TravelStream™ news feed for member no1pablo on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/no1pablo en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:42:30 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1228664040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1228664040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1228664040/tpod.html Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:42:30 -0500 Adventures through Europe

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Brugge, West Flanders, Belgium

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Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

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Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

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Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal

So we had planned to stop at a campsite that was about halfway from Isla Cristina to Lisbon, but guess what - oh yes another disappearing campsite!! This time it was not our fault, as we were using our 2008 guide, but was this campsite anywhere to be seen - errr that'll be NO then!!! It didn't help that the Sat Nav still wasn't working resulting in us blaming each other when in fact I think we should have been directing the blame at the stupid Campsite that doesn't exist! Well there was nothing else for it than to drive all the way to Lisbon - Paul was overjoyed with this as you can imagine - these supposedly shorter more relaxing journeys are somehow not working out quite like that - so much for taking it easier eh!!!

Anyway, we arrived safely in Lisbon at a campsite that is only a short bus journey from the city centre - thank goodness for that! They also let you check out anytime up to 7pm in the evening, which I thought was excellent, but something I'm sure that is not provided during the peak season. This meant that we could leave a night earlier, as we (or Paul) have 1400 km to drive in under a week to get to Paul's Auntie's in Confolens - so the more time we can grab the better!

We were actually looking forward to seeing a big city again, as to be honest Spain was a bit of a disaster, apart from Barca & Gibraltar (even though that's not Spain, but you know what I mean!), mainly due to the freak weather we experienced pretty much most of the time! We were planning on having such a relaxing time in Spain & enjoying the last bits of sunshine, but I guess things don't always go to plan eh! Another disappointing thing about Spain was the lack of WIFI access there - they just don't seem to be very technologically advanced for such a developed country & the same goes with Portugal! It's amazing to think we could get considerably better WIFI in Estonia & Poland than in Spain & Portugal! Something that did amuse us though is that if you ask someone if they have WIFI they don't have a clue what you're on about. But, if you ask them if they have 'Wee Fee' in a high pitched voice, they know instantly (but probably won't have it!) - Very amusing & a handy tip for you guys & gals!!

So, after a relaxing evening to recover from the long journey, we ventured into Lisbon on the Sunday! We took the bus in, which was quite an experience - it seems that the bus drivers think they are in a Formula 1 race or something & if someone wants to get on or off they are simply disrupting their battle to get to get a podium finish - scary!! Anyway, we made it in one piece & got off in the main square, had a look around the market stalls & then went on search of some info to find out where to go & what to see! I must say we found one of the most informative tourist info women ever - she just wouldn't stop feeding us with places to see & the best areas to go to! It was quite nice not to have to draw blood from a stone for once! She also informed us that between 10am - 2pm every Sunday most of the Monuments & Museums are free of charge, as well as them being closed on Mondays. Well, after hearing this we made a dash for it to get as much crammed in before 2pm as we could!

We headed into Belem , just a short tram ride away & is where the Monastery is as well as many other places of interest - we'd gone past the Monastery on the bus & it looked extremely impressive so that was the first port of call. We queued to get into the actual church, where there was a service going on, & apart from all the annoying camera flashes going off it was very beautiful with amazing stained glass windows - obviously they wouldn't charge you to go in here at any time to visit! We then proceeded to go to the grounds of Monastery, which were equally exquisite with views of the church spires behind them! After the Monastery we headed towards the gardens across the road to get to the waterfront. We walked along here to get to the castle, but little did we know, till we reached the end of the walkway, that unless we were superhuman long jumpers we wouldn't be able to get to the castle this way - damn! Anyway, after finding the right way to go, we eventually made it to the castle. I braved it and went all the way to the top, which if anyone is in the slightest bit claustrophobic, I would not recommend it at all - not pleasant coming down with people lining the whole length of the spiral staircase, clinging on trying to concentrate to get your foot on the tiny bit of step you have available - I was very relieved to get to the bottom, as was everyone taking a big sigh of relief! I'm glad I went up though, as there were good views but was happy when I was back on the ground!

