TravelStream™ news feed for member marybc on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/marybc en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:43:02 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1245598115/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1245598115/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1245598115/tpod.html Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:43:02 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Briançon, Provence, France

The last blog was sent from Mont Blanc. Up to that point we had been pretty disappointed with the area what with the rain and clouds. Just as I was publishing the blog Shane told me the clouds had lifted and that you could see the top of the mountain. So off we went to get our tickets for the last gondola straight up to the top. Actually you take one gondola... shuffle over to wait in line for the second one (all the time hoping the clouds don't come in again) then, when you think you are on top, there is an elevator to take.
Now this in one crazy destination! At 3807 meters above sea level you can imagine the feeling. It was cold and sunny. There were quite a few crazy ice / rock climbers up there for us to watch when we weren't gawking at the view. It is amazing the engineering that went in to providing public access to the area. There are tunnels through the mountain so you can access viewing platforms and even the elevator shaft. Can you imagine how that kind of idea would be received in Canada. You want to put an elevator where?? So people can what??? Now maybe if there were a Tim Hortons on the top, who knows?
Anyway it was a great view and a wonderful way to end our time in the high alps. We spent two nights in the area then headed off on a few more scenic passes before spending the night in Briancon.
The passes we took took us from France to Italy and back to France. There wasn't a cloud in the sky until we reached the N6 which was supposed to be the nicest. Perhaps it is, we'll never know. What we do know is that the roads we did see were beautiful and closely rivel the passes we took in Switzerland.
Briancon was not a planned destination. It was a spot on the map that looked like a good place to spend the night. We didn't know until after we checked in that it was he highest city in Europe and home to one of the most interesting fortresses we had seen yet. The pass must have been very important in order to justify all the rockwork! It helps if the country you're defending 80% rock. With no lack of building materials and as many enemies it is no wonder there are so many walls, castles and churches (you've got to have a place to pray for the outcome) in the area!
The town of Briancon is built on a steep hill (serfs in the valley....fortress on the hill). It is very quaint retaining a kind of Swiss feeling with French accents if that makes any sense. We stayed in a very old hotel that we found through Logis de France. On the whole they are pretty good but the next night... in St. Etienne, we stayed again at a Logis de France and were not at all impressed. Had to send a note to the management on that one. First bad experience here. The good news is that the next night, in the Loire Valley, we found a place for three nights that is quiet and comfortable (and there's a pool!).
Back to the journey. There really isn't much to tell about the trip from Briancon to the Loire. We went along the Rhone River which is industrial and not very pretty. We weren't there long before the road took us west through rolling hillsides to the flat planes of the Loire Valley. Miles and miles of cows, corn, wheat and, eventually, vineyards.
Both of us are getting ready to go home. We have been to the Loire (almost three months ago) and are only keen to do a little sight seeing and a lot of resting.
Three nights in this quiet place (La Fleuray Hotel & Restaurant) is like going on a retreat before the last few days in Paris and the long trip home.
Spent some time seeing some of the country chateaus and a few small country villages. After that it was time to go for a swim, clean out the car and repack all our mess. I have a huge bag of brochures that will have to be recycled tomorrow... enough to fill a suitcase.
In three months we have seen so much. There is no one highlight for me ... a collection of memories that, like my fishing stories, will likely get better with time. What can I say... like fine wine we all get better with time!?
In case you are wondering about the title.... there are a lot of towns that you go through in a day, most of them are not easily remembered. On the rainy trip from Briancon to the Loire, however, there were two towns that I remembered because they were in English. We did go through Die but we took a detour around Nevers... hence: Die? no Nevers!
Heh...cut me some slack ... I'm tired!
This may be my last blog before we return home. ..Unless I decide to visit McDonalds in Paris. Who knows.


