TravelStream™ news feed for member chrisl34 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/chrisl34 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:18:12 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1228195680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1228195680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1228195680/tpod.html Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:18:12 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Chapelle en Serval, France

Well, where can I start on describing our trip to Paris?  It didn't quite go to plan.  We left Sotogrande about 7.30am, I should have been warned when we couldn't get out of the barrier arm from the complex for about 15 minutes because I had got confused with the difference in Spanish betwen back arrow and forward arrow(fair enough right?)  We drove with determination toward Alcobendas:  Just to add to the mix our car had begun to flash an occasional warning light on the dash about possible filter block, a new feature since our repair:  Stressful, but came to nothing.Our GPS didn't like the apartment address that we had so the kids had searched on the internet and found a point very close that they had entered.  We arrived  and drove around a very busy area several times trying to get our bearings:  After several circuits we did a bit of research and found we weren't in Alcobendas at all, but in Madrid, so after a bit of debate decided to drive on to find a phone and just get as far as we could today to shorten our next two days:  On we went and the weather was getting very cold and ugly.  Every time we stopped to go to the loo we all came back to the car like iceblocks. Our goal was now Burgos but as we arrived in the vicinity the car started beeping a warning of possible ice as the temperature dipped below 3° C and it began to snow.  Well this was fun, onward we decided and we trooped on hoping to pass the snow and find a roadside accommodation before dark: We headed onto yet another motorway and the snow had stopped though there were still snow ploughs at every exit, but then we had a very clear quiet run for a while only to get to a spot where the GPS said straight ahead, but the road wasn't yet open (new road)  We asked the GPS for an alternative route and bizarrely it said there was none:  By this stage it was dark so we turned back to the last town and began to hunt for a hotel, any hotel! After half an hour trying to find a park in the narrow streets we finally found an indoor carpark that was high enough for our car.  This is where the fun began, no parks on the first floor and corners so tight each one took at least a three point turn in our car.  We headed for the second level, but saw that it was too low, so brakes! and out I got to explain to the guy behind now he needed to reverse so we could get out.  Several more three point turns and we were at the exit, but what an exit, on such a sharp corner and with a steep ramp:  To cut a long story short it took two of our kids out directing, the guy from the booth directing and a long queue of cars before we got out:  But without a scratch on the car (small miracle)Out of town we went and had another shot with the GPS to move ahead, by now it was well and truly dark and to our horror we eventually came back to the not quite there motorway.  In desperation we headed for Bilbao, it wasn't on our way but it also wasn't too far off the beaten path.On the way we finally saw a small hotel and were at the stage if they couldn't take us we would get out the sleeping bags and attempt not to freeze to death in the car for the night:  They had a room so we trooped upstairs and after 13hours on the road collapsed into bed.The next day we contemplated our options and all agreed we just wanted to get to Paris so we would go for it.  It was a relief to find that we weren't too far off the beaten path and we headed North through Bordeaux toward Paris.  No wrong turns here, but some foul weather to negotiate.  The only good thing was a lack of trucks on the road as we travelled through the weekend.  Driving through Paris was none the less hectic as hell, but by 6.30pm we were pulling into Lorna and Bernard's drive(a mere 10hours on the road today, felt like a breeze!)  So great to see them and sit down and enjoy a lovely Pork curry; I don't think Lorna and Bernard had seen a meal disappear with such gusto before.We enjoyed a couple of really relaxing days here, just hanging out, wandering down the road to the shops and not getting in the car!    What a treat Lorna's home cooked meals and a chance to relax before the big flights.  We got all packed up and psyched up and headed for the airport for a night before heading for the States again. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1226562600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1226562600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1226562600/tpod.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:21:56 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Sotogrande, Andalusia, Spain and Canary Islands

