{"id":113,"date":"2022-07-16T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-16T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/wordpress\/?p=113"},"modified":"2025-10-04T04:33:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T04:33:02","slug":"daily-blog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/?p=113","title":{"rendered":"DAILY BLOG – in descending order"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thurs Nov 21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been back home a week now – a busy week settling back, medical appointments, catching up with friends, etc. This time it has taken me a week to get over jet-lag, which used to take only a few days. But that was when I always had a stopover in the US on the way back. Now am back for just 3 weeks before going away on my next trip…..including a visit to Adelaide next week. I leave Melbourne on Dec 13 to go back to Germany for Christmas. I did this in 2016 & loved it, so thought that I would do it again one last time. The good thing is that the fights are free (Qatar business class) thanks to frequent flyer points I have earned from my regular footy trips!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saty Dec 21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I left Melbourne on the Overland train to Adelaide, had a nice weekend there & flew to Frankfurt on Tuesday. I was warmly welcomed back to the Hilton & have had 3 days relaxing & coping with jetlag. There has been light rain most days, but not too cold. Went to the Christmas market last night & this morning woke to news of the terrible incident in Magdeburg. Today I catch the train to Hannover, where I will have 2 days before going to Koln for Christmas week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frankfurt Romer market<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hannover Christmas markets<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Koln Dom Weihnachtsmarkt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christmas Day<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I got to Koln Dom for Midnight Mass at 10.30 pm when doors were to open – already a huge line. It took 10 mins to get in & the nave was already full. Must have been 1,000 there. Got a seat in the transept, which had a good view until all the late arrivals came & stood in front! A wonderful Mass, with a choir of over 100. This morning I returned for Mass of the Day. I got a seat at front of nave this time. It was just as wonderful as last night – see pics below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saty 28<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am now in Munich for the weekend. It is very cold! At 11 am the sun came out, so I walked into the city. It was really busy with locals shopping & tourists. Walked into Burgersaal church just as 12 noon Mass was starting. The Christmas crib was almost over-the-top!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dec 31st<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I caught the train to Berlin yesterday. As we were leaving Munich it started to snow. On arrival in Berlin it was chilly, but not snowing. Went to 6 pm Mass at St Hedwig\u2019s cathedral, where I have enjoyed attending Mass over the years. It has been closed 5 years for interior revamp & the result is very plain & modern, with the congregation seated in a circle around the altar. This morning I went for a walk past the Brandenburg Gate & Reichstag, & at 5 pm will attend a concert in St Hedwig\u2019s. For midnight I am planning to go to Unter den Linden to see the fireworks at Brandenburg Gate. Not sure how close I will get – there so many visitors & international tourists here. Guess I am one of them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jan 8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NYE in Berlin was crazy\u2026\u2026.fireworks everywhere. It\u2019s not illegal to possess fireworks in Germany, so everyone lets off their own. I had a great view of the official fireworks at Brandenburg Gate. On Jan 1st I attended High Mass in St Hedwig\u2019s cathedral. It had been closed 5 years for interior renovations & now has a modern central sanctuary with the congregation seated in a circle around it. The Mass was nice, with a full church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday I returned to Cologne. That night it snowed & I was delighted to see snow on the church across from the hotel. Monday was the Feast of the Epiphany & the Dom has the supposed relics of the Magi. High Mass was celebrated at 10 am & I didn\u2019t get there early enough to get a good seat. Even tho Monday was not a pubic holiday, like at Midnight Mass it was standing room only. At the end of Mass lots of kids dressed as kings came up & sang to us. Then we were invited to follow the archbishop, clergy, servers & choir to the shrine of the Magi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, after saying my farewells to the hotel staff, I caught the train to Frankfurt. Thus ends the first 1\/2 of my trip in Germany. Today I catch the train to Zurich & tomorrow go thru the Swiss Alps for 2 weeks in Italy. More exciting adventures!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snow on the church seen from my hotel room<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wed Jan 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have just had 5 nice days in Rome. I have been here before, of course, but this visit was to do the Jubilee Year pilgrimage. This involves visiting the 4 Papal Basilicas. Weather was better than Germany, but I have had a cough which turned into a cold. I arrived on Friday a\/noon & was delighted to find that my hotel was opposite St Mary Major. So after unpacking & checking where the local laundromat was, I did my 1st pilgrimage. St Mary Major is my favourite basilica & it was more stunning than I remember. I attended the 6 pm Mass, which was packed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saturday after doing my weekly laundry, I walked to the Vatican, discovering Rome again. It took an hour, so I decided to catch the metro on Sunday. I visited St Maria in Transpontina, where