Anyway, we'd had enough for one day so all that was left was to get some cakes from a recommended patisserie & go back to see Winnie to check in for the night! Our plan was to go into Lisbon again for a couple of hours the following day & then head off in the afternoon towards Spain, getting closer to Paul's Auntie's in France, & this is exactly what we did. We went into Lisbon for a couple of hours, & went to look at the less than impressive Basilica - we've seen so many & this one just had nothing special about it (although we didn't see the inside!), just very bland & unimposing! After this, we decided to call it a day & bid our farewells to Lisbon & Portugal for that matter - a short but sweet visit but we were very impressed with the Capital - although an extremely large city, it doesn't have some of the nastiness that comes with Capitals & they have really tried to retain the natural beauty of the place with some amazing buildings, along with plenty of greenery & open space to enjoy the sun! Not too sure about the old men walking around trying to sell the 'Hashish' to anyone & everyone - very strange & quite amusing as you just don't expect these guys to be drug dealers! Look forward to visiting Portugal again, & maybe enjoying a little time with the sun in the Algarve!
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Gibraltar, Gibraltar

After a windy few days in Isla Plana, we headed to Torre del Mar to spend Paul's birthday. We were hoping for a little good weather & sunshine, but it seemed like we were out of luck as we had torrential non-stop rain for the few days we were there - boo! One of the good points though was that it was still quite busy at this resort, with both of the campsites in the region pretty full, as we didn't want to be the only people in the village when we went out for Paul's birthday on the 3rd. So, this was Paul's last birthday in his 20's - quite a big one I think - the big 30 next year - hehe! We had a nice meal in the centre, but this was no match for the Sunday Dinner we had on the previous day - delicious & just what the doctor ordered! After a fun filled few days, we were ready to hit the road again towards Gibraltar for my birthday on the 6th.

Well, after driving around looking for a campsite that closed 12 years ago, we eventually found an alternative one - that's what you get from looking at a camping book that is from 1996 - oops! We did struggle to find a campsite close to Gibraltar, and there certainly wasn't any on our usual ACSI bible, which is why we seeked help from our other campsite books! Unfortunately in our infinite wisdom, we didn't think for a minute that between 1996 & 2008 a campsite could have closed down - maybe look into that a bit more in future to avoid any unnecessary disappointment & driving around aimlessly! Camping La Casita, although not very busy at this time of year & unfortunately without the best sanitary facilities - it is definitely the best located for reaching Gibraltar.

As you can imagine, we are both beginning to miss home now & for all that's wrong with England at the moment, it is still home! Nothing makes you appreciate it more than doing what we have been doing for the past 5 months! We were excited about the prospect of stepping on British soil again - albeit hundreds of miles & a few countries away from what we know as Britain - but Britain none the less & with the added benefit of much more sunshine - let's just hope it shines for us on my birthday!

So, when my birthday arrived, Paul & I stuffed our faces with cake after I blew out my candles & opened my birthday card! It was a lovely breakfast for 8am in the morning - the perfect start to the day in my opinion! We then caught the shuttle bus provided by the campsite to Gibraltar, where we got dropped off just before the border. It was quite bizarre crossing the border on foot - one minute you're in Spain, the next you're in Britain - very weird! So, once we had passed the border, we hopped on a bus to drop us off in the centre - a very short journey as you can imagine, with Gibraltar being so small! Well, once we stepped off the bus & into the square, it was just like being back home - the high street was just like you'd find anywhere in England, with all the high street shops, banks & proper pubs - it was so exciting (oh the little things eh!)! I had already decided what we should eat for lunch - it had to be fish & chips of course - yum yum, but that was after our visit to see the famous Apes of Gibraltar.

We headed to the Cable Car, via all the shops on our way & sneaking a peak of the tax free prices -excellent on electrical items, alcohol, tobacco & jewellery but as for as the high street clothes shops go, there's nothing really tax free about them as all the price tags are the same as those in the UK! There were a number of different options when going up to the top of the rock, as to whether you want to go up with a guide in a car or just take the cable car up, where you can select what things you want to go and see up there, i.e. St. Michael's Cave, World War II Tunnels, Great Siege Tunnels, Museums, etc. We wanted to do our own thing, so just paid £8 each, which allowed us to go to the top of the rock and back down on the cable car. We also wanted to visit the caves, but just paid for that additionally when we got up there.