How lovely to arrive and find we are staying in a gorgeous 3brm apartment on the edge of the Valderama Golf Course.  This was a total holiday break for us, we spent the first week with Mrs Zwanenburg ( who I worked with more than twenty years ago) and enjoyed seeing the area with her and visiting nearby areas.  We enjoyed a morning and a lovely Indian lunch at the Puero Banus market and the kids all bought the most annoying whistles imagineable.  The weather was cool at night, but more often than not incredibly sunny during the day.  Though we were the only ones, on many days we would go to the beach for a walk and end up swimming.  The locals thought we were a little crazy.  Sniffles, Mrs Zwanenburg's daschund, was a firm favourite with the kids and Cass took him for walks whenever she could.We drove Mrs Zwanenburg to the airport in Malaga after the first week and planned to visit the market in Estepona on the way home.  As we drove along the Autopista at 120km the car began to make a really loud noise.  We pulled off on a bridge where there was a small shoulder and found one tyre was shredded and smoking.  Hmmm, after some time waiting and attempting to look helpless we realized none of the cars rocketing past at 120 to 140kmph had any plan to stop.  We did some research and found where the spare was and the equipment to change a tyre only to discover that the jack appeared to be so solidly stuck that there none of us could get it out.  We decided we better stick together and hunt out an emergancy phone but then spottted some dog walkers in the distance below the bridge, after much yelling we realised they were English YAY and the guy clambered up to the bridge and changed the tyre for us. Incidentally he also struggled with the jack!!  What a great guy!  After a big hug from me, much to his embarrassment we headed on our way deciding to flag the market this time.We also visited Gibraltar a few times.  We shopped a bit and got some duty free as well as taking the opportunity to pick up some English books.  Zack and I also conquered the summit twice, the second time going both there and back via the Meditteranean steps.  A truly scenic route, but one heck of a hike!In our last week Cass and I decided to make a trip to Estepona market, we refused to be beat!  However our previous experience should have warned us, we got a little lost in the town and for the second time I regretted the size of our car.  Crunch! and I managed to rip a chunk of bumper off on a small post in the road trying to turn around with a six point turn.  In retrospect a couple of photos may have been amusing.  Our car angle parked across a one way street.  Me laying underneath trying to ram the bumper back together and various Spaniards tooting.  One even got out of his car and came over to sling a little abuse, but managed not to offer any help.  I happily shared with him some of the better Spanish words I have come to know and he then left me alone.  I managed to get going only to have a big grinding noise half way down the road and find we were dragging bits again.  So I made an executive decision and tore off the offending bit of bumper and at a garage bought some tape and taped the rest on.  All in all a pretty good effort!  Unfortunately we still couldn´t find the elusive market and decided that it was obviously jinxed so we headed home.The next day after consulting with the insurance company we decided to just get the local Peugeot garage to patch us up and give us the all clear for the drive back.  Not so straightforward as thought.  First back to Estepona to the garage, then the news that we needed to repair it and a trip on to Marbella.  Hours of waiting and discussing why I wouldn´t pay and about ten calls to our insurance and then a 2.5 hour wait for the rental division to reopen after lunch.  This was the only good part of the day as Zack Cass and I went and had a lovely Italian lunch in Marbella (Samantha had wisely decided against joining us and had stayed home).  Then after signing up for a rental car finally at 5pm they rang our insurance and they said they would send a cab for us and get a car sorted else where.  After several attempts to connect with the cab we finally did, only to find that we were going to Malaga for the car, this is about 120km from where we are staying.  We eventually got home around 10.15pm and we are still shaking our heads about this ridiculous experience.     Our last few days we totally cruised, plenty of reading and blobbing, we had seen Ronda and Castries and some other outlying villages in the mountains and spent plenty of time at the shops.  Cass and I picked the car up from Marbella and that turned out to be a very straight forward affair compared to our getting it there experience.  They even gave it an amazing clean.  We also had some of the very stormy weather that had hit other areas with lots of rain and thunder and lightening, we approached our departure day with some trepidation, with a lot of news about snow in the North, something I didn´t relish the thought of driving through on a drive to Paris. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225365360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225365360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225365360/tpod.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:09:00 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Polopos, Valencian Country, Spain and Canary Islands