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Amsteg, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Whew! The Swiss Alps are just like I imagined ... that is without the big dog carrying whisky or men in leather shorts blowing an alpine horn! The experience we've had on the last four days of our trip here was so unexpected and absolutely over the top!
Not only was Katherina an excellent host (and may I say a great cook as well) but the weather cooperated as well. And the scenery!
OK... lets tell you where we went. We met Katherina at her apartment in Zurich where we spent Wednesday night. City sounds and the fear of being towed made me glad to be out of there first thing Thursday morning.
We headed to Walensee Lake where her family has a summer home. The view from the 'cabin' is outstanding. She gave me the names of the mountains but of course I can't remember. Suffice to say we looked south towards the Weisstannental range. Took a hike up (way up!!) behind the house through pastures and past typical (read: smelly cow barns) mountain huts. We wandered up and down listening to stories of Katherina's childhood and adult antics in these hills. From hiking to camping to screaming down the hills on a toboggan. It really must have been a magical place to be as a child. The local town calls it "Heidiville" which really means a very typical Swiss village.
Next morning we got in the car and headed out for a short (??) day trip to the Appenzeli area. We took a gondola up and walked (forever!!) across a ridge and down past a couple of lakes to the town of Brillisau (?). From the ridge we could look down upon the valley of Appenzeli or across to Germany & Lichenstine. What a great day we had though the day before it had been pouring rain.
Back through the gently rolling hills to the cabin for fondu and a lot of fun.
Next day we headed out to the Maderanertal for an over night hike. This was a gentler hike though there was a lot of uphill.on the first day. As we began our assent to the mountain we were seranaded by a local yodeling club... really. Can you imagine a more perfect setting to head up to the Alpine? Flowers everywhere and music as well! We stayed at a mountain hotel. Im not sure if you call it a refugio or a cabin. All I can say for sure is that it was an unforgettable experience. I really wish we had them in Canada. The food is good... the setting stunning and the rooms weren't bad at all. There were six people in our dorm and we had down comforters, pillows and they even provided 'croc's' to wear so our tired feet could rest. Nice touch!!
Shane and Katherina went for separate hikes in the afternoon while I sat on a rock, looked around, sketched and wrote. It was such a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The hike out the next day was, again, in the sun. Down past an old mountain hotel and to the river which we followed to the car.

Got home in time to do laundry and eat another great meal before we all collapsed in to bed.
There is no way we could have had such a wonderful experience in Switzerland if not for our friend Katherina. Thanks again for all you did for us. We are back in France right now (in Chamonix Mont Blanc. It is beautiful here but it is not Switzerland. Though I never did get a hang of the language (only thing I learned was "Greetsy" which is how you say hi on the mountain paths) I did love the crazy diverse culture, wonderful cheese, great bread and friendly people. With our own personal guide we learned a lot about the culture.
It is good to be in a place where we can communicate (sort of). Two nights here then south before we begin our trip back to Paris on the 22nd.
A big hi to K's family and to Claudia. Looking forward to a visit in Canada.

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1244606400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1244606400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1244606400/tpod.html Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:29:57 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Interlaken, Swiss Alps, Switzerland



There were so many options out there for the name of this blog. When it came right down to it I had to I had to choose between the winner and “Wakin’ When The Cows Come Home”. Both of them sound negative but the experience has been anything but!

Today is our third day in the Swiss Alps. Our friend, Katherina, recommended a place called Rosenlaui and we are extremely glad she did.

The hotel is quite old and situated below the beautiful Rosenlaui Glacier. Given the age of the place it’s no wonder we have to walk across the hall to the WC. This is, in spite of that inconvenience, one of the nicest places we have experienced in our three months in Europe.

There are no souvenir shops or gawking tourists (besides us!…everyone else seems to be Swiss). From the hotel it is a nice hike to the next pass with a great view of the Eiger, the Wetterhorn etc. etc. On our first full day here we did that hike dropping down to the valley towards Grindelwald. We had great weather, our feet held out and our camera’s memory card filled up. We hiked through fields of wildflowers, over creeks, across snow fields and past countless hillside Refugio’s. It was a wonderful day until we decided to take the bus back to Rosenlaui. The hike took us five hours… the bus ride less than one yet they wanted (and we paid) over 50 Swiss Francs ($50 Cdn) for the experience. When we were in Vietnam a few years ago we paid around $20 to go from one end of the country to the other (over five days). Anway, I got over it as I looked out the window. We had the bus to ourselves (almost) so I figured out it was the cost of a taxi back to our comfy eiderdown covers and delicious food. Our second night here we had the most delicious meal we have experienced in our three months in Europe. Really, if you get a chance to experience this place don’t let the lack of WC put you off. The hospitality and the food are first class!

