Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, September 7, 2009
France
Lodeve
Seven nights in the house with the non matching crokery and rushing river suitable for a inflatable tyre. The group swells with Vins arrival. Roquefort in the cellars eleven stories high. Our first and certanily not last tasting of the blue stuff. Crossing the worlds tallest bridge at Millau an impressive feat of engineering. Swimming in the surprisingly cold waters of Cap D Agde with a second dip in the brownish waters of Lac du Salagou. Provences finest Roman ruin in Pont du Gard, great vews as we swam below. My second visit to Avignon, a tough place to park a car then some absent mindness as we leave our bag in the square. Picturesque Languedoc countryside but a tough place to taste some wine. A hidden gem in St Guilhem le Desert and its quaint monastery. Final day driving through the stunning Tarn Gorge. Tight roads, breathtaking swim at St Chaly du Tarn and Tartiflete at St Enime. A bit more of a sedate drive through the Jonte gorge direction Lodeve for the final time.
Nice
More company as Adeline and Rob arrive and then finally Grant. Warmer mediteranean waters shame about the pebbles. Time slot for the markets and a few winding streets in Nices old town. Day trip to Monaco for the prologue and the start of the Tour. A rather characterless place with plenty of ugly apartments. Pigeons attack our lunch as we cool ourselves in the sea.
Bandol
What a find small seaside village near Marseille. Hotel overlooking the sea and our first authentic meal of Moule Frite.
Montpellier
Side trip to Arles for a stage immense heat but some sights in the impressive Colloseum like Amphitheatre and Theatre. Our return to Montpellier for the TTT. Sleepy sort of town with quite back streets the Chateau d Leau and enormous Roman Aquaduct.
Carcasonne
Our first ill fated taste of camping, what I thought was a blanket proved to be a pillow. However the two second tent lives up to its name. Allez les Kiwis is born.
Seven nights in the house with the non matching crokery and rushing river suitable for a inflatable tyre. The group swells with Vins arrival. Roquefort in the cellars eleven stories high. Our first and certanily not last tasting of the blue stuff. Crossing the worlds tallest bridge at Millau an impressive feat of engineering. Swimming in the surprisingly cold waters of Cap D Agde with a second dip in the brownish waters of Lac du Salagou. Provences finest Roman ruin in Pont du Gard, great vews as we swam below. My second visit to Avignon, a tough place to park a car then some absent mindness as we leave our bag in the square. Picturesque Languedoc countryside but a tough place to taste some wine. A hidden gem in St Guilhem le Desert and its quaint monastery. Final day driving through the stunning Tarn Gorge. Tight roads, breathtaking swim at St Chaly du Tarn and Tartiflete at St Enime. A bit more of a sedate drive through the Jonte gorge direction Lodeve for the final time.
Nice
More company as Adeline and Rob arrive and then finally Grant. Warmer mediteranean waters shame about the pebbles. Time slot for the markets and a few winding streets in Nices old town. Day trip to Monaco for the prologue and the start of the Tour. A rather characterless place with plenty of ugly apartments. Pigeons attack our lunch as we cool ourselves in the sea.
Bandol
What a find small seaside village near Marseille. Hotel overlooking the sea and our first authentic meal of Moule Frite.
Montpellier
Side trip to Arles for a stage immense heat but some sights in the impressive Colloseum like Amphitheatre and Theatre. Our return to Montpellier for the TTT. Sleepy sort of town with quite back streets the Chateau d Leau and enormous Roman Aquaduct.
Carcasonne
Our first ill fated taste of camping, what I thought was a blanket proved to be a pillow. However the two second tent lives up to its name. Allez les Kiwis is born.
Italy (part one)
Trieste
Short term home to James Joyce. Seep town with views from the cathederal and castle ruins. A ride on what has to be the worlds steepest tram.