We drove all the way to Alicante and spent the night before heading to Polopos.  We enjoyed a frolick on the beach and an Italian dinner and then a really good value night in a small hotel. The next day we arrived to find that I had once again made the error of arriving a day earlier than our plan, we thought that our stay in Montpellier was very short!  Sorry everyone.  Kay and John were really accommodating even though our appearance was a bit of a surprise.  Poplopos is a lovely little village in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean.  The views are incredible and the narrow streets and endless wandering cats and dogs really make you feel like you are truly in Spain.While here we went to a horse fair in the local town of Arbeñol.  It was a real fiesta and we had fun just getting a park, ending up in a very narrow steep one way street and unable to turn around. This was the first time I regretted the size of our car!.  A really lovely young Spanish woman came to our rescue by calling her husband down from way up on the hill at her house to move it for me.  Yes I did feel like a complete plonker.  We wandered the streets and enjoyed being the only tourists in town.  During our days at Polopos we often headed down to the coast and played at the beach and enjoyed the local cafes.  Such good value after spending money in the other countries we have visited.We had a lovely lunch out with Kay and John up on the hill above their house on a Sunday with a lot of other locals, as well as appreciating Kay's great cooking.  The kids loved Polopos, they spent a lot of time befriending stray dogs and Cass even managed a new injury here, gouging a huge gash in her heel by stepping on an adaptor plug, not pretty!  They also loved little Lilli, Kay and John's dog and she received a huge amount of attention during our stay.We did have alot of rain, but this took nothing away from our time here as it was a lovely spot to relax and be cosy, looking out toward the ocean and the constantly changing valley, even staring out the window at the tiny narrow windy streets and listening to the locals going about their business was a real pleasure.  It was great to find bookshelves full of English books to relax with as wellVery soon it was time to move on and a short drive of about 3 hours down the coast to Sotogrande.  
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225104960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225104960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225104960/tpod.html Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:00:45 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Castries, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

What an interesting shape we have travelled on the map of Europe!  Quite a shock to find ourselves driving back through Lyon!  We had a good drive down though half of it was through driving rain which i found a little challenging.  We felt we had made pretty good time but as we got within a couple of kilometres we were rather dismayed to find the streets narrow and packed with traffic and an incredibly busy hectic scene in all directions, surely this wan't Castries.  It took several laps and some serious drives down tram roads and one way streets before we realised we had entered Centre of Montpellier as our final destination on our GPS and not Castries.  On the bright side we had a good look around the city.  18km later we found our way to Marc and Trangs, that was after visiting a lovely house in the neighbourhood and much gesticulation about where to go.We enjoyed a restful afternoon, a nice walk to the river with Trang and the kids and a delicious roast dinner before heading off to bed.  We only had two nights in Castries, Marc and Trang felt sure it was meant to be more, but I reassured them I had it right  ( I found later I was wrong again)  We were pleased to see it was wet in the morning and it gave us a chance to relax before our next big drive.  It was also Cassandra's 9th birthday and she enjoyed some gifts that we had managed to smuggle along the way as well as a birthday cake in the evening.  Trang dropped her and I in the town for a walk in the afternoon and after waving her off Cassandra immediately sprained her ankle.  It began to swell immediately so we hobbled to a local cafe and applied first aid.  A delicious hot chocolate for the soul and ice for the ankle.  We then hobbled home of course getting lost on the way, only to be helped with directions from numerous lovely locals.The next morning we were up and away again before seven for our next long drive to Polopos Southern Spain via Alicante
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225039140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225039140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1225039140/tpod.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:32:53 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Breitnau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