Just meters from our hotel is the entrance to the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge. This is a spectacular hike up a narrow gorge where nature has worked wonders gouging out the rock. Really worth the entrance fee. Shane took a movie of the tunnels along the pathway. You can hardly hear for the crashing of the water down the gorge.

Now imagine this rushing water just outside our hotel window…. Then imagine the fact that the WC is across the hall… then imagine how that is on an aging bladder in the middle of the night. Need I say more?

On the third day we took a trip to Interlaken to do a little sight seeing and catch up on our laundry. The sun was out in spite of the forecast of more rain. Took a drive up the valley to get a closer look at some of the other glaciers in the area. It was still a bit overcast at the top so we decided against taking the gondola up. We saw so much hiking that it would probably be an expensive let down if we went up. At the bottom of each lift there is a web cam that shows you what it’s like up top. Very handy for the tourists for sure!

There is a road that links this valley but for some reason you can’t drive it. We found out that Grindelwald, the town we hiked to, is accessible by road and that the road would, in fact, continue to our hotel if we were allowed to take it. I think it’s a ploy by the bus company to sell those expensive tickets.

So now we come to the second choice of blog title. Twice a year the cows are moved. In the fall they come home from the Alpine pastures and in Spring they return….bells and all!

We just happened to be here at the time the herd is returning. This is a very big deal here. Last night, during dinner, there was a terrible clatter as the first group (we’d seen) headed up the road with bells on. The lead cow seems to have a bigger bell. I’m not too sure what cow protocol is but that seems to be the way it is. The other cows follow the one with the biggest bell. Twas ever thus!

At half past five this morning we were woken by the first in a long series of ‘cow groups’ heading past the hotel. People in their night gowns smiling at the poor things as they trudge up the same paths we took the day before.

It was raining this morning, cold and damp. The ‘die post’ bus came by while we were having breakfast and a gentleman disembarked coming in to our hotel. He ordered a curious assortment of beverages including tea with brandy. Then he set them on an outside table. Eventually a herd of cows came by and their thankful herders knocked back the hot drinks before catching up to the dingle bells. Everyone seems to be a part of the ‘cow’ action as they move up in the world.

It is very peaceful to be walking through the fields of wildflowers and hear the cow bells. However those cows can be nasty. We saw one toss a little girl up in the air today. She could have been badly hurt. We were both a little shaken by that experience.

All in all it has been a good few days. We have experienced heavy downpours, high wind and blowing snow. At the Swiss border it was so miserable that even the guard didn’t come out of his hut.

We have had spectacular views as we have made our way over mountain passes. We have even found our way blocked as we tried to take a pass that was, much to our surprise, closed. We’ve driven around snow and rocks on the road. We’ve had lights flashing hoping to be seen in dense fog. It has been a wonderful week. I absolutely love the atmosphere here in Switzerland. The architecture and the love of nature…not to mention the food!

Tomorrow we head to Zurich to spend time with Katherina.