Tremezzo
Beer and homecooked meals on our balcony overlooking the shimmering waters of Lake Como. Bank to bank on the ferry as we circumnavigate the lake. Celebrity spotting in the 1930s styled resort of Bellagio. Hike from the sleepy town of Breglia up to Refugio Menaggio at 1400 metres. Gourmet sandwiches with a view of Lake Como, Lugano and Lago di Piano.
Short term home to James Joyce. Seep town with views from the cathederal and castle ruins. A ride on what has to be the worlds steepest tram.
Tremezzo
Beer and homecooked meals on our balcony overlooking the shimmering waters of Lake Como. Bank to bank on the ferry as we circumnavigate the lake. Celebrity spotting in the 1930s styled resort of Bellagio. Hike from the sleepy town of Breglia up to Refugio Menaggio at 1400 metres. Gourmet sandwiches with a view of Lake Como, Lugano and Lago di Piano.
Slovenia
Lubljana
More company as the Sinnotts arrive. Lunch in a converted prison, then cherries in the produce market. Free museum day with visits to the City and History museums. Weddings at Lubljana castle. Bird attacks in Tivoli Park. Bus to Lake Bled for a lap of the lake with the obligatory photos of the church on the Island. Followed by a visit to the roaring waters of the Vintgar Gorge. A nice amble through some picturesque countryside to and from the gorge.
More company as the Sinnotts arrive. Lunch in a converted prison, then cherries in the produce market. Free museum day with visits to the City and History museums. Weddings at Lubljana castle. Bird attacks in Tivoli Park. Bus to Lake Bled for a lap of the lake with the obligatory photos of the church on the Island. Followed by a visit to the roaring waters of the Vintgar Gorge. A nice amble through some picturesque countryside to and from the gorge.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Croatia
Dubrovnik
Cruise ship central. Impressive fortifications and architecture of the old town. A complete circuit of the city walls. First swim in the crystal clear Adriatic. A day trip to Lokrum Island, Fort ruins, a monastery, mating peacocks, swimming and another high plunge.
Hvar Island
Dino the man the legend and his incredible apartment. Plenty of beers on the balcony looking down on a setting sun over the town. Idling the day away in our 5 horse power boat. Navigating the crystal clear Adriatic waters of the Pakheri Islands. Backward flip competitions, seafood, ice cream and plenty of swimming.
Split
Wandering Diocletians Palace an eclectic mix of Roman ruins, apartments and bars. One final swim with the locals.
Zagreb
Confusion over tram stops resulting in a two hour mission to find the Hostel. Evening walk through the Austro Hungarian arcitecture. City views up Golton Hill and a great fight on the way home.
Cruise ship central. Impressive fortifications and architecture of the old town. A complete circuit of the city walls. First swim in the crystal clear Adriatic. A day trip to Lokrum Island, Fort ruins, a monastery, mating peacocks, swimming and another high plunge.
Hvar Island
Dino the man the legend and his incredible apartment. Plenty of beers on the balcony looking down on a setting sun over the town. Idling the day away in our 5 horse power boat. Navigating the crystal clear Adriatic waters of the Pakheri Islands. Backward flip competitions, seafood, ice cream and plenty of swimming.
Split
Wandering Diocletians Palace an eclectic mix of Roman ruins, apartments and bars. One final swim with the locals.
Zagreb
Confusion over tram stops resulting in a two hour mission to find the Hostel. Evening walk through the Austro Hungarian arcitecture. City views up Golton Hill and a great fight on the way home.
Bosnia and Hercegovina
Mostar
Our introduction to the mindless fighting from the early 90s. Bullet holes and shells of buildings remain untouched. The family feel at legendary Majda's Rooms. A distinctly Turkish air wandering the old town. The call to prayer slipping back into our day to day consciousness. Mostar's crowning glory the Stari Most. Serious meat sweats from our riverside mixed grill. Cruising around the Bosnian countryside with Bata on "The Tour". A snapshot of Bosnias past mixed in with rope swings and a 12 metre plunge off a railway bridge. Herbal Tea, the strange pilgrimage site of Madjegorge, ancient fortifcations at Pocitelj and the Dervish lodge at Blagaj. All Cyrillic on road signs blanked out.