I attended Mass in Feb 1991 & shook hands with Pope John Paul II as he came down the aisle. This pic is where I stood back then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Sunday I got into St Peter\u2019s in time for the 9 am Mass at the cathedral altar. I then explored the basilica until it was time to join the crowds in the square for the Pope\u2019s Angelus, blessing & message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Monday I walked to St John Lateran – 30 mins from my hotel. It wasn\u2019t crowded & to my surprise, when I entered the basilica a Mass in English was about to begin. It was for a confraternity of priests from Australia, US & UK. There were several bishops at the altar, 30 concelebrants, a robed choir of 20 (from Dublin) & a local small orchestra. The organist was a priest from Melbourne & the music was wonderful. I could not believe my luck! Afterwards I spoke to Mgr Keith Newton, an English bishop I knew thru SSC. One of the clergy remembered me from Walsingham – a small world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yesterday I caught the metro to St Paul\u2019s Outside the Walls. I think this is the most beautiful of the 4 basilicas because of the cloisters. Like, St Mary & St John, it was built in the 4th cent & repaired over the years. But 200 years ago it was destroyed by fire & completely rebuiltto the original plans, so it has a uncluttered simplicity about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After 5 days of doing my pilgrimage, today I caught the train to Naples. I have never been here & am staying in an old palazzo where a young Tony Curtis lived before his Hollywood career. It is a chaotic city with narrow streets & lanes. After setting into my hotel, I wandered around & discovered the stunning cathedral.I will spend tomorrow exploring the city & return to Rome on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thurs 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had an interesting day wandering around Naples. Below are some pics – the last is of Mt Vesuvius over the bay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sat 18<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was a lovely sunny a\/noon when I arrived in Rome, so after unpacking I went for a walk around the Coliseum, Forum & Circus Maximus (see pic). Today I went to the laundromat & then did the final act of my Jubilee Year pilgrimage at St Mary Major. Will go there for Sunday Mass tomorrow & on Monday catch train back to Milan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mon 27<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I spent last Tuesday in Milan wandering around the city, beginning with Mass in the famous Duomo. Wednesday I caught the train to Verona, where I visited in Oct 2023. Stayed in a lovely boutique hotel & had dinner in the nice restaurant I enjoyed last time. Thursday I caught the train thru Brenner Pass to Munich & on Friday on to Frankfurt. Have just hd a relaxing weekend in Frankfurt & tomorrow fly back to Adelaide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been another wonderful trip – more spiritual than usual. It was very cold the whole 6 weeks, with light rain regularly. But wonderful churches, basilicas & services made it all worthwhile. However this will be my last trip to Europe in the winter. I now look forward to returning home to the warmth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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February 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived safely in Adelaide on Wed Jan 29 & flew on to Melbourne on Fri 31st. It didn’t take me long to get over jet-lag – mainly because I never really adjusted for the whole of my 6 weeks in Europe. Sunday Feb 2 was the 45th anniversary of my ordination – a low-key celebration, but I was the reader at Mass. Since then I have had the usual medical appointments & 3 lunches with friends (incl Q train on Bellarine Peninsula). It is strange being here in Feb, but I am glad to be able to celebrate the 75th birthday of my great friend, David Hunt, this Saturday. Now it is countdown to the footy season! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thurs Feb 27<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been reflecting on how significant through my life have been years that end in 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1955 Moved from Salisbury to Semaphore. So I became a Port Adelaide person<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1965 Started work in the National Bank & in September my mother died<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1975 Was living in London & felt the call to the Anglican priesthood <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1985 Moved from Adelaide to Melbourne, to be Vicar of St Mark’s, Fitzroy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1995 Very busy running a growing parish & community centre, but also able to travel to US & UK<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2005 Living in San Diego, where I was Rector of All Saints. In October had prostate surgery<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2015 Retired & living in St Kilda. Going overseas regularly for church locums<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025 Visiting Adelaide every 2 weeks in the footy season & still getting to Europe & UK<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wed March 19<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The football season began last Saturday. Port Adelaide played Collingwood at the MCG….& were thrashed! For the game I was given an invitation to the Collingwood President’s Club. This was because when I came to Fitzroy in 1985 I joined the Collingwood Football Club. Port Adelaide supporters usually followed Collingwood in the VFL (as it was then) & I never dreamt that Port Adel would be admitted into the AFL (as it became). Collingwood honoured me & others for our 40 years as members with the invitation & I took my friends, Peter & David, as guests. It was a wonderful evening, apart from the result!