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243963565/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243963565/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243963565/tpod.html Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:41:45 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Penia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Whew! The last three days have left us breathless and a little sore from hiking. When we first arrived here it was pissing with rain and there were no nountains to be seen. The weather channel said there would be rain storms and possibly flooding. Given the chance that we would probably not be returning to this area we had to at least give it a chance. Trying to find a place to sleep when tourist information is closed and the rain is pounding does not do much to lift your spirits. However every search must come to an end and we were very lucky. The place we chose could not be more perfect. In the small village of Penia the Inn was friendly, good food, quiet and the owner spoke Engish!! He gave us a few ideas should the weather change ... and change it did. We woke the next morning to brilliant sun. After breakfast we headed straight to a gondola ride at Pas Perdoi which took us up to around 3000 Meters. The visibility was endless which meant for good pictures. We were a little cold as we walked on the crusty snow but it was well worth it. After the ride we decided to take advantage of the good weather to drive a circuit through Arabba to Corvara then west to Passo Gardena and back to Penia via Canazai. If you've been here before you will know how beautiful the area is. If you have never been here then I mention the names so you will be sure to put them on your list.
What a breathtaking place .... and I'm from Canada! The mountains are rough slices of rock jutting straight up to heaven. In many ways I am reminded of Patagonia. The light plays on the rock as the day gives way to night. From White to gold to red. Beautiful!!
At the end of our three days we had done a few hikes and taken hundreds of pictures. The wildflowers are in full bloom and the air is so fresh compared to Venice! I love it here!
The interesting thing about this area is how much like Switzerland or Austria it is. The architecture, the food, even the language. I'm more than confused now!! Think I'll stick with English and see how far I get! The local dialect is very strong and the words are a mixture of Italian & German with a few of their own words thrown in. When we bought an expresso in a bar the barman asked for money in Italian and thanked us in German.... then spoke to the next man in French? At least that's what it sounded like. So.... I'm going to stick with my stupid tourist look and a big smile. I get a lot of milege out of that!
We learned a lot about the politics here, and about the wildlife (somehow that seems to be related).
All good things must come to an end so today we headed west taking a pass from Canazei through to Bolzano. Ouur home for the night is in Tassulo in the south of Valle Di Non. You can see the alps in the distance. The valley is agricultural with thousands of fruit orchards and vineyards. We did a little sight seeing and walked up to the ancient sanctuary of San Romedio. Tomorrow we heaad off west again towards Lake Como. Not sure what we will see there... perhaps the odd celebrity!?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243610160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243610160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243610160/tpod.html Sat, 30 May 2009 11:50:43 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Venice, Tuscany, Italy

Our trip to Venice was amazing! We left our car in the town of Mestre which is like a suburb on the mainland. We arived here after a full day of travel from Florence. The trip took us through rough forested hills then down to a never ending delta. The shoreline was a mixture of populated beaches (populated by mostly empty beach chairs and umbrellas) and huge belching factories. The closer we got to Venice the more factories and ports we had to pass. Made for a loss of magic as well as wonderful smoggy sunsets. Anyway, Mestre is a good place to get a cheaper night in a hotel and park your car for one quarter the price of Venice's public parking.
On Wednesday morning we were on the bus with our lugguage by 8am.... in Venice by 8:30... checked in to our hotel by 8:55 (which wasn't easy considering we had to buy boat tickets and find the place)...and then, much to our surprise and theirs, we found our neighbours from Canada before they checked out of their hotel. Brad and Pauline left Venice at 10am and we actually managed to have a cappuccino with them before their water taxi whisked them away. We are all still shaking our heads and wondering if that really happened!!
After that crazy rush we wandered down to Piazza San Marco to really begn our visit to Venice. This is where every tourist in Venice seems to congregate. It seemed to us to be terribly busy but we were told that it is, in fact, quite slow this year. Could have fooled me!
If you want to find peace in Venice you really do have to get lost. It isn't hard to do, just trust me on that one. Shane is good with directions which is a very good thing. How do you get your bearings when roads don't run perpendicular and some just stop in a square!? Just stop with no way out but up (or down the well I guess).
How do I describe Venice? It is a city of history... a medieval town with an amazing past and a dubious future.... it is a city of love and for lovers... it is sunlight, colours and pigeon poop. It is people watching and people avoiding (like the drunk that stomped on my foot when the boat hit the dock!)... and, yes, it is a romantic gondola ride with music and mystery!
By the end of our three days here we can honestly say that we saw the tourist Venice and the real Venice. We went through the Doge's Palace and a couple of museums. We listened to the orchestras playing in San Marco square. We walked over the Rialto Bridge (a lot of times) and the bridge of sighs (fortunately not to our death as those poor unfortunates in years gone by). We shopped and ate (well!) and saw hundreds of really interesting little art shops.
On top of that we watched masons at work, firmen (with great little fire boats all you Wilson's Landing firemen out there.... Shane thinks one of them would come in handy back home!), we saw water ambulances and lots of police boats. We watched narrow barges delivering goods in the morning... we even saw a wedding procession down the grand canal.
On our gondola ride we went down narrow canals where we could see doors that had been sealed off due to high water damage... rust, erosion and lots of homes that are no longer lived in. As well we saw laundry hanging, hundreds of flower boxes and school kids excitedly telling Grandma about their day.