There were some amazing views over Gibraltar, Spain & also Africa when we reached the summit, & what a beautiful day for it! I couldn't believe the sunshine & gorgeous temperatures we had whilst in Gibraltar - considering the constant rain we had previously! Typically I had a woolly jumper on being prepared to be cold, so ended up sweltering for the most part of the day! Anyway, as I was saying; amazing views & I was astonished when I saw the apes & just how close they were to us! They were incredible, just rummaging around going about their daily business, wondering what all these strange people were doing staring & flashing funny things in their face - although they'd be happy to take any food stuff anyone may have lying around in their backpack! They look so cute & cuddly, but of course they're not really & we didn't get close enough to give them any opportunity to swipe anything. Such a special thing to see though - these animal's have not been caged or been given boundaries, but have simply been allowed to remain in their natural environment & everyone else around them adapts & accepts this fact - fantastic! They are so human like its unbelievable, & when you just stand watching them for a while it's so easy to tell where we come from!

So, we gradually made our way down to the mid-way cable car station - visiting St. Michael's Cave on the way down. To be honest we weren't overly impressed with the caves, as we had seen a few on our travels - very few will match up to those that we saw in Postojna, Slovenia. After losing each other for a few minutes in there, we eventually found one another again & continued our walk down to the mid-way station. It was quite amusing whilst waiting for the cable car, as we were watching all the buses below making their way down the rock, all of which seemed to have an ape hanging on to their wing mirrors - must be tradition!

After reaching the bottom, we headed back to the square where we had some delicious fish & chips for lunch! They were soooo nice & just what we needed - who needs fancy food when you can have traditional fish, chips & mushy peas - mmmmm! We were absolutely stuffed afterwards but we didn't mind! We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon browsing around the shops & having a couple more drinks before heading back to the campsite! It had been an excellent birthday & definitely one to remember! We made a proper day of it & were completely shattered, so after Paul made us a curry, we tucked up with a film for the rest of the night, ready to make our way towards Portugal tomorrow!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224519180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224519180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224519180/tpod.html Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:19:47 -0500 Adventures through Europe

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Nîmes, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

After unwinding on the South Coast of France for a few days, it was time to hit Nimes & meet up with the folks - can't believe it's October already - looking forward to seeing them but just can't believe how quickly it's come around & how close it is now for us coming home! It's my mum's birthday on 24th October so we wanted to put her birthday pressie & card in her hotel room (oh yeah, did I mention we were staying in a hotel for 4 nights!!) for when she arrived - nice little touch to surprise her - what a lovely daughter I am eh! Anyway, we did that in plenty of time before their arrival, as their 10km journey from the airport turned into a 1 hour journey in their hire car - oh to be a fly on the wall in that car - he he!

Anyway, it seemed that my mum & dad had brought the bad UK weather with them to Nimes, with the torrential rain & thunder storms - the worst to hit Nimes in 20 years apparently! The bar man was informing us that it was dangerous to venture into Nimes as the last time it rained like this, all the drain covers lifted up & you could quite easily fall down them - scary! So, after my mum & dad had settled into their room, & my mum opened her pressie, they headed back down to the bar where we met them again after the McDonald's run (getting absolutely drenched in the process)! Luckily after an hour or so the weather began to clear a little, & it was looking more promising to go into Nimes that evening to get something to eat!

So, we ventured into Nimes after a quick turnaround & the weather had settled a lot by this stage - still cold but the never ending rain had eventually ended! The taxi dropped us off right by the Amphitheatre in the centre of Nimes, which even in the dark light looked pretty spectacular! It was very quiet in the centre, as it was a Monday night, so we headed for one of the squares as there were at least a few people there! We chose a restaurant that had a menu in English (as many of them don't!) & one that had something on there for my mum, as she's a little particular & anything with spice is a no no! It was in a nice location, everything on the menu seemed nice, but it was a bit different when the mains came out - well I thought one of my mum's teeth was going to come out as the steak was like chewing rubber & the rest of us weren't too impressed either - especially my belly when I got back to the hotel room - oh dear!!! Anyway, first night so it's got to get better!

