Italy Italy Italy!!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                                 21st -23rd July 2011

Arenzano, Italy, our next couch surfing experience. As it was only going to take about 2-3 hours we took our time driving there, it was an incredibly hot day so thankfully we found a great little bay on our way to have lunch and a dip.

On our way we decided to drive through Monaco just for a noisy. An ice cream would have been on the cards but finding a park was not so we drove around and around and out again. Yay!!!!

Monaco

We arrived in Arenzano after going through about 100 tunnels. Wow!!! We met our couch surfing host Stuart and his two daughter's Rebecca and Melissa.
Arenzano is a quaint seaside village about 1/2 an hour from Genova.

We spent the next day or so just relaxing, having some down time from all the driving. I learnt how to gut fresh anchovies and yum deep fried in egg and breadcrumbs, the best!!! There is a bakery that makes amazing focaccia it is made from polenta, melts in your mouth. The parmesan is amazing, the mozzarella is great, the coffee... aaaaahhh I just love Italian food in Italy!!!

Thank you so much Stuart, Rebecca and Melissa we had such a relaxing enjoyable time, thank you for your generosity and laughs!!!

The Family

                                                                            23rd - 25th July 2011

Venice here we come!!!! Very excited to see this city. We left Arenzano late after a scrumptious feast put on by Stuart and made our way to Venice deciding to take the motorway. I've had enough of long long drives trying to navigate via google maps.
Camping Fusina was our accommodation for the next two nights. It was across from Venice so we caught a ferry the next day to explore the city.

What can I say it was wonderful. Only having one day again to explore a great city we just walked and walked and walked our little legs off. Even after 9 hours of walking we didn't even see half of the city but at least we got a small sense of the magic that is Venice. It truly is a labyrinth of canals and tiny alleyways and yes we got lost but I think everyone does at some stage.
We saw some amazing art along the way the city is full of artizans and masquerade costume shops.

Mammoth miles........

                                                                                                                                   15/06/2011

Our house sit has come to a close so it's off on our mammoth road trip through some parts of Europe.
Thank you so much Pierre and Mona for all your help and kindness and thank you to Lara for letting us stay in your home and enabling us to experience French life.
I'm trusting Google maps and our road map to get us to our destinations, no GPS in sight, don't know if that is such a good idea!!!!
First stop ....  after a very long and hot drive we made it to our first destination, Septfonds Camping de Bois Redon. A very tranquil camping spot in the mid Pyrenees area.

Our 9 euro tent!!!!

First night in our 9 euro tent, not too bad, hey it will be fine as long as it doesn't rain!!
I'm not that confident in google maps, very confusing directions, way too much information, don't recommend!!!

                                                                                                                                   16th - 19th July 2011

Destination SPAIN!!!!
Meant to take 6 1/2 hours make that 9 hours. Ended up driving way up into the Pyrenees driving through the alpine village of Andorra. Yeah it would have been breathtaking views except we were covered in really thick fog driving about 30kms an hour, up really steep winding roads!!!Aaaaaaah

Les Cabbanes Pyrenees

We drove through alpine village upon alpine villages. They were every where, they reminded me of Sapa in Vietnam  and of the Shinning!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaah

We made it, we just drove the scenic route,  much more interesting than taking the boring motorway and having to pay tolls.
We stayed in a camping ground called Camping Barcelona in Mataro, 1/2 hour from Barcelona.

They provide an excellent free shuttle bus to the city everyday so we took full advantage of this and explored Barcelona the next day. Only having very limited time to explore Barcelona we decided to be full on tourists and explore the city on the tourist bus.

Sagrada Familiar construction began in 1882 and maybe completed in 2020!!!
AMAZING

We spent most of our time in Park Guell famous of course for Gaudi's fabulous Dr Suess looking mosaics. I have waited years to see this. Yay blown away, inspired and can't wait to create when I get back home.

If it wasn't for Gaudi, Barcelona wouldn't be half as interesting, just in my own opinion. I love the weird and wonderful and he is a legend!!!! What a shame he was hit by a tram.

Finished the day eating scrumptious tapas.

Spent the next day walking around the town of Mataro and enjoying the beach.
Mataro is the capital of the region called Costa de Barcelona - Maresme. It was founded by the Romans.
Aaah yes Eden is definitely being educated, learning how to drink beer in Vietnam and now being exposed to topless women on the beach and fully nudes. Yes they take it all off here and lets just say some shouldn't haa, well it's just what they do here, it's part of their culture.

Mataro

   

Mataro beach

                                                                                                                                    19th - 21st July 2011

On our way to Sainte Maxime, France, our first couch surfing experience, A brilliant website where you stay at other people's houses and you get to share experiences and get a taste of their culture.
After another mammoth drive of 12 hours we arrived in the lovely seaside town. We stayed two nights with Eric, his girlfriend Chloe and his daughter Julie. They live high on a hill overlooking lovely sea views.

Our rental we wish!!!!!

Street art in Ramatuelle

After a much needed sleep the next day we headed off to a couple of places that Eric recommended. First a quaint medieval village called Ramatuelle and then to the beach Plage de l'Escalet on the Mediterranean. I left Eden to sunbath while I took a walk along the coast to the peninsular Cap Taillat.
My walk took me along  aqua crystal clear waters.....very nice!!!!

Thank you Eric and Chloe for all your kindness and hospitality and thank you Chloe for the plate I wish you all the best with your business.

Boudrague... unique to the area only found between 15km between St Maxime and  Plan du Latour

Eric, Chloe and Julie

La Rochelle...

                                                                                                                                    10th-12th /06/2011

Headed away for the weekend with our French friend Nacer to the port town La Rochelle. Located along the Atlantic Ocean, it is quaint with a rich historical heritage.

Biking Beauties

On our trusty bikes we peddled into town and explored the town and it's  aquarium. Never have I seen such an array of interesting and  colorful sea life. Nature is truly amazing!!!

medieval and magical

                                                                                                                                           May/June 2011

Some of the several  villages in the area we explored while house sitting

Chinon...... is a gorgeous town built on several layers , nestled by the river Vienne and chalk cliffs where the fortresse royale castle was built.

The cobbled streets are peppered with half timbered medieval house to die for, and window boxes full of coloured geraniums.

The site was inhabited in the 7th century B.C. during the iron age.

Caves Plouzeau, a huge underground wine cellar aaaaaaah

The entrance to the wine cellar

There is a statue of Joan of Arc in the square who in 1429 was to suppose to have drilled there. It is now a square for fairs and cattle markets.
They make good pizza and beer!!!!!!

Chauvigny......... another charming town also on the banks of the river Vienne. The town is overlooked by a hill where five ruined castles run along it's ridge. It is the only town of it's kind in Europe.

The medieval town is an inspiration for many artisans who come to paint the town. The  town is full of cafes, boutique shops, weird and the wonderful, shuttered homes, potted geraniums hollyhocks bursting out of every crack along the streets..... I'm in love, my next home is going to have shutters and window boxes...... potted geraniums and hollyhocks!!!!!

                                             

We ventured to  Abbaye de Fontgombault. It is run by 60 Benedictine monks and it is primarily devoted to meditation. It was built on the river Creuse and was founded in 1091. We went to hear the vespers being sang by the monks. It was truly amazing !!!!!!