On our first day Shane and I had a mission to go to Lido Island. My sister and her friend were here not that long atgo and found an amazing restaurant. Now my sister is a great cook so when she says it is a good restaurant you don't want to miss it. The restaurant is called Ristorante Le Travernetta (on Via F. Morosini) and indeed it does have great food! Our mission was to deliver pictures of the family who own the restaurant ... pictures taken with my sister and her friend. After a little walking (tourist info was closed and we didnàt have a map) we found the place and were rewarded with big grins and bigger hugs! They did indeed remember them fondly and were most gracious to us. Thanks Dorth for giving us the opportunity to meet the family and enjoy great food. Shane had the noodles and wild boar and I had the pumpkin ravioli with duck sauce.... Yummy! and of course the grilled vegetables and house wine. The place was filled with locals which is always a good sign (and the prices aren't bad at all);
Enough of the commercials....
If you go to Venice don't get too wrapped up in what the 'Information Touristica' tells you to do. Get a two or three day boat pass and travel around. Take lots of pictures, sit in any number of squares sipping coffee, eating your meal or sipping a good wine, people watch and, most of all, allow yourself to become part of the chaos.
Venice is magic. The magic is what you mke it. Some people become frustrated by the chaos but that in itself can lift you up if you let it. Absorb it all but find those quiet lost places.
Next stop is the Dolomite Mountains. They will be a cool relief from the 37C temperatures we've had the last few weeks. Bring out the long underware... here we go!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243268940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243268940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1243268940/tpod.html Mon, 25 May 2009 14:21:17 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Florence, Tuscany, Italy