Luckily, my belly had recovered by the next morning & we were all ready to head off to Avignon, via Pont du Gard & the Haribo Factory (sweetie heaven - I couldn't wait!)! First stop was Haribo - I was like a little child along with my mum when all the freebies came our way! We got some free sweets when we went in & tokens to use on the machines on the way round - as you can imagine I wanted to rush to the free token machines! We were a bit disappointed with the token freebies as the choice was liquorice or mints - no chewy sweets in sight! But, saying that I'm sure they'll get eaten & it was a lot of fun seeing how many came out! It shows them going through the machine & being bagged - one token we got three bags & another we got eight, they just wouldn't stop coming - very funny though! We were all thoroughly amused by it all - the games to guess the sweet (baring in mind these are designed for little kiddies!), watching the people in the factory boxing & shipping different flavourings & of course the free sweets - of which my mum was the definite champion - her handbag was full to the brim & those hands held more sweets alone than any bag you could buy from the shop - great fun!!

So to Pont du Gard next, which is a Roman Viaduct, obviously used in Roman Times to transport water, but is very much a tourist attraction nowadays! It is pretty amazing actually & well worth a visit - very much intact & in great surroundings! After a drink in the restaurant overlooking it, we headed straight to Avignon as our bellies were getting very hungry by this point, but we couldn't face the thought of another sweet - for the moment anyway!

As we approached Avignon (well once we got the right Avignon, only joking Paul & Dad!), the first thing that stands out is the bridge that only goes half way across the river & doesn't reach the other side - very bizarre & pretty special at the same time! We parked up & found somewhere to eat in the main piazza, before heading up to The Popes Palace (Palais des Papes), which obviously was once a form of residence for a number of Popes & is the largest Gothic Palace in Europe - impressive! We then headed onto the Saint Benezet Bridge with our phone headsets in tow to tell us the history of the Bridge - of course one of them had to be broken & this time it was Paul's so I lent him mine for the most part & he would fill me in on anything interesting! The reason for there only being half a bridge is due to the fact that it was hit by floods on a number of occasions, but one in particular caused so much damage & it just did not get rebuilt after that! After all it wouldn't be the same spectacle if it was a normal bridge now would it! Beautiful place Avignon - highly recommend it!
After a long day travelling (& driving in my dad's case), we were ready to head back to the hotel & relax for a couple of hours before going out for some food! As we'd had such a long day, we couldn't be bothered going into Nimes & having another unsuccessful night, so we went to an American steakhouse 5 minutes down the road, which was a million times better than the previous nights meal - good food, good drink & good service - what more can you ask for! We had planned on having a drink in the bar at the hotel when we got back, but it seems they don't like to keep it open too late here - it was an early night for all ready to return to Nimes by daylight tomorrow!

We caught the bus into Nimes, which was easy & painless enough & ventured through the park before heading down the little streets towards the Amphitheatre! As well as the Arena, there were some other Roman monuments, but these were unfortunately covered with scaffolding so we didn't quite see the beauty of them! But the Amphitheatre in Nimes was something very extraordinary & is said to be one of the best preserved Coliseums that still remains today. I would definitely agree with that, as after seeing the one in Verona & Rome, this one does stand out particularly as the majority of it is still standing & the detail that went into it is much more intricate than the other ones we have visited! It does actually get used for Bull Fighting (hence the guy in the centre of the ring on the piccies - just for show I feel as he didn't look much of a bull fighter to me!)as it is still quite big in this part of France, & can hold up to 22,000 people! When we actually went inside the Amphitheatre, me & my Dad walked to the very top, & I tell you those steps up were hard work & I thought the ones in Verona were high! The view from the top over the city of Nimes wasn't quite as impressive as obviously Rome with all the other Roman ruins surrounding it & even Verona for the beauty, so on those counts Nimes loses out! But, in terms of the actual Amphitheatre itself, we were all highly impressed with it & how well preserved it actually is in relation to other Arena's & Roman Ruins we have seen throughout our travels - a definite gem of Nimes!

