sydney travel photographer / DELICIOUS BITES

30 Jan 2026

I flew into Zurich because of its proximity to Freiburg, where the conference I attended was held, so of course it made sense to fly home from there. An old friend of mine lives in Zurich so we were able to catch up while I was in town.

When I visit Zurich I often stay at the same hotel, located close to the Opera House, the lake and the Stadelhofen Railway Station. It makes getting to the airport a breeze.

Don't let the sunshine fool you. I was in Zurich for 2 days and the first morning of my stay was bright and sunny then it rained solidly for the rest of my stay.

I'd bought a Zurich card at the Airport so I tried to use as much public transport and visit as many museums and attractions as I could visit during my short stay. My first destination was the Kunsthaus Zürich.

I decided to walk there past the lake and the Grossmünster.

It was a Sunday so the shops were all closed but there were plenty of people out and about.

I arrived a little bit early so I walked around the exterior of the art gallery.

Autumn had arrived so the trees were losing their leaves.

There was artwork both inside and outside the gallery.

It had been a few years since my last visit and a new wing had been built joined to the existing building by an underpass.

The new building itself is a work of art.

The Kunsthaus Zürich is filled with art treasures.

I walked across the bridge to the Fraumünster Church to see the Chagall windows.

The windows are beautiful but too difficult to capture on a cloudy day.

I retraced my steps back to the Grossmünster because I had a tower to climb.

The 187 stairs were a bit of a challenge and I was glad when I finally reached the top. The views were worth the climb.

The next day the weather took a turn for the worse, think driving rain, swirling winds and inside out umbrellas, so I took very few photos.

I did brave the rain and returned to the Fraumünster Church to see the cloisters, which are closed on Sundays.

The peaceful cloister and it's beautiful murals.

A black and white image from a previous visit to Zurich when my film camera worked.

My last photos of a sodden Zurich.

I spent the afternoon in the teeny tiny Beyer Watch and Clock Museum. It was very busy so I waited in the rain for quite some time before I could enter. Although tiny, it's full of treasures and it was a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.

They're my last images from my trip to Europe and North Africa. I guess that means its time to arrange my next holiday.

See you all again soon.

Bye for now,

Jillian

glasgow and edinburgh

14 Jan 2026

My good friend Kay and her sidekick Boris live in Glasgow, so whenever I'm in the area I like to visit them. Glasgow isn't that far from Morocco so I thought getting to Glasgow would be a breeze. Unfortunately there were no direct flights to Glasgow at all in october and no daily flights to Edinburgh either. That meant spending a few extra days in Marrakech and a layover at LHR, my least favourite airport in the world, but needs must.

Autumn in Scotland means one thing, grey skies and rain, so I made sure to pack my rain gear. Kay was on school holidays and she'd planned a full day's adventure. We started the day at the farm where her horse is stabled before a walk at Whitelee Windfarm, accompanied of course by Boris.

If you look very closely you can just see Boris.

Glasgow was so green compared to Morocco.

After our walk it was time for lunch. We drove to the Heron Farm Shop and Kitchen where I took in the view.

The view was just as beautiful in black and white.

The Heron Kitchen is dog friendly so Boris was able to sit indoors with us while we had our lunch.

We walked around the property which also houses a reception venue, The Heron Byre.

Autumn had definitely arrived in Glasgow.

The Heron Farm Shop had some pretty Christmas gifts and lovely fresh produce.

The next day I caught the train to Edinburgh, which is a 45 minute journey from Glasgow. The return trip cost me $68.00 and I almost choked on my cup of tea. The journey time is much the same as my daily trip to work, which during peak hours costs $10.80 for the round trip. How do the locals afford to travel by train???

I don't always visit Edinburgh when I'm in Scotland so I'd forgotten how crowded it can get.

It's very scenic though, all dressed up in autumnal hues.

I was on a mission though, so I couldn't tarry too long because I had places to see and things to do.

Doing some research before my trip I discovered there were swathes of Edinburgh I'd not visited.

I hoped that the 'off the beaten track' and 'little known by tourists' locations on my agenda were indeed that. They weren't.

I was on my way to the instafamous Lannan Bakery, located in Stockbridge, and walked there via the Water of Leith Walkway. The walkway was pretty busy and I kept my fingers crossed that I was the only person en route to the bakery.

I stopped at the very picturesque Dean Village.

A warning, I did take a few photos while I was there.

I was in Edinburgh in October and found many of the houses decorated for Halloween.

I walked past stone cottages with pretty details.

Not all cities read well in 'black and white'. Edinburgh does.

The colour versions.

Stockbridge is home to many cute shops and restaurants. How had I not been there before?

Could you get any more Scottish than this thistle topped gate?

I found Lannan Bakery and I joined the queue which snaked around the corner.

Was the queue long? Yes it was. Does Lannan employ queue monitors? Yes they do.

Did I line up for more than an hour? Yes, I did. Did they run out of the pastry I wanted to buy while I waited in the queue. Yes they did.

I pivoted and selected something else. While I was in the queue, I chatted to a lady who commented that the pastries we chose would never be delicious enough to justify the one hour + wait.

I carried my goodies back with me through the back streets of Stockbridge where I found many beautiful stone buildings

and pretty gardens.

I was still on a mission though, to locate Circus Lane, dubbed one of the most beautiful streets in the UK.

I had to wait patiently to get a clear view of the lane and St Stephen's Church. Apparently the tourists staging photoshoots mid-lane drive the local residents barmy.