I ended my last entry as we were heading for a wine tasting and tour of Trebbio winery. We have experienced wine tasting in Canada, America, South Africa and evey a nasty little strawberry wine in Cambodia but we have never experienced a tasting quite like this one. Chianti country.... grapes crushed and aged in the dungeon of an ancient castle in the hills of Tuscany. Hmmmm.... does that add to the taste? I'm not sure but the fact that the little barrels cost 600E for 225 litres and you can only use them 3 times... that and the fact that 15 litres evaporates before the wine is ready.... now that's torture!
The wine was great... the location absolutely perfect and the company wonderful. We bougt a few bottles and headed back to our gite for a big birthday dinner and some of the wine we had just purchased.
A very fitting way to end Shane's birthday.
The next morning a tired Katharina found her way to the gite after spending the night sleeping outside. Apparently the noises we heard in the night were deer in love (read: heat). They sounded much like sick dogs and woke us all up. Katharina was sleeping out there and not sure what was about to attack her... fortunately the deer only are interested in furry four legged creatures their own size.... that's hard to come to grips with when you are sent to bed with stories of wild boar and wolves. Ahhhh.... nature.... ainn't it grand!
After breakfast (a healthy breakfast for Walter) we piled in to our rental and headed for Siena. We found the city with no problem but finding the entrance was difficult. Wandering past a kids playground &climbing up stairs to the city walls found us staring down to the square with no way to get there. These ramparts are built to keep people out but we didn't think tourists counted!
Using a little brain power we finally found ourselves in the Piazza del Campo. This is the heartbeat of the city where the semi annual horse races take place and where the populatiohn comes to relax. Here also are hundreds of tourists taking thousands of pictures. We added ourselves to the crowd pushing and shoving till our thirst for Kodak moments was quenched.
The next stop was the beautiful Cathedral with mosaica and carved marble. An amazing work of art not to be missed. We wandered down to the crypt and up to the vista as well as visiting the museum of the opera (nothing to do with music) in between. Stunning views of terrecota roofs and rolling hillsides.
Back for a swim and a good rest. Agian I must say what an oasis this place was... Castellare near Marino del Piano... what a beautiful place to find rest!
Then it was off to Florence. Katharina managed to score four tickets to the Uffici Gallery. We spent hours enjoying the beautiful paintings and sculpture. It is a pleasure for me to see these works with an artist. Katharina has an eye for detail that opens my rusted grey cells giving them time to breath new life. Thanks K!
Walter and Katharina headed off to Zurich after our day of exploring and enjoying Florence. Shane and I headed off to bed!
The next two days were exploring Florence and neighbouring hill towns. Saw the hall of David in the Academia. A place I had visited 37 years ago and a place that has held a special place in my heart since. Not for David but for the beautiful incomplete carvings forcing their way out of the marble. Faces of anguish that are only a few strokes away from perfection. Hard for me to put in to words. Suffice to say that I spent a lot of time there.
Ate Steak Florintine... wandered the streets.... took way too many pictures.... drank too much chianti.
Today we drove south to San Gemignano and Montoriggion. Both hill towns and both very different. There is so much here in Tuscany. It is difficult to describe the beauty of the hill towns or of the rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves. If you manage to get lost... as we often do... you will find yourselves stopping often to take pictures or just to look at the view. It is not unusual to see the outline of a castle on a hill top. You can imagine history coming alive here. Today it is a quiet part of the world catering to the finer things in life... the full enjoyment of what life has to offer... food, wine and fellowship.
Sadly tomorrow we will leave Florence heading east. On Wednesday we will be in Venice. Two or perhaps three nights. We will see what happens.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242911520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242911520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242911520/tpod.html Sun, 24 May 2009 05:07:56 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Malino del Piano, Provence, France

As I write this I am sitting on the patio outside our little stone house somewhere in the Tuscan hills near Florence. I came across this place by chance on the internet and it really is a piece of heaven. The owner has turned an old convent in to their home and a few rental apartments. This and the sun and the pool and what can I say. This is the perfect place for Shane to spend his birthday.... and I get to come along for the ride!
We have come from rose wine country full circle to Cianti with a few cold beer thrown in.
Frome Eze we made our way along the French Riviera to the Italian Riviera (why don't they turn those unused border buildings in to tourist information booths anyway?). It took us five hours to go about 100km along the Italian Riviera. Crazy traffic and this isn't peak season. We decided to stop for two nights in a place called San Bartalameo sur Mar. Found a place right on the water for 45E a night.... and no bugs! The only draw back were the two soccer teams (little 10 year old boys) staying here but that was just for one noisy evening and early morning. Other than that it was a great place to enjoy.
I was getting pretty good at my French then got put in my place here. For some reason I try to answer people in Japanese. Now go figure that one out. They couldn't understand me if I used Italian or Spanish or Japanese.... With local dialects the only thing I can get out of my mouth is please, thank you and you want how much?!
From the riviera we headed straight to the Cinque Terre for two nights. We stayed in Riomaggiora in a studio apartment rented from Mar Mar. They are a local company that own a number of apartments that they rent at reasonable rates. Again we had a kitchen which helps cut back the costs.
The Cinque Terre is a series of five towns that you walk through. The walk is only about 9km but the last two cities are a bit of a challenge if you're not into stairs and narrow walkways. We walked from Riomaggioria north then took the train back.
The views are absolutely stunning. We had the weather and the fortitude to enjoy it all. I must say that the cold beer tasted awfully good at the end of the walk. There are an awful lot of tourists many of them attempting to do the walk in flimsy shoes. Don't do that! There is a time and a place for hiking boots and this would be one of them. You can do it in runners but the ankle support came in handy on the uneven ground.
From the Cinque Terre we drove towards Florence via Lucca and Pisa. The first part of the trip is pretty boring flat ground so we took the Autostrada.
Lucca is a nice town with huge intact city walls. It is not a hill town and the medieval flare is not like what we have experienced so it was a bit disappointing... still it was pretty and clean. It would be a nice city to stay in for a while. In Pisa it was Kodak moment chaos as we watched people taking pictures. About half the people were taking perspective pictures of their subject attempting to hold up the tower. Pretty funny... it was like the Mona Lisa... I didn't know if we should take pictures of the tower or of the people taking pictures of the tower.
We were in Pisa 37 years ago in January. Suffice to say it is a bit different today. A lot busier and a lot warmer. We didn't climb up this time... in fact we took pictures, ate a delicious lunch and headed off to Florence.
Now we are here in this beautiful piece of heaven.
Katharina, our friend from Switzerland, and her father joined us on Thursday. We have spent the day catching up on our lives (since we travelled together in Asia), swimming and resting. Right now I have to sign off because we are heading out to a local (open!) winery to see what the area has to offer.
Such a life!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242414780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242414780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242414780/tpod.html Fri, 15 May 2009 15:49:47 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Eze, Provence, France