After our Arena tour, we headed to find something to eat for the evening, which wasn't quite as easy as you might think! It was early evening, about 5ish & everywhere just seemed to be closed & not to mention the weather was not looking too promising with strong winds beginning to start! Anyway, eventually after searching for at least 45 mins, we found a restaurant that was open so we just decided to go there, as by this stage we were all pretty sick of walking around! We were the only ones in there for the duration of the meal, so we got personal service, but by the looks of the number of staff that were starting work as we were almost ready to leave, they were expecting a busy night! For the most part, the food was excellent, although my mum's steak wasn't too good & they brought her mains out with our starters which was a little odd! Oh, and yes that is a steak for my mum 3 nights running - she'll be turning into one soon! We took the bus back to the hotel, had a drink in the bar & then headed up to my mum & dads room to take them on at cards!! We played a game called Newmarket, which was great fun as me & Paul had never played it before & it's a change from Canasta! Anyway, my dad reigned as champion - lunch was on him tomorrow!


Our final day with my mum & dad - seems like we've done loads since they arrived & today was no exception! We took the car to Montpellier via a walled town called Aigues Mortes, which was a beautiful place! Aigues Mortes was amazing, & as we didn't really have any expectations of the place as we knew very little about it, it was a very pleasant surprise! It is such a cute little place, & when we walked around the walls of the town, it's quite surprising the amount of residents & houses crammed in to such a small place! It was like a lovely quant village that you find around England, with the boutique shops & restaurant after restaurant - we didn't struggle to find somewhere to eat lunch here! Whilst there we walked up to the top of the tower, which gives another view of the town from a higher point than the wall does - roof top after roof top of buildings! We spent a good few hours here wandering around & admiring the beauty before jetting off to Montpellier, which was all a bit of guess work & following the signs for the Old Town to figure out where to park in relation to the centre!



We made it & got a pretty good parking spot not too far from the Historic Centre! The plan in Montpellier was to have a quick look around & if we see somewhere suitable to eat, then have a meal before going back to Nimes - otherwise another trip to Buffalo's was in order! We stopped off at the obligatory Irish Bar for a light refreshment, & while we were there I asked the bar man to point us in the right direction of the main square, which would be the best bet for some grub - but as we've learnt on so many occasions, always go to the side streets off the square for better quality food! Also, this was the meal for my mum's birthday, so we wanted to go somewhere nice that would have a good choice for her! After stopping in the main square (Comedy Square) for a drink, overlooking the impressive Opera House, we went in search of a restaurant & we succeeded! Although, we were looking for an Italian, there were none that jumped out, so yes you guessed it - steak again for my mum! I don't think she'll be having steak at home for a while anyway! All in all, it was a nice meal, & when we got back it was pretty late so we all headed straight to bed before hitting the open road in the morning!


After a busy but great few days, it was time to wish my mum a Happy Birthday & say Bon Voyage to my Mum & Dad until Xmas - how quickly is that gonna creep up eh! We had a fab time - thanks Mum & Dad - but we were ready to see Winnie again for our last stretch as they say! But, it seems that Winnie has been a bit lonely the past few days, as her Sat Nav has decided to play up on us to teach us a lesson (technology - who'd have it!) - Fun Fun Fun!!!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224838680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224838680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1224838680/tpod.html Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:01:31 -0500 Adventures through Europe

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Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain and Canary Islands

Well, we arrived in Barcelona with no help from the Sat Nav, so when we hit Terrassa (about 30kms from Barcelona), where my brother now lives, we had no choice but to call him. Even though Jamie lives in Terrassa, his directions were less than useful which meant I had to practice my Spanish on a local, which was amusing at best as it is some 6 years since I lived in Spain and used any meaningful Spanish. Eventually we were headed in the right direction, albeit without a number plate as all the bumps in the road had caused it to snap off & it was now sitting behind my driver's chair. Once we got closer to where we hoped was the right place, Jamie had thankfully walked down to the main road from his flat, and was stood on the corner waving at us. Once we had negotiated the tricky one way system, we were there 10minutes later (thank God).