On our way to visit with Corina, we spent a couple of nights at Berg Wildenstein which was an amazing castle that is now run as a hostel.  We went for a great walk with total exertion with steep steep down hill and then steep steep uphill.  Beautiful autumn countryside.  Only Zack was brave enough to voulnteer for an equally tough hike the next day with me.  The castle was amazing steep windy staircases and thiick walls, a huge band was there for the weekend and they played so loud when the big drum was played it sounded like cannons going off in the forest.  Really great music!  We met Corina at her school were she teaches in the afternoon and followed her to The Hut, where we were staying, just 5 minutes from her flat. It is beautiful countryside, with rolling hills and beautiful views of the surrounding Black Forest.  She lives in a lovely apartment on the top story of a country house with an amazing view.We had an amazing range of weather, with some days beautifully sunny, and the odd really cold day thrown in just for variety.  All of us were really thrilled one night when it snowed, even though we weren´t really dressed for it!Corina took us to see some of the beautiful sights of the area, we went up the Feldberg and Herzogenhorn and Schauinsland, where we got great views, to France and the Swiss Alps as welll as across the black forest.  We enjoyed some lovely meals that Corina made for us, as well as a really nice dinner out at a restuarant above Freiburg.  We caught the train in to the city and enjoyed seeing all of the historic buildings and different areas fo the city before meeting Corina and heading up to dinner.  The Kaesespaetzle was a huge hit with all of the kidsand they enjoyed it on several accasions at home afterwards.  It is a delicious type of homemead noodle with tons of cheese.Cass and I went to visit a friend of my friends Ayelet and Brett back in NZ.  He was Rudi and lived about one and a half hours away in Moessingen.  On the way we visited a beautiful castle called Berg Hohenzollen and foundourselves doing yet more climbing with hundrends of steps.  On top of that it began to rain and we had to race.  Cass did an amazing job, especially as she was wearing her new high heels!  We had a great dinner with Rudi and started heading home about 9pm..  The one and a half hour drive there turned into a 2 and a half hour drive home as it was now pelting with rain, and a thick mist laying over many areas, even with a GPS I missed several turns and Cass turned out to be a great navigator.  The autobahns in Germany may have no speed limit, but they didn´t test my speed this night as I crept along, much to the disgust of the local drivers.  We eventually got home after 11pm and were so relieved to be there. Samantha told me that Corina had suggested snow tonight and probably best to leave the car at the bottom of the drive, but I was so knackered I decided to risk it.The next morning we were relieved to see it hadn´t snowed, though it had rained all night and to my horror I tried to pull out and found that the car was stuck in the mud.  After much trying I gave up and went inside, thinking we would call for help after Corina returned from school.  But my hero Samantha went out there in the rain andwind and worked on the area around the tyre and made a dry and firm path to get out on.  It was all cheers when the car drove up on to solid ground!We also visited the lovely lakes of the area, The Titisee, The Schluchee and a beautiful small glacial lake Windgfaellweiher. We enjoyed hanging out on the side of the Schluchee and building rock walls and towers on our last day as it was beautiful weather.That night we had a special dinner at Corina's of Raclette, which was fun and delicious and once again ate way too much.  The next morning we were up early and off at 7am for our long drive to Montpellier in Southern Fance
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224264900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224264900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224264900/tpod.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:18:00 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Schaffhausen, Switzerland

Our next destination was chosen by the kids, we were looking for something in the direction of Black Forest, but further than Kaltbrunn, in Switzerland where we were going to drop in and visit with my cousinJames and his wife Martine and their son Jeremy who was celebrating his fourth birthday.  The drive went pretty well, except our GPS gave us a most interesting and scenic route. Instead of taking us back to Como and along the motorway, it took us further up the mountain and over the other side, through some tinyvillages and narrow windy roads, and then through a very quiet little border patrol where the guy casually waved us through.  The fun began here, where the fall to the bottom of the mountain became reallysteep and the turns the sharpest hairpins I have ever driven, reminiscent of the famous lombard Street in San Francisco, only the fall was greater.  I went really slowly, but on one I still had to make it a three point turn to get around.  To top the trip off the GPS took us to Heidiland before turning us around and bringing us back on the same motorway 30km.  A real treat to get an extra 60km added to your journey. But of course who wouldn't do that to get a chance to see the Heidiland signs?We arrived in Kaltbrunn and found it was a lovely country village with a real rural atmosphere.  James and Martine have a great family home there and it was lovely to meet Jeremy and catch up with James mum Carol after 23yrs, as well as her mum and Martine's parents.  We also consumed copious quatities of party food before hitting the road for Stein am Rhein, a journey of just over an hour that was very stress free.We arrived at our accommodation, a nice hotel and hostel on the main drag, right by the Rhine River, a really good spot. We had a good night sleep and except for finding ourselves locked in the room for ages in the morning with the bathroom outside the door, not the least stressful way to get up!  I used an ingenious method of getting really cross and bashing the door with my fist and voila, it unlocked just like that!We went via the Rhine falls, the largest falls in Europe.  It made for a really enjoyable trip up to the BlackForest. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224263220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224263220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224263220/tpod.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:10:13 -0500 Our BIG OE

