1987, April – Paris
Inspired by our visit last August, Joyce took Robin and Sandy for a week to see the sights of Paris. Hovercraft from Dover to Calais – very rough. Two sights in Paris.
1987, May – Danube cruise from the Black Sea to Vienna
A fortnight where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but interesting for all that. Flight from Edinburgh to Bucharest in Romania, but no aircraft available to take us on to the Black Sea port of Constantia to join the cruise-boat. Eventually a bus
arrived, but the driver didn’t know the way and we boarded after midnight. Sailed upstream (main picture) through Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia to Vienna, but the engines kept breaking down. Promised ‘spectacular views’ when we were due to go through gorges, but when we were hours late through engine problems, we sailed through the gorges at night ‘because they are not worth looking at’. Taken for a land excursion for miles by bus to see a ‘spectacular development’, which turned out to be the first tourist hotel built in the area. Ian developed a swollen leg, which the ship’s doctor treated by giving him steaks to eat – very tasty but no cure for an infection. Cured by antibiotics when we got home. Before flying home, we were taken to a spectacular performances of classical dressage at the Spanish Riding School.
1987, August – Esbjerg and Copenhagen, Denmark
Took the car on the ferry from Newcastle to Esbjerg on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula; only Jeremy with us – Sandy was in Israel. Explored across Denmark to Odense and on to Copenhagen. Photograph of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbour.
1987, September – Formentora Island, Balearics
Package holiday for a week to the smallest of the Balearic islands; flight to Ibiza and then ferry. Very quiet – the season was almost over, but clear warm waters for swimming and long stretches of beach backed by pine trees. Hired a Vespa scooter – photograph – and explored elsewhere on foot.
1987, October – Nice
Joyce and Audrey Lawrence stayed in Ethel Houston’s flat near the harbour in Nice.
