Finally we have arrived in France. Having crossed the border we have relearned the joy of arriving on French soil, hearing the French language and enjoying the taste of French food and French wine. It is a pleasure not to have to speak in gutteral German again and to try and recapture the famous Gallic shrug as well as the expression that accompaines it an expression that I am afraid I cannot express in a written form.
We are currently in Alsace and have already found that we like the food and the Pastis, today we will explore the wine and the beer.
The last night in Germany was filled with anxiety and horror as a really heavy downpour commenced after a very hot day and then suddenly turned very violent with hail stones the size of golf balls and up to the size of oranges pelting down in great numbers on to our campervan. The damage was mitigated to some extent by the fact that there was a van standing behind us in the next row and so they copped most of the damage from the rear. There was however no protection from the hail on the roof and we were hit hundred of times, wincing at each strike which sounded like someone playing with heavy handed hits on the golf range. For those who can avoid this experience let me be the first to suggest that it should be avoided at all costs.
Today will be our anniversary and we are looking forward to having a very good time both with the zeather and also with the food and drink.
I think we have finally learnt about the width and the length of the campervan and so driving it is proving to be easier even in the small towns and through the narrow streets. Even parking is an easy matter these days. We have also managed to learn how to use the so called Stellplatz or standing places that exist all through Germany.
That is all for this episode. More as we head further into France
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Monday, July 11, 2005
Still at Lake Garda
Well for all of those people who do not travel a great deal let me tell you that you could do worse that get to Lake Garda in northern Italy. You could also do worse that find the Camping Bergamini which has facilities for people with just a car or indeed no car in cabins as well as people with tents, caravans, campervans and the like. Right on the lake front and within an easy bike ride to the town of Pescheria it ideally suited for a day, a week or a month. Indeed we have been fortunate to meet people who have been coming here for fifty years and staying for some time on each occasion and they have been able to tell us all of the stories of the development of the place from a vineyard to its present leafy and comfortable situation.
We can also recommend some of the town's restaurants as they serve great food and at reasonable prices. What is of course peculiar is that at least one of the places, Il Gabbiano, is staffed by people from Naples and so we can enjoy Neapolitan food without having to travel all the way there.
The markets are held on a Monday and there are two supermarkets which can be used for stocking up on food supplies at good rates, one is caled the LD supermarket and is the heart of the town and the other is a little way out of town and is part of the French LIDL chain. Limited variety but cheap and nice.
For those with the travel and sight seing bug well and truly established we can suggest that the ferries are worth trying as they seem to contain only satisfied trippers on their return to the wharf.
We can also suggest that when travelling in Italy these days there is not only a need to sample their coffee but also their Gelato. I am afraid that unless you are in Italy or a place which houses an Italian immigrant who knows how to make Gelato the ice cream is simply frightful in comparison - expensive and less than tasty. Alas the Gelato is SO nice that it is almost a draw card to stay that extra day or so just to eat your way through the list of all of the flavours. What we can recommend is the chocolate, the hazelnut and also the lemon.
We will keep up the notes as and when we can from here to keep people appraised of opportunities.
Have to say that the weather here has been mixed with evening showers lasting through the night and on occasion so fierce with lightning and thunder that it can shake the van. Still the days are genrally sunny and a good temperature and the days fly past leaving fewer days vefore we have to wend our way home.
We can also recommend some of the town's restaurants as they serve great food and at reasonable prices. What is of course peculiar is that at least one of the places, Il Gabbiano, is staffed by people from Naples and so we can enjoy Neapolitan food without having to travel all the way there.
The markets are held on a Monday and there are two supermarkets which can be used for stocking up on food supplies at good rates, one is caled the LD supermarket and is the heart of the town and the other is a little way out of town and is part of the French LIDL chain. Limited variety but cheap and nice.
For those with the travel and sight seing bug well and truly established we can suggest that the ferries are worth trying as they seem to contain only satisfied trippers on their return to the wharf.
We can also suggest that when travelling in Italy these days there is not only a need to sample their coffee but also their Gelato. I am afraid that unless you are in Italy or a place which houses an Italian immigrant who knows how to make Gelato the ice cream is simply frightful in comparison - expensive and less than tasty. Alas the Gelato is SO nice that it is almost a draw card to stay that extra day or so just to eat your way through the list of all of the flavours. What we can recommend is the chocolate, the hazelnut and also the lemon.
We will keep up the notes as and when we can from here to keep people appraised of opportunities.
Have to say that the weather here has been mixed with evening showers lasting through the night and on occasion so fierce with lightning and thunder that it can shake the van. Still the days are genrally sunny and a good temperature and the days fly past leaving fewer days vefore we have to wend our way home.
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