We had intended to free park for the next couple of nights on one of the side streets near Jamie's flat. Luckily we found a place not too far away, but it did involve some excellent manoeuvring of Winnie to negotiate the space, which did impress my brother. After saying our hello's we headed to the shop to pick up some drinks & food for the evening before settling in at Jamie's for the night. We chatted over pizza and a couple of beers, catching up and meeting my brothers new Mexican girlfriend, before heading back to Winnie for a good night's sleep.

We were last in Barcelona for our birthdays in 2006, as they are only 3 days apart so we tend to get away somewhere if we can to celebrate. When my brother suggested that we either venture into Barcelona or visit Montserrat for the day, there was no choice. Barcelona would be heaving on a Saturday, and we had been before, so Montserrat it was. Being big football fans, one thing we had both wanted to do on our last visit was to watch Barcelona FC play at the Nou Camp, but on our previous visit they were playing away unfortunately. After a quick check on the internet, we discovered that they were playing at home against Almeria tonight - it was an opportunity we could not pass up. So, after working our way around the website we managed to find 4 tickets for that night at 10pm (they play so late in Spain) for only 26 Euros a piece - a bargain compared to Premiership tickets. Our day was sorted.

The four of us travelled to Montserrat by train, then took the Cable car to the summit instead of the venicular, which is the alternative route to the top. The views across the mountains were spectacular and quite different from our previous rides, as usually when we are inside a cable car we watch snow capped mountains pass us by or of course we can't see anything due to the clouds. On reaching the summit we were greeted with a 50ft hike to the monastery, and to my surprise before us stood a whole community - something I was not expecting. Clearly people had inhabited this place for a long time, not only were there mod con facilities for us tourists, but also along the back of the mountains side were many apartments. The monastery itself is quite something - on every wall are amazing and quite beautiful portraits along with statues befitting of such a place. Once inside the courtyard, that leads to the centre church, a passageway directs all comers to the right where the entrance to the Black Madonna lies. My brother, who had been before, suggested that it may not be a good idea to venture into this part of the building, as on his last visit the queues to see the Black Madonna lasted for over two hours - this just made me want to see her even more. So down the hallway we ventured, room after room, each as inspiring and intriguing in design and grandeur as the next, until after luckily only 15 minutes of queuing we reached the Black Madonna. After giving an offering, we stood before this hallowed statue. Laid with gold and shining like a beacon in the dark, many of the visitors knelt before her saying a silent prayer, then followed by a kiss said their goodbyes. On exiting the passageways that led out of the monastery, thousands of candles lined the walk way, left in remembrance of those whom needed help as well as those who had passed on. Apparantly, since the Monastery was built, a candle has always remained burning in one form of another. We took some lunch overlooking the Cable Car station, then worked it off by walking through the Stations of the Cross, represented with individual pieces of artwork along the route. It was then time to head back down the mountain and catch our train back to Jamie's ready for our journey to the Nou Camp.

After keeping ourselves entertained on the train by playing the name game, we arrived in Barcelona for the main event. We followed the crowd to the Nou Camp, which was a sight befitting to their status as one of the leading football clubs in the world - grand and splendid yes, but also very confusing. We found the ticket collection booth after 30 minutes of huffing and puffing past the thousands of fans - most of which seemed to be speaking English in one form or another. After the ticket booth man wanted to play a little trick on us by telling us he only had two tickets (not funny!), we began another long walk to the opposite side of the stadium to our seats. Along the way we picked up a hotdog and a beer for £3 each - something that you have no chance of in any premiership game.