So much has happened since the last entry but it is true that Rose wine has been a part of much of it.
From Meyreuis we drove back through the park and then down to Arles. Dense fog and rain made the drive pretty tense till we began our descent. Great working hill towns with absolutely no tourist information or accomodation but a ton of atmosphere. I loved this area with terraced fields and quiet way of life.
Arles was a great destination for the day. The hotel we found was right in the old city within a couple of blocks of the Roman colliseum and theatre. They still hold bull fights in the colliseum which fortunately we missed. The only wildlife we saw there were hundreds of pigeons. The stadium still holds 20,000 people.
From Arles we drove to Avignon with a few stops along the way to visit Pont du Gard (Roman Aquaduct), chateau de Baux (cute hill town), Rem de le Provence, olive groves, vineyards, Les Antiques (ancient Roman city) etc etc etc, Just a typical day in France.
Again in Avignon we found a place within the old city where we could walk to the Pope's palace and all the other sites in town. Yes we did walk on the famous bridge of Avignon. It was tough but I managed to avoid buying anything with that little musical ditty attatched to it.
From Avignon we headed to Vence (near Nice). A long day that meant little sight seeing. In Vence we connected with a friend that we traveled with in Chili last year. She was born and raised in this town which gave us great insite in to life here in France.
Stayed in a great hotel with an amazing view of the valley. Martine, Shane and I toured through the city of Vence and the village of St Jean de Vence. Saw great artwork, did an olive oil tasting, and ate good food. It was a good kick back and a great visit.
Today we drove from Vence to Eze via a lot of hill towns in Provence. It rained in the morning but that didn't stop us taking pictures and hanging out with locals when we could. It's funny that the out of the way hill towns are in many ways more quaint than the tourist towns but they are out of the way so not busy. One of the towns we went to today didn't even have a boulangerie open.... but it was one of the nicest ones we've been to. .... so... the maps are in the car and I can't remember the name.
Drove to the chaos that is Monaco for the afternoon. Even in the off season it is jam packed with tourists. Not much has changed there in 37 years. They are getting ready for the Grand Prix on May 21 so the streets are pretty chaotic.
Tomorrow we head to Italy. Not sure where yet. .... probably towards the Cinque Terre.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242064200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242064200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1242064200/tpod.html Mon, 11 May 2009 14:17:44 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Mayrueis, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Leaving Portiranges was not a hardship. We had enough of the condo life and were ready to get back on the road heading north.
So bring out the long underware and here we go. The flat marshy coast gave way to rolling hills covered in vineyards. This time of year it seems most of the wine tasting (called degustation??!!) rooms seem to be closed. That is a shame because we really would like to try the local wines rather than do a pot luck at the local grocery store. Anyway... it was not to be so we just continued to the town of Gatuzieres (near Meyrueis). We drove past miles of scrubby forest land mixed with well used rocky fields and even a ski hill. This was actually all in Parc National Des Cevennes. There were hundreds of broken trees (some leaning on or hanging over the phone wires). We thought the terrible wind we had experienced was responsible but apparently it is still left over from December snow storms. Even Telus repairs lines faster! One thing that absolutely blew me away were thousands of wild daffodils amongst the scrubby alpine trees. Mixed in with the odd patch of snow I took way too many pictures.
The gite we chose was in a small village right on the edge of the park. The owner's English was good which gave me an opportunity to ask lots of questions. She is married to a park range and has a great love of the area including the flora and fawna. I asked why there were people living in the park and if they were allowed to keep livestock. Apparently they are encouraged to continue living the lifestyle they have for centuries. Having livestock grazing keeps the trees from reinhabiting the land. Aparently that is a good thing. If trees come back than the animal species that have established themselves over time will become extinct. That seemed odd to me but in a country that has such history I suppose you have to decide what era you want to preserve.
There is even a problem now with wolves coming in to the park from Italy. They just can't keep intruders out of here!
We spent two days exploring the Gorges of Tarn and the highlands. What an amazing area again very different from what we had seen.
Windy narrow roads with steep drop offs and no guard rails... and those are the highways!! Wouldn't want to be one of those ashen faced motorhome drivers or the poor guy in the tour bus.
In the Gorge the road is also pretty narrow with many tunnels and rock cuts. Took many pictures of this wild rugged area. Not only were there beautiful rock formations but the hill towns (built right in to the rock) were very unique. Right out of a story book. Roman Arch bridges and cascading waterfalls. Beautiful!
I hope the pictures tell a story better than I can. For our friends who love nature I would encourage you to put this area on your list for the next trip.
Today we left the area and are in Arles. Back out of the long underware and in our short sleeve shirts. We will spend a few days in the south ending up in Vence (near Nice) to visit with friends we met in South America.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1241778900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1241778900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marybc/6/1241778900/tpod.html Fri, 08 May 2009 06:47:13 -0400 Revisiting Europe After 37 Years.... Think It's Changed? France - Italy - Switzerland (perhaps a touch of Spain and Andorra) No Backpacks this time... we've leased a car!!

