We flew from South Korea to Spain, We had a week at our favorite area of Spain Sitges, we find May is a great time here. Not too many tourists and the weather is usually very pleasant. As always Sitges did not disappoint, the weather was beautiful, water was cool but Crystal clear, great coffee and desserts. We also had an added bonus of catching up with my wonderful friend Thelma. Thelma joined us for 3 nights it was great to spend some quality time with her. As we had done all the touristy things before we just relaxed and enjoyed the area.
After a week in Sitges we headed to Ireland to catchup with family and friends, it was wonderful to finally meet my nephew Shay he is adorable. I also had a night out with some of the girls that I went to school with back in eighties, what an amazing bunch of girls and what a great evening . We also had some lovely walks in the Phoenix Park the area I grew up in. The Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed city park in Europe with an area of 707 ha. It is also one of Dublin’s oldest parks. The park was created in 1662 when James Butler, Duke of Ormonde enclosed the lands and stocked it with fallow deer, to this day deer are still in the park. The park brinks back lots of childhood memories. My favorite beach in Ireland is bray.
I always make time for a trip to bray each time I am home, usually with my mum and dad and this year was no different. We had a great night with M family, his Sister Catherine built a bar in the back garden, so when we where there we christen the Bar. The name of the Bar is Boxers Bar after M Dad. It was lots of fun. With a lot of drink had by all who attended.
Our last week in May was spent in Lichtenstein, this is a very small country, It is Europe’s fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) and a population of 40,023. It is between Switzerland, Germany and Austria, it is one of the few countries with no debt. Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein. It is one of the most scenic places we have been too. It is full of beautiful churches and Castles, it has a really nice gentle feel to it.
We stayed in a very nice Airbnb near the main center of Vaduz. The center of Vaduz it very nice with lots of restaurants, bars and coffee shops. It has a large number of sculptures by world-famous artists that you can admire as you walk through the town center. They are some of the best sculptures I have seen.
We had seen quite a number of Fernando Botero sculptors in Medellin in Colombia where he is from, his art work is quite distinctive.
My favorite is Roadtripcouple: a rhino trapped between two concrete blocks, ~created by French artist Davide Rivalta. This striking piece is part of his series of animal sculptures that explore themes of captivity and freedom. Amazing. Another one I like a lot is the Astronaut The sculpture named “Raumableiter” by artist Max Grüter. Max Grüter demonstrates how people can feel in an increasingly complex and anonymous world. The sculpture can also be seen as a metaphor for human ambition and the exploration of the unknown.
120meters above Vaduz is the Vaduz Castle it is the residence of the current Prince of Vaduz. He is the first Head of State to grow up in Liechtenstein and the 15th reigning Prince of the House of Liechtenstein. Prince Hans-Adam II was born on 14 February 1945 and grew up with his four siblings in the parental home at Vaduz Castle. It is not open to the public but looks very impressive from the outside.
Although only 14 klms from Liechtenstein Sargan Castle should go on your list of places to visit. The castle is actually in Switzerland, but as the countries are so close it is hard to know which country you are in sometimes.
Sargans Castle has had a colourful history, spending 200 years in the hands of aristocrats and more than 300 years under the reign of the local bailiffs. At the end of the 19th century, the Sargans community bought the dilapidated building and saved it from finally falling into ruin through numerous renovations.
The Sarganserland Museum is housed in the castle tower, the tower is over 900 years old. Spread over the six floors of the tower, you can learn everything about the area’s history and local crafts, the Gonzen mine as well as work on the farm and alpine life. There is also a very cute restaurant in the Castle itself which was very nice to have a coffee and cake. I do like to see the Castles being used for coffee shops, events etc. as this is what will help to keep them alive.
Inside the castle walls and the view from its windows.
The Restaurant within the Castle.
The views from the Castle of the Mountains and Village below.
Again only 10klms from Liechtenstein is Werdenberg Castle again the castle is actually in Switzerland. The majestic Werdenberg Castle can be seen from far and wide. On the castle hill, it towers 45 metres above the valley floor. It offers magnificent views over the Rhine Valley to the Alps. There are two museums, one at the castle, the other in the town, they recount the history of the Castle, lords and their subjects.
At the foot of the castle hill is the small medieval town of Werdenberg, which has a picturesque market square with arcades. Mentioned for the first time in 1289, the small town of Werdenberg has continuously been inhabited for the past 800 years. The remnants of an arched gateway are evidence of the former main entrance. A delightful pathway leads up some steps and through vineyards to the castle.
In the 1860s, a project to control the flow of the Rhine was completed. It included flood-proof dams that allowed for the construction of bridges over the river. (Previously, river crossings relied on ferries.) From 1867 to 1879, 13 covered wooden bridges were built in the Rhine Valley—today, the only one that remains is the Alte Rheinbrücke (Old Rhine Bridge), which links the municipalities of Vaduz in Liechtenstein and Sevelen in Switzerland. About halfway across is a sign: Liechtenstein to the left and Switzerland to the right.
Over time, the rest have been destroyed by floods or fire or have been decommissioned due to old age.
This was one of my Favorite Churches and Grave Yards, it is the best kept grave yard I have ever seen. It says a lot about a town and its people if they look after their Dead.
We had a beautiful meal at Restaurant Marée at the Park Hotel Sonnenhof. The Chef is Hubertus Real, the restaurant was was awarded 17 Gault Millau points and 1 Guide Michelin star. The food was delicious.
Although Lichtenstein is a small country it is well worth a visit, it has a lots to offer.