Once inside the stadium we headed up to our 26 Euro seats, and 6 flights of stairs later we arrived. So, I wasn't expecting much for the price we paid, but to my surprise the views were exceptional, & it looked like that would be the case sat anywhere in the stadium. Barcelona were playing Almeria, who currently sat 6th in the table, so I was expecting a well contested match. That was until Eto'o scored in the 5th minute - it was at this point I realised we were going to see a few goals - albeit at the other end of the pitch. So, 4 more goals later and it was half time, and now a hat trick for Eto'o. As usual with Barcelona, once the change of ends came not another goal was scored - the fans booed, but little changed - they were in training mode, but who can blame them, 5-0 up and they only get paid £100,000 a week. I have been to many games watching my beloved Liverpool, England and even Claire's team Huddersfield, but this out of every match was the least atmosphere I had ever experienced in a game. The Spanish shout, boo quite a bit, blow noisy horns, but as for our English singing there was none. Maybe they would play for the whole 90 minutes if their wages were reduced by 1%, and they used the money to pay a song writer to inspire them a little more. An incredible experience for any football fan though, & we can't complain - at least it wasn't 0-0.

By the time we got to the train station after the match, it was 12.30am & we had just missed our train. This meant we had to wait another 45 mins before catching the last train back to Jamie's for the night. We arrived back at 2.30am, but it was something I would quite happily do over and over again.
We said our goodbye's the next morning, and went chasing the sun by heading down the coast towards Malaga - hopefully for our last few weeks of sunny weather before turning north and beginning our journey towards home!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223998680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223998680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223998680/tpod.html Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:48:20 -0500 Adventures through Europe

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Monaco, Monaco

Well, after driving around Monaco for at least an hour trying to find somewhere to park little Winnie up, we eventually found the only car park in Monaco it seems that will allow campers or motorhomes! This was located in the newer part of Monaco called Fontveille & once we found a sign with a motorhome on it, we were led in the right direction thankfully! It was ridiculous, as after trying to park in the coach parks we soon discovered that they didn't allow us travellers to park in them, but sent us away with little knowledge or clue as to which direction to head in, but luckily the nose found it again!

Anyway, what can I say about Monaco except Money, Money, Money EVERYWHERE! The place just oozes richness from the people in their designer clothes carrying their designer pooches, to the enormous & quite spectacular yachts (if you can call them that!) docked at the harbour - many of which were owned by Brits I may add! One day maybe Claire - but would I want it that's the question??? The yacht definitely, but Monaco definitely not!!!

For all the niceties that exist there, such as the Palace & the scenery surrounding it, we have certainly been to much nicer places in Europe without all the pretentiousness! It just seems like a very shallow place, where the wealthy show off how much money they have & where the word modesty just doesn't seem to exist! None of this was more evident than when we were to witness the school run pick up - all the rich mummy's in their Porches, Lamborghinis & Ferraris etc! It was like a car show & all the rest of the world was expected to come to a standstill while they block up one whole lane - of course these are the people who fund Monaco!

So, I am very glad we saw Monaco & experienced it first hand, as it is a place that should be visited at least once! But will I be rushing back in a hurry - Oh No! And when we buy our luxury yacht, Monaco will certainly not be top of the destination list!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223673300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223673300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/no1pablo/1/1223673300/tpod.html Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:28:09 -0400 Adventures through Europe

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Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Well as the infamous Leaning Tower drew ever so nearer, there was no mistaking where we were. We arrived at camp to a proper Italian welcome - jolly, smiley, helpful & just very hospitable, which we had kind of been expecting throughout our Italian travels & it just hasn't been the case in many instances! Anyway, this camp was great and only 800 metres walk from Pisa itself - perfect, no buses, nothing!!

When we arrived & set up, we just spent the rest of the day lounging in the sun - loving the temperatures in Italy - who would believe we were in October!! Hope the weathers not too bad at home guys - he he! We popped into the little shop at camp & the lady behind the counter asked me 'aren't you cold' as I had a vest top on - it's crazy, it must have been near 30 degrees & she was cold! That's why when us Brits have sweat dripping off us with our hair sticking to our face & neck, & let's face it not looking too attractive, these Italians look all pristine with not one drop of sweat in sight - nice eh!!! Anyway, after a few games of Canasta, we headed in for an early night ready for our visit into the centre of Pisa the next day!

