Where The Wind blows Us: 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!!!!