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Portia

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Hey there Fragrant Family,

This week sees more of Europe. More buddies, more scent and much more diary.

Scent Diary: 13.3 – 19.3.17

Monday 13:

OK, 5.30am wake up. NOT relaxing. We’re off to Berlin via Prague on the trains. Plenty of time to flake out. I should be reading my book but the scenery has me spellbound.

Guerlain Mitsouko EdT for the journey. It was an excellent accompaniment. Jin was bathed in L’Occitane Cedrat L’Homme yesterday and I could still smell it on his clothes in the train. So sexy and cuddly.

Dinner in Berlin and Jin got a beer nearly as big as his head.

Tuesday 14:

I bought a decant of Louis Vuitton Turbulences away with me and was totally going to wear it today but was ambushed in my choice by vintage Miss Dior parfum, which is a perfect Berlin morning fit.

Jin has booked us into the Melia Hotel on Friedrichstrasse, right next to the railway and river. We have a tiny little balcony which overlooks both, heaven. It’s a businessman’s hotel with an impressive buffet breakfast included and the room is very nice, even has a bath so I had a delicious soak before bed tonight.

Today we are doing the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. As we are only here for one full day as a Berlin taster we thought it best to get as much of the tourist stuff ticked off the list as possible. We have also been given a list of Nicolas Chabat from Le Galion and his partner Enno’s favourite spots in Berlin. Fingers crossed we get some time for a couple of them too.

We saw pieces of the Berlin Wall. A stark reminder about how destructive politics is.

Then we climbed to the walking parapet of one cathedral where I proceeded to have a vertigo meltdown. Sweats, knees buckling, delusions of the floor moving and heart thudding uncontrollably. Basically a panic attack at height. Jin kindly captured the moment.

Nivea has a dedicated shop here and I’m dying to go in but they weren’t open yet.

Gallery! We spent hours wandering the halls. Here are some of the artworks we loved.

We may have gone back at night when the Nivea shop was open and bought the Nivea EdP.

Wandered past the Brandenburg Gate

and down to the Holocaust Memorial. SO spooky at night.

Then burgers.

Now I’m going for a bath and then bed.

Wednesday 15:

Busy morning. Jin has hired a car, so we’ll go get it. O MG! Can we talk upgrade? Eurocar was supposed to give us a VW Golf but somehow we ended up with a Mercedes Sports Car with only 700kms on the clock. Jin is like a 17 year old kid, so freaking excited. We are now a driving holiday! Touring, YAY!

Wearing Yves Rocher Rose Oud again.

Then we met Ann from Perfume Posse and her partner Thomas for coffee and a sniff. We went to Parfumsalon Berlin and met proprietor Mario who is a perfumista himself. It was wonderful chatting to someone who really cared about the fragrances in his stock.

Newest Profumi del Forte called Mythical Woods. New packaging too. Very modern.

Yes, I purchased. When I first smelled Tabac Tabou I was woefully underwhelmed. The 2016 run though speaks volumes to me. Fabulous.

Added the current Sables by Annick Goutal on my arms. WOW! Jin hates it but I adore it.

Back to the hotel, pack, leave for Hamburg! Jin hit 190km/h and I am in a testosterone packed teen movie nightmare. He he he. He’s a pretty good driver, I went to sleep and let him at it.

Ahhhhh, Hamburg is bloody gorgeous. We are staying well outside the city but no problem. A group (up to 5 people) daily ticket across all public transports is under 12 euro! We caught buses, metro, trains and ferry. BEST way to feel like part of the community.

One thing we noticed about Hamburg is how much more multicultural it is than other cities visited this trip, all the skin shades represented in every block of walking. Feels like home. We are most comfortable here.

I don’t have a photo but the Hamburg Ferry 62 is a fabulous round trip at dusk, included in your public transport card.

Thursday 16:

Even the view from our outskirts hotel breakfast room is tranquil and serene. It’s the Holiday Inn, make sure you ask to be in the tower block part. We paid an extra 10 euro a day for a room twice the size and with a spectacular view. Bathroom is a bit tired but clean.

Today i wore my decant of Camelia Intrepide by Atelier Cologne. Lovely softly sweet, dry tea scent. A bit powdery and warmed through by resins. Great choice for Hamburg, pretty and discrete without being boring or plain.

Bloody Hell. Ran around the whole day.

We wanted to do a free walking tour but the guide gave us the shits so we fled. If you’re in Hamburg do the Red Umbrella Tour.

We did also go to the Hamburg Museum of Art & Design. I’m sorry I didn’t take more pictures for you, it was amazing. (Applied arts museum with ancient & modern artifacts, from Japanese pottery to Bauhaus furniture.)

We found Jin a Korean restaurant. If he goes a week without it he gets very restive. I can’t remember name or place but it’s the only one on Trip Advisor that gets a good review. we liked it also.

Friday 17:

Drove to Hanover and met my mate Celia. We spent the day laughing, eating, sightseeing and Niki de Saint Phalle-ing.

I wore Yves Rocher Rose Oud again.

Jin posing as the stocking ad woman outside the new Rathaus.

Niki de Saint Phalle donated over 400 pieces of her art to the city of Hanover. It has become a playground for fans of her art and the new modern art museum has dedicated its front room to her. Not just the colourful nanas but some much darker Big Shot pieces where she has shot paint at half formed sculptural works.

I also loved this Walls Have Ears piece.

In the parks drifts of crocus & daffodil have been planted and are all coming out in bloom. I made Celia and Jin go out there and be fools but I think it works as a bit of whimsy.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line

along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

Excerpt from “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” (also “Daffodils”) by William Wordsworth

Saturday 18:

I’m not sure why but I couldn’t sleep last night. So at 5am I got up to have a shower and got onto the computer to do some blogging. It’s good, I’ve caught up with my photos for the last couple of days and got other stuff in order. Jin is snoring rhythmically in the background. BLISS!

Spraitzed myself silly with Ambergreen by Oliver & Co this morning. Excellent freaky green choice.

Arrived in Rotterdam to see Sandra, Sean and Esperanza for lunch. Then Jin had a nap and the rest of us went walking through town, ending up back in our hotel room just chilling till dinner. We were met by Carl at Jamie Oliver’s Italian and had a wonderful night. For dinner I wore a multiple spritz of vintage Miss Dior parfum.

I’m bushed now, here are some pics.

Sunday 19:

Up early and off to Luxembourg via Brussells. We are out seeing the town.

Jin REALLY wanted Belgian waffles. Obviously he got them.

While Jin was eating his waffles I went biscuit crazy. Spent a fortune.

Honestly I was excited to be eating chips & special tasty mayonnaise. No idea why I am looking grumpy.

So we get to Luxembourg, take a bus and find Place Guillaume II. If you’re a perfume lover then you’ll get why I was so excited about that.

Now, tell me about your week please. Anything interesting or fragrant? Purchase or plan?
Portia xx