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Portiranges Plage, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

This is our last day at our gite in Portiranges Plage. It has been a week of kick back and craziness but mostly kick back. We have been overheated in the blazing sun and looking for long underware when the wind kicked in. There is a lot of wind here for sure. Set on a vast sandy plane with no hills to cut he wind you can understand why there are no big trees here. What is here in abundance are any number of tourist accomodation to suit both the old doddering retirees as well as young families. It is a great place to walk, ride a bike, windsurf, rollerblade, wind sail etc. etc.
Did a nature walk through the marsh beside our place. Ten kilometers later we were back with only a couple of egrets, ebis, heron and a few fish to add to our list of wildlife.
By far the greatest wildlife we have wittnessed here are the semi nude women on the beach. Now the young girls are quite pretty but the 400lb women in bikini bottoms reminded us too much of the grey whales we saw last year in the Antarctic. Life is so confusing. I worry about my unsightly rolls and then watch these women greasing up their overabundance.
Yesterday we did a road trip along the coastline east from here. Ate 30 raw oysters, 24 raw mussels and a dozen assorted cooked shelfish between us. That and the bottle of wine made for a very pleasing lunch. The atmosphere was good too. The area near Meze is known for it's shellfish. A quaint little village already beginning to buldge with the start of tourist season.
After a walk along the local nipple beach we decided to head back to our gite for an afternoon sleep.
This has been a week of reading and resting. Only a couple of small road trips to see the area... much of which we had seen on our trip here.
Tomorrow we head north east for a few days then down towards Nice. Will stay in Vence to visit with friends.
Happy Mother's day to all you deserving Mom's out there.
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