July 14
After my wonderful trip to Germany it took me a week to get over jetlag. Lots of practical things to do, of course, as well as contacting friends. There was also the usual round of medical appointments. Last weekend I went to Adelaide for a Port Adelaide home game, which was very enjoyable, as we won! There was the usual catching up with friends & with my cousin, Noelene. I also found time to visit Semaphore, where I grew up, which was a nice exercise in nostalgia & reflection. This weekend Port Adelaide are playing in Alice Springs – so I will be watching the game at the pub where our Vic supporters group meets.
Sep 29
It has been ages since I updated my Blog. The reason is what Americans call, “same old, same old”! The weeks are much the same with no trips to post pics of. Every 2nd weekend I go to Adelaide to see Port Adelaide play at home. As well as the footy I catch up with my cousin, Noelene & other friends, & also do some exploring of my home town. A highlight was visiting the new Port Club social rooms. It is a wonderful new development with a great restaurant, where I had lunch, a bar with outdoor area, museum & shop. When Port has played in Melbourne I book an AFL members lunch/dinner for the game – usually taking my friend, Peter. Unfortunately Port had a bad season & weren’t in the Finals. However I went to the MCG Finals, which were exciting, & bought a Grand Final package, which wasn’t exciting! Now the season is over I am off overseas. On Tuesday I fly to London, then explore by train France, Spain & Germany.
Oct 16
My flights to London were good. Altho it took me all week to get over jet-lag, I had a nice week in London catching up with friends, particularly at St Magnus last Sunday. On Wed I caught Eurostar to Paris & had 2 nights there. It was exactly 20 years since my last visit, which was significant in that I had come from San Diego where I was 1st asked to consider going to All Saints. On Thursday I walked for 3.5 hours around the city: Notre Dame, Eifel tower, Arc de Triomphe & other interesting sites.
Friday I caught the train to Barcelona. It is 10 years since I was last here. On Saturday I went walking for 3 hours & explored the Diocesan Museum. Today I went to Mass at Gaudi’s fantastic Basilica of the Holy Family. Despite arriving 30 mins early, there was a long line of people waiting to get in. So I went to the security office, produced my All Saints, San Diego card, explained I was a priest & asked if I could get into the Mass. A young woman made several phone calls & then I was allowed in. When I entered the church another young woman was expecting me. She took me to a young man, who ushered me to the sacristy. I explained that I just wanted to attend the Mass, but a nice priest insisted I participate as a priest.
I was made very welcome by the friendly servers & clergy & given vestments to wear………I was to be a concelebrant of the Mass celebrated by the visiting bishop of Lima. The parish priest introduced himself & asked me to say part of the Eucharistic Prayer in English. So I was to concelebrate Solemn Mass with a congregation of 400 & also distribute Holy Communion. What a privilege & unexpected joy!
Sun Oct 30
After that wonderful Sunday in Barcelona I caught the train to Madrid next day. I had a relaxing 2 days in Madrid, then 3 days in Valencia. It was an interesting city & I enjoyed the various churches. The cathedral was esp beautiful & I attended Mass in the chapel of the Holy Grail. It was very warm for the 3 days I was there & I enjoying having dinner in a local outdoor restaurant each night. Great food & staff! Back to Madrid Saturday & on Sunday I attended Mass in the magnificent cathedral.
On Monday 24th I flew to Berlin because I wanted to experience the new Berlin airport. I had booked flights 10 years ago when it was supposed to open, but the opening was delayed due to construction problems – unusual for Germany. I was welcomed back to the Berlin Hilton & had 3 relaxing days. Wednesday I went to a free concert by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. On Thursday I caught the train to Cologne & am here until Tuesday. I have enjoyed wandering around & visiting various churches. On Friday I went to the Gestapo Museum. A fascinating & enlightening 4 hours. Cologne resisted the Nazis more than other German cities, until they siezed power in 1936. This was due to its liberal outlook & being 75% catholic. The Mayor at that time was Konrad Adenauer, who became the 1st leader of West Germany.
This morning I went to Mass in Koln Dom & tonight will attend a JS Bach concert in St Ursula’s basilica.
Mon Nov 7
After a pleasant 5 days in Koln I caught the train to Hannover on Tuesday. I was able to attend evening Mass for both All Saints & All Souls in St Clements Dom. On Wed I went to Hildesheim. The main attraction was the Dom, which has a 1,000 year old rose bush growing on the outside of the apse. At the reformation the cathedral remained catholic, even tho the town converted to Lutheranism. Today it still has a large catholic population & the Dom is a thriving centre of worship & evangelism. Thursday I wandered around Hannover, discovering parts of the city I had not seen before. On Friday I returned to Koln for a relaxing final weekend. Each day I wandered around the inner city & found churches that I had not visited before.