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Como, Lombardy, Italy

Our trip from Venice was far more orderly than our arrival.  We found our next accommodation after a less hectic drive to the city of Como and then up into the hills and countryside to a really peaceful spot in Schignano.  It was a lovely farm style place with a really quaint room for us.  We unpacked and then went for a country walk.  It turned out to be a very strenuous hike up the mountain and through the forest, along partially paved rough trails, but wait, is that a car bouncing along up the trail.  This was a road.  One car gave us some leaway as they passed and we held our breath as the loose rubble around their tyres on one side of the car fell away down a steep bank to the forest floor below.  Not my idea of a Sunday drive.We headed home, a bit freaked out, but also glad we had an opportunity to get out into the forest and experience the beautiful autumn colours.  In some places it felt like it was snowing leaves.  We decided to go to the restaurant at the place we were staying and were amazed to see that there were only four tables.  Two couples and a family of three and us.  Oh, and three dogs of course.  One, the dog of a Swiss couple who were dining, and two who lived here and just dropped in for the warmth of the fire and our company of course.We ordered everything on the menu to share between us, two of each course.  The girls tried numerous things and loved some and were horrified at the taste of others.  The food was really magnificent, with most of it organically homegrown, and if not at least locally.  I enjoyed a local wine from a small china bowl.  Delicious.  Zack was thrilled that he was able to order some of the homemade pasta plain and went to some pains to explain he meant absolutely plain.  He was so pleased to see they understood when that course arrived and then the owner arrived to meet the guests.  A lovely Italian gentleman who spoke little English, he saw Zack's pasta and swept in with the olive oil and poured him a generous portion across the pasta, explaining that it was so much better and good for him.  Zack managed to maintain his composure and tasted it.  The owner waited for his feedback and saw that it was tentative and so gave him a friendly cuff across the head and told him to eat up.  To Zacks credit he ate it all and we couldn't hold back a smile when the man came back with extra bread for him to mop up the rest of the oil. Afterwards I laughed when Zack agreed it gave him a true appreciation of olive oil and then added that he could definitely live without it.We headed back to our room and were off to bed, the next morning enjoying a lovely breakfast of home baked breads, local cheeses and other delights before hitting the road.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224094260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224094260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1224094260/tpod.html Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:01:30 -0400 Our BIG OE

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Venice, Veneto, Italy

We had a very good drive to Venice, some scary scenes around us as a truck swung across two lanes refusing to let a car pass and the mad driver of the car kept trying to speed past.  We had no idea what the truck driver was doing until a km or so up the road he pulled out and we saw he was trying to slow people as another truck was on fire. We arrived in one piece and parked in the parking building at the port because that is the first one we found.  Then we got directions how to get to the boat for our hotel.  We found the bus and I was very pleased with myself so far.  We looked back over the long bridge out of Venice as we headed in toward our destination.  I was most proud to have navigated this far without a hitch.  Then we developed a sense of despair as we realised we were heading back over the bridge and away from Venice.  Oh right so we had missed our stop.  The bus driver was in a little plastic cubicle marked clearly do not disturb. So I said to the kids I thought the best tactic was to just stay on the bus and surely he would come around again.  As we drove in this hot crowded bus I laughed and joked about what a great tour we were getting as we drove further and further away.  the kids looked less than amused. Eventually everyone cleared off the bus and I went up and showed myself at the bus drivers little door, he looked horrified to see me and promptly showed us to a different bus to get back.  Apparently he was on no round trip.  Eventually we arrived at our destination and got off the bus, rather bemused as at no point had we paid!  Then we paid for and caught a boat to our destination and sat outside and enjoyed a long trip through the canals of Venice.  It was a beautiful day and so nice to be in the open air of the boat, even if he did slam into every wharf he stopped at, ours being almost the last.  We found our hostel and were all a little tentative as we headed down a dark smelly alley, but were thrilled when we got inside to find a beautiful suite with two bedrooms and bathroom, all very modern and spacious.  We relaxed for a while munching on snacks we had brought with us to avoid the reputed Venice prices and then headed to Saint Marks square.  We enjoyed the windy narrow streets with outrageously expensive boutiques and throngs of people.  The square was impressive and we even had a gondola ride down the narrow canals with a lovely gondolier called Franco.  He showed us Mozart's house and the Venetian Opera House and we passed people being played to and serenaded in other gondolas.  Evening began to fall and it was really peaceful.  We were travellling at low tide and Franco showed us the tide came right up to the floor level of most houses at full tide. We headed back to our hotel and relaxed before bed enjoying the atmosphere of this really historic and unique city.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223982840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223982840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223982840/tpod.html Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:51:55 -0400 Our BIG OE

