Pic of the week; The Astor St Kilda

Rumored to be closing early this year, this Pic of the Week comes from the beautiful art deco Astor Theatre build right on our doorstep in St Kilda in 1936. Turns out Melbourne is a master of grand heritage theaters. In the last fortnight I’ve also nestled into the cosy seats of Classic Cinema Elsternwick (it offers healthy miso soup and edamame beans as alternative snacks!) and bohemian Cameo Cinema Belgrave. I only wish I’d visited the Astor before the passing of Marzipan – their resident cat.

The Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

I’ll be honest, I’m a little bit gutted to learn that despite being set here, Casino Royal didn’t film a single scene in Montenegro, but it’s a beautiful spot nonetheless. The old town of Kotor is a slightly larger labyrinth than its Croatian rival. We take a different route to our pension apartment each time. Just outside the city walls on the edge of the fjord there’s a sad but cool abandoned hotel – which I always find creepily intriguing. There’s a few pics online from bloggers that have snuck inside. Most people sunbathe on the concrete slab steps just in front of the old pool but wisely choose to swim in the much clearer fjord water. I’d love to say I climbed up the famous mountainside fortifications (the crumpling European version of the Great Wall of China) but at 1350 steps I just admired it from below.

Where we stayed; Vicky apartment – a quiet stone family pension 30 secs from the bus station (35 euros) on booking.com. Then 2 nights in an amazing old Stari Grad apartment ($35 euros) booked through Vizin travel in the main square.

 

Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb, Croatia

The qwerkest must-do in Croatia’s capital has to be the Museum of Broken Relationships. It’s a collection of cliche, touching and downright insane keep-sakes from broken hearts all over the world. Interestingly the most poignant are from mothers, parents, war zones and make everyone elses romance woes pale in comparison. That said, the Dylon example is quite unique! The Museum is also on tour this summer on London’s Southbank. Entry; 20 Kuna.

Pic of the week; Yekateringburg, Russia

The Church Upon the Blood, the Romanov Death Site from the 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II.

Changi War Museum

This Sat morning I went back in time to a (fun) World War II GCSE History class, curtacy of The Original Singapore Walks. Their 3 hour tour stops at The Changi Museum, the beach of the Sook Ching Massacres & outskirts of Changi Prison.

For an enjoyable way to brush up your 1930/40’s, Noel Barber’s novel Tanamera is a great read for anyone that knows or loves that era of Singapore. The rest you can piece together from the backpacking trail of The Death Railway or Hiroshima.

It’s not only useful to learn about Pearl Harbor from a South East Asia (not American) point of view. They also share nice myth busting like whether Singapore really did have her guns pointing the ‘wrong’ way. Most intriguingly though, is where your Kaya toast is baked and your 5* hotel laundry washed every morning….