Today I caught the train to Frankfurt airport & am staying in an airport hotel tonight. Tomorrow I fly back to Melbourne. It has been a good trip. Now I look forward to returning home……& planning the next trip!
January 1st 2023
I have not updated my blog since I returned from my trip in November. Life has been the usual pattern: catching up with friends, 2 trips to Adelaide for Port Adelaide Football Club functions, weekend exploring of Melbourne, Daily Mass most days & not much else different in the daily routine. There was, of course, the federal election – the result very pleasing for me. Now we head into a new year, which will hopefully see a return to normal overseas travel……& a more successful football season for me!
January 24
I have arrived in London, flying from Brisbane via Singapore. I went from 30c to 3c!! I will have a few relaxing days getting over jetlag & then next week am off to Walsingham.
Jan 27
The weather has continued to be cold & we have also had light rain. Since arriving I have been going to the Daily Mass at St Magnus each day. Yesterday after Mass I visited both the British Museum & the British Library. I have never been to the Library & was fascinated by its historical collection & also an exhibition about Alexander the Great.
Feb 15
After a week in London I went to Walsingham. It was a nice week & great to catch up with friends & parishioners. I returned to London on Mon Feb 6 & flew to Barcelona on the Thursday. After 2 nights back at Barcelona HiIton I caught the train to Zaragoza. This trip was free, thanks to a credit voucher I got for a delay on the same train last October. No problem this time.
Zaragoza was wonderful! A lovely city with the famous basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. This is the great Spanish devotion & the basilica was thronged with people all day every day. I went to Sunday Mass there, as well as the main daily Mass at the shrine, for which there was a choir & 6 altar boys. I visited other churches & also the palace of the House of Aragon. For eating I explored the tapas bars & cafes, for which the city is noted. After a lovely 3 days I caught the train to Madrid yesterday. Tomorrow I go to Toledo for 3 days.
Fri March 3
I had a wonderful stay in Toledo exploring its lovely churches & old buildings. The cathedral was extraordinary & I went there for Sunday Mass. Within the cathedral there is a special chapel set aside for the Mozarabic Rite. This is the Mass rite used by the christians during the time of the Moors. It goes back to the early days of the church in Spain & is unique to Toledo. A small number of priests & canons celebrate this rite daily, which I attended.
Toledo is also very hilly with narrow laneways & lots of steps. Unfortunately I had a fall & hurt my left hand & leg. Both were very painful. After a week they were still swollen & sore. I managed to make my way back to Madrid without any problems & then flew to San Diego. Altho the weather in San Diego was unusually cold & wet, I had a nice time & enjoyed being back in my old home town. I visited All Saints, caught up with friends & organised practical things, such as my bank account. Perhaps too much reminiscing!
I am now in LA & on Wednesday fly back to Melbourne.
Sun Mar 19
I have been back in Australia a week now. It has been a busy week with practical things, shopping, medical appointments & catching up with friends. Surprisingly, it has taken all week to get over jet-lag……it seems harder as I get older! I am now in Adelaide for the start of the AFL season & Port Adelaide’s first home game. They won well with a classy 2nd half & exciting play. So life is back to normal 🙂
Sun April 16
My weekend trips following the footy continue. For Palm Sunday I was in Adelaide & for the Easter Triduum went to Sydney. On Good Friday & Easter Day I went to the famous anglocatholic church, Christ Church St Laurence. After the Sunday High Mass I went to a parish lunch with 2 parishioners whom I knew when I regularly visited in the 1980’s. It was great to reminisce about those days, but sobering to reflect that they were the only people there that I knew. Like the Australian Church, CCSL has changed & is not the exciting parish that I remember. This weekend I am in Adelaide for the Festival of Footy, when all 18 AFL clubs are playing here. This is a new venture by the AFL & Adelaide is buzzing. Fortunately Port Adelaide won in driving rain last night. I have managed to catch up with many old friends. As a result, I was featured in the sports pages of the Sunday paper this morning!
Thurs May 25
I am now another year older! I celebrated my 76th birthday well. The date was Thurs May 18 & I started on the Tues with dinner at a steak restaurant with 4 close friends. Next night I went to the Australian Opera’s performance of Tannhauser. On the day itself I flew to Adelaide & had dinner at the Port Adelaide Football Club with friends from my Cheer Squad days. The celebrations concluded on Fri night with Port Adel winning a marvellous game against Melbourne. Now I am looking forward to my next overseas trip. On Mon 29th I fly to San Diego & after a brief stopover fly to Vienna. I will celebrate Corpus Christi there, then have a month travelling around Germany.
