases whilst one of their companions filmed it all on a tiny hand-held movie camera.

If you look carefully you can see that the man on the left has just shot a blue-fringed arrow into the air above his head.

Archers outside the walls of the fortified medieval chateau at Fougeres in Britanny, northern France

They could have been actors or they could have been what they call in the USA re-enactors — well organised groups of enthusiasts of a particular time period who spend large amounts of free time re-enacting past events. Then again, they could have simply been four local lads who longed to live in a time long gone which is easily summoned up by the atmosphere of this fortress-chateau.

Dragonish in Devonport, New Zealand

For the price of a ferry ticket, visitors to Auckland on New Zealand’s north island can leave the bustling metropolitan area behind and be walking around on the quaint streets of a bayside village within 15-20 minutes. The charming suburb of Devonport is visible from the dockside precinct of the city, but the look and feel of the area gives the illusion that you have gone back in time by several decades.

Devonport Ferry Terminal with Auckland, New Zealand in the background

This tiny community has an eclectic mix of architectural styles that include Federation cottages from the 1800s and an Art Deco theatre on the main street.

Federation cottages from the 1800s in Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

Art Deco theatre on the main street of Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

But our real ‘find of the day’ was a work of mosaic art sitting half-way up a steep hill on a tiny green park. This ‘find’ overlooks the township and the harbour below. In the first photo below, you can just make out a man’s head in this view from the back. And those children on the left were running downhill quite quickly, trying to keep their balance on the steep angle.

Dragon passed by children running downhill in Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

Dragon bench of mosaic tiles in Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

Detail on backside of mosaic-art dragon bench in Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

And so you can get a feel for the size and scale of this piece, here’s what a 6 foot tall man looks like sitting on it.

Man sitting on dragon bench in part overlooking Devonport near Auckland, New Zealand

Devonport — a charming side trip from Auckland and it is well worth a full day or overnight visit.

Photo Of The Day: Renovation Project For The Right Buyer

There could be minor challenges to navigate through or there could be major challenges to overcome for those looking for a budget house to purchase and renovate in France. This crumbling property of an indeterminate age in Naucelle in the Midi-Pyrenees probably falls into the latter category.

Part of the roof was off and the interior had been exposed to the weather for who knows how long. Even brave serial renovators such as we two wouldn’t take this one on!

A bit TOO much of a renovation project in Naucelle, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Money Saving Travel Tips: Have a Pique-Nique in Scenic Surroundings

Lime green plates and red handled cutlery rested snugly alongside the cups, glasses, chef’s knife, and other kitchen essentials in the snap-lid container. And that container was safely tucked beneath the hatchback of the car. A quick trip to any supermarket in Europe and we were ready to eat both inexpensively and in style!

We had assembled the contents of that snap-lid container in England before driving onto the overnight ferry from Harwich to Rotterdam and beginning this adventure. So, along with the food that we have purchased in each country, it has certainly assisted in our budget-saving strategy in the Netherlands, Germany, and France.

A particularly picturesque stop was in the town of Tillieres in the Pays de la Loire where we stumbled upon a marked picnic ground adjacent to a moulin (windmill) on the grounds of a vineyard.

Late 1800s moulin (mill) in the town of Tillieres in the Pays de la Loire, France

Shady picnic hut in Tillieres next to the moulin

Making lunch in the shade on a hot day in France

View of moulin (mill) from the vineyard in Tillieres, France

Yes, we love those wonderful French plat du jour meals that I described in Lovely Lengthy Lunchtime In Lisle Sur Tarn — but unless you are independently wealthy, making your trip extend for longer than a typical vacation period of a few weeks will necessitate some savings strategies.

Picnics are one of your best money-saving measures since the fresh ingredients you need will cost a fraction of what you will pay in a restaurant — even if it is a plat du jour special! For a grand total of under €7 instead of €20-28, we each had a healthy lunch that included crunchy dark bread, deli meat, gorgeous French cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber, and a pot of yogurt for dessert. If you are lucky enough to be travelling by car, you too can pre-assemble a plastic box or carrier bag full of essentials and be ready for a roadside picnic pretty well anywhere.

My last picture below was taken outside the walls of the fortified medieval chateau at Fougeres and it’s pretty unbeatable for gorgeous eating spots. You won’t always get this lucky, but Europe certainly has some remarkable places with picnic benches or seats just waiting for your own fresh and breezy pique-nique.

Mark assembling a sandwich outside the fortified chateau walls at Fougeres in France

Photo Of The Day: Beer Will Change The World

Beer will change the world? Well — someone certainly thinks so! The manufacturers of this kitchen dish towel used bright colours, a catchy slogan, and a 60s-style male image to make it appealing. I saw this in an antique mall in Australia.

Beer Will Change The World linen dish towel seen in an Australian antique mall

Photo Of The Day: Lazing By The Lake

The eerily green Lac de Bethmale in the Midi-Pyrenees of southern France was the spot where these two men chilled out, ate their picnic food, and carried on a very relaxed conversation on a Sunday afternoon while they waited for the fish to bite.

The circular path around the lake was a busy spot for walkers and other visitors who chatted quietly as they passed lest they disturb the fish!

Relaxing whilst fishing at Lac de Bethmale in the Midi-Pyrenees of southern France

A Wanderful Life

The Neverending Journey