After waiting two & a half hours, for what should have been a one hour cycle, our washing was eventually finished & we were ready to head into Pisa! After a short walk into the centre, we were hit by the magnificent spectacle that is the Leaning Tower of Pisa! It is just an extraordinary sight, & the lean of the tower is quite amazing - it is a shock when you see it up close in real life, as from a picture or on the TV you just can't get the full impact of the sheer size of it & how much it looks like it's about to topple over any minute - all you can do is look up in amazement of how this building is still standing! Obviously we did the usual, holding the Leaning Tower up pose for the piccie - but if you look I think Paul's straining a lot more than me! You can actually pay to go to the top of the tower, but you can only go up with a tour guide & it was 15 Euros per person, & being on a budget we gave it a miss! Plus, I think Paul was a little scared! The square which The Leaning Tower is located is very pretty also, with the church alongside it & all the stalls selling Pisa souvenirs - we resisted from buying & actually escaped Pisa without spending a penny - must be a record!

Pisa itself is a very beautiful place down all the little streets & some very colourful buildings down by the river adding to the whole Italian charm! We did love Pisa, as it's not too big & not heaving with people everywhere once you get away from the main spectacle, but even then it's not too bad! The whole place just had a great feel about it & The Leaning Tower was just something else - one of the highlights of our travels for sure!

So, we've done pretty much the major cities in Italy & they have been a delight! We've been very impressed with the beauty of the country as a whole, with the uniqueness of Venice, Pisa & Rome with the Vatican City & the Coliseum - just incredible places which are well worth a visit or revisit! On the down side to Italy, the Italian hospitality that we were so expecting has seriously been lacking in many of these places, & Winnie's had a bit of a pasting on the Italian roads as pretty much every road, other than motorway which you do pay the price to use, is in a shocking state which did get very annoying at times - after all we worry about Winnie & want to look after her! Putting all that aside, it can't take away our enjoyment of the things we have seen during our few weeks here, & it wouldn't stop us coming again - after all you see things very different on a one or two week holiday than what we see driving through the different countries - that's why we love it as we see the good & the bad, which every country has!
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Florence, Tuscany, Italy

When we arrived at our campsite in Florence, we again weren't too impressed with how far we would have to walk to get the public transport into the centre, & even though they specified they had Wifi - once again they didn't! We decided to stay there anyway, as we thought it was only 16 Euros a night, & with our 10% discount it would be quite reasonable! It wasn't until we woke up the next morning, covered in mossie bites everywhere, we looked at the price & realised it was 35 Euros a night - oh dear, slightly misread the documentation! Anyway, after discovering this, we checked out & decided to drive into Florence, park up, have a look around for a few hours & then the plan was to head to Pisa instead of staying an extra night in Florence! We were really annoyed, as the campsite we had originally planned on staying at was smack bang in the centre of Florence - anyway we live & learn!

We managed to get a parking spot right by the river, which was handy for looking around the main areas & squares in Florence! After walking down the riverside, we cut into the first square, where a church stood as the main centrepiece - very beautiful! I couldn't help feeling it was going to get better though, as we kept getting glimpses of the Dome of the main church & knew it was going to be something special! So after spending quite a bit of time (& money) looking around the big market, we ate our cheese & marmite sarnies & headed for this huge spectacle! Wow - it is quite a remarkable sight! So huge & the detail so intricate - we kept thinking that was it, but then we'd turn another corner & another part of the church is revealed - very exquisite! It's just a shame about the scaffolding that you seem to see on so many of these buildings - but with the age of them I guess it's to be expected! In fact, I struggle to remember anywhere we have been on our travels where there hasn't been any scaffolding holding something up - suppose we'd prefer it to be there than to be falling down on top of us!

So, after our short but very nice walk around Florence, we had seen enough for now to get a feel for the place, & it definitely feels a lot more like the traditional Italy you would imagine! The only thing I would say on a negative note is the amount of cars & mopeds in particular on the roads & down the side streets do slightly spoil the beauty of the place. Also, the council could do more to clean up certain areas, as who wants to see graffiti on the walls in the centre of Florence! Other than that, we really enjoyed our time here & thought it had a lot to offer as a city!

So, off we trundle to see the famous Leaning Tower - that's got to be a unique spectacle!
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