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yesterday I had lunch with Robert, whose team also lost badly last weekend. We bemoaned our team’s awful starts to the season! Tomorrow I fly to Adelaide for Port’s 1st home game on Saturday. It will be great to see my various friends – & I hope Port turn it around & win! So I begin my regular footy trips back to Adelaide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mon May 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 months have gone by since my last post! Weekend trips to Adelaide for the footy have seen the usual inconsistent Port Adelaide provide both excitement & frustration! For the 1st time in years I had the Easter Triduum in Melbourne & it was great. I celebrated my 78th b\/day in Adelaide & then had 2 enjoyable lunches in Melbourne the following week. Now it is countdown to my next overseas trip. I leave on Wednesday & have a week in Sofia, Bulgaria, followed by a month in Germany. I have never been to Bulgaria, so that will be interesting. In Germany I will go to the Harz Mountains, spend a week in Dresden for Corpus Christi & visit several new towns as well as my favourite cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fri May 16 – Alberton Hotel with Kerry, Wendy & Jenny<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saty May 17 – drinks before the footy with Eddy, Di & Lorraine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sun 18th was my actual birthday & had lunch with my cousin, Noelene, & Les<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tues May 20 – lunch in St Kilda with my oldest friend, David<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fri June 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My flights were very good (Singapore staff are excellent) & after a stopover I arrived in Sofia this time last week. Bulgaria was interesting. Visited 3 museums & learnt a lot about its history & the \u201cBalkan Problem\u201d. On Tuesday I went to Plovdiv, one of Europe\u2019s oldest cities. A 3 hour train trip. Now I am in Frankfurt & begin 4 weeks of travelling around Germany by train – as I love to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Russian Orthodox church<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stalinist architecture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Remains of Roman city<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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St Sofia memorial column<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Changing of the Guard at Presidential Palace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Archeology Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plovdiv – quite a climb up this hill!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wed June 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have had an enjoyable 3 weeks travelling around Germany. Weather has been warm with occasional light rain. After Frankfurt I visited Hannover, Wernigerode, Magdeburg, Berlin, Dresden. Koln, Osnabruck, Mannheim & am now having 5 days in Heidelberg. It\u2019s been a mix of discovering new places & enjoying familiar ones. Highlights have been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday Mass in Paderbon (from Hannover); steam train up the highest mountain in northern Germany, Brocken (from Wernigerode); 3 wonderful Masses in Dresden: Trinity Sunday, Feast of St Benno (patron saint of Saxony) & Corpus Christi; visiting Munster (from Osnabruck).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paderbon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wernigerode<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Brocken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Magdeburg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dresden – 19th cent cheese shop<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dresden – 19th cent funicular<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Corpus Christi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Osnabruck<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mannheim – dinner with Wolfgang & Rosi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saty June 28<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am now in Heidelberg for 5 days. Yesterday I went to a fantastic town, Michelstadt. This involved catching 2 trains for a 1 hour trip. The Rathaus is from 1482 (pics 1 & 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heidelberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fri July 4 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am now in Frankfurt & today visited Idstein (in Taunus mountains). Tomorrow I fly back to Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thurs July 10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Am now home after another wonderful trip. Excellent flights, interesting new places discovered & familiar German cities enjoyed again. After Europe’s record heat wave, Melbourne’s winter is a bit hard to cope with. Today I fly to Adelaide for the usual footy weekend…..so life is back to normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO CONTINUE WITH MY BLOG. Thanks for your interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing much changes now I am 78. When I am home it is the same old, same old…..footy in winter, friends all year round & church in Melbourne & Adelaide. Not much differs from month to month! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thurs Nov 21 I have been back home a week now – a busy week settling back, medical appointments, catching up with friends, etc. This time it has taken me a week to get over jet-lag, which used to take only a few days. But that was when I always […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[16,14],"class_list":["post-113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","tag-add-new-tag","tag-hc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=113"}],"version-history":[{"count":985,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2781,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113\/revisions\/2781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/frtonynoble.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}