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Lucca, Italy

We headed off early for a long drive to Pisa.  It went very well except that the driving definitely gets more exciting when you get to Italy.  The speed that people drive is amazing, on many roads the limit is 130km and numerous times if I pulled out of the slow lane and wanted to pass a truck at 130, a car would zoom up behind me impatiently lights flashing or horn tooting to get out of the way.  I vowed to stay out of the car as much as possible in Italy!Pisa was great, we booked to climb the tower and had a couple of hours to kill so we wandered around the other amazing historic buildings in the square grass and avoiding the guys selling souvenirs.  Samantha gave her climb ticket to someone else because she wasn't feeling so great and the rest of us headed off.  Not too overwhelming and interesting to see the warp in the steps from the towers lean.  Great view on the way up and definitely fun to have done it.We left here and found our car (I gave a sigh of relief that it was still there and not ticketed)  It had felt like a small miracle to find a park of any sort in the windy little packed streets. We drove to Lucca 30 minutes away.  With no problem we found our hostel in a huge old building.  It was a great place and we had a private room with its own bathroom and three sets of bunk beds. It was only about six and we were so tired so we tried to find something for dinner but nothing was open yet.  We ended up settling for fish and chips (rídiculous)  and Samantha settled for dry cereal in the room.After a great nights sleep we spent the next morning riding bikes around the town''s ancient wall.  It was a ton of fun and a beautiful day.We rode around the ancient wall surrounding the town and managed to run no one down. Cass and I rode a tandem and we were pretty scarey.We spent some time relaxing during the day and then went out and had a Pizza dinner.  We started with antipasta to give the kids a chance to try parma ham and local cheese, olives etc, I loved it!  Then they all had Pizza and I had ravioli, delicious and some local red to top it off.  Life is good!  After this we headed home to tuck ourselves down for another good night sleep.The next morning we left around 8 to get to Venice, being sure to stop for a local hot chocolate on the way out.  Lucca is a beautiful town, well worth a visit and a great place to stay if visiting Pisa.     
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223981220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223981220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chrisl34/2/1223981220/tpod.html Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:27:43 -0400 Our BIG OE

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Conzieu, France

The drive to Conzieu went well and we found the house without a hitch.  What a beautiful location.  About 15 minutes to the nearest town with all amenities, which was Belley, we were well and truly out in the French countryside (the town has a population of just over 100 people) and we loved every minute of it.  We went for some great walks and spent alot of time relaxing at Brad and Marie's beautiful home, which was originally the priory to the adjacent 12th century church.  The kids revelled in the quiet, the hidden library and the space to get away from each other.  We also took day trips to Belley and enjoyed wandering the narrow streets and getting supplies. We went to Annecy for the day and went on a boat cruise on the lake, the cleanest lake in Europe and also a day in Lyon, were we saw the Roman ruins and other historic sights.  I have to admit, what we enjoyed the most was relaxing in Conzieu, taking in the atmosphere, wandering down to pat the lambs and berate the ram for pushing them around. We will so definitely want to come back and brush up our budding French skills, and spend alot of time wandering the countryside and taking all of the backstreets!
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