Sarajevo
Bosnia's third tourist attraction the stunning railway from Mostar to Sarajevo, hugging the Neretva river. Strong Coffee, Mosques and Hans in the Turkish quarter. The infamous Latin Bridge site of Franz Ferdinand's assasination. Sarajevo Brewery, nice bar but expensive beer. Impressive display at the History Museum on the Sarajevo Siege. Graveyards dotting the suburbs. Too much Cevapici for dinner. 25 metre walk through the original Sarajevo Tunnel. A seemingly different world on the Serbian Suburb of the town. Views from the hills where the Serbs held the town hostage.
Our introduction to the mindless fighting from the early 90s. Bullet holes and shells of buildings remain untouched. The family feel at legendary Majda's Rooms. A distinctly Turkish air wandering the old town. The call to prayer slipping back into our day to day consciousness. Mostar's crowning glory the Stari Most. Serious meat sweats from our riverside mixed grill. Cruising around the Bosnian countryside with Bata on "The Tour". A snapshot of Bosnias past mixed in with rope swings and a 12 metre plunge off a railway bridge. Herbal Tea, the strange pilgrimage site of Madjegorge, ancient fortifcations at Pocitelj and the Dervish lodge at Blagaj. All Cyrillic on road signs blanked out.
Sarajevo
Bosnia's third tourist attraction the stunning railway from Mostar to Sarajevo, hugging the Neretva river. Strong Coffee, Mosques and Hans in the Turkish quarter. The infamous Latin Bridge site of Franz Ferdinand's assasination. Sarajevo Brewery, nice bar but expensive beer. Impressive display at the History Museum on the Sarajevo Siege. Graveyards dotting the suburbs. Too much Cevapici for dinner. 25 metre walk through the original Sarajevo Tunnel. A seemingly different world on the Serbian Suburb of the town. Views from the hills where the Serbs held the town hostage.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Montenegro
Zabljak
Snow in June ?? Hotel Zabljak, straight out of 1960 Yugoslavia and hasn't changed a bit. Three meals of pork and copious amounts of oil. The spectacular scenery of the Durmitor National Park. Stunning Black Lake framed by snow capped peaks and pine forest. The brooding rounded mass of Mt Meded. A successful summit followed by a hair raising decent. Europes largest Canyon the Tara Gorge, impossibly steep cliffs and turquoise water.
Budva
Impressive thunderstorms. A well kept old town, with a distinct maritime feel. Numerous beaches on the 5 k walk to Sveti Stefan. A former fishing village now the home to the rich and famous. Swimming in its shadows in the crystal clear Adriatic.
Kotor
Southern Eu ropes largest Fjord and a relatively undiscovered stretch of water. Underground rivers bubbling under the authentic feeling Stari Grad. A days kayaking to Perast. A sleepy village home to a man made island. Next time we wont forget the suncream.
Herceg Novi
Our introduction to the phenomenon that is the concrete beach.
Snow in June ?? Hotel Zabljak, straight out of 1960 Yugoslavia and hasn't changed a bit. Three meals of pork and copious amounts of oil. The spectacular scenery of the Durmitor National Park. Stunning Black Lake framed by snow capped peaks and pine forest. The brooding rounded mass of Mt Meded. A successful summit followed by a hair raising decent. Europes largest Canyon the Tara Gorge, impossibly steep cliffs and turquoise water.
Budva
Impressive thunderstorms. A well kept old town, with a distinct maritime feel. Numerous beaches on the 5 k walk to Sveti Stefan. A former fishing village now the home to the rich and famous. Swimming in its shadows in the crystal clear Adriatic.
Kotor
Southern Eu ropes largest Fjord and a relatively undiscovered stretch of water. Underground rivers bubbling under the authentic feeling Stari Grad. A days kayaking to Perast. A sleepy village home to a man made island. Next time we wont forget the suncream.
Herceg Novi
Our introduction to the phenomenon that is the concrete beach.
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