June and July 2016Jauntlet.comhttps://jauntlet.com/https://jauntlet.com//90227https://jauntlet.com//90227Tue, 02 Aug 2016 21:50:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//90226https://jauntlet.com//90226Mon, 01 Aug 2016 21:50:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//90225https://jauntlet.com//90225Sun, 31 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//90224https://jauntlet.com//90224Sat, 30 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Friday, July 29, 2016 Well today we were on the road again and heading for Valencia. The roads were good, the car performing well and some tourists taking an opportunity to recharge their batteries. Today the trip is only 500 kms , and Mike has settled into his driving seat. As we proceed we see the usual grape vines and olive trees, but we are starting to see orange trees, and some with fruit. The soil looks dry and not all that fertile, but I guess these people know what they are doing for as I said some of the trees and vines have fruit hanging on them. We press on and eventually refuel, and have an overpriced roadside cafeteria lunch. Pressing on we see more of the same landscapes. I guess I am becoming a little blasé , but the holiday will soon be over. After attempting to get into three different apartment blocks I realised the heat was affecting me. Eventually We located the correct apartment block and managed to gain entrance. I returned to bring the rest of the tour up and we decided to go for drinks and dinner. It was only about 6.30pm. This is not very European as they do not go out till at least nine. We try the first bar but the girls do not want to eat here. Move on to another bar and the wine is not so great, so 'scout' heads out to locate somewhere to eat, and eventually returns to take us with him. Who would have thought we would be eating Greek food in the middle of Valencia in Spain. The meal was good but the waiter was better as she told us in good English where we should go and what we should see. Returning to our apartment we decide to test the beer and wine in a number of bars on the way. Eventually we reach home at about 10.30pm when most people of Valencia are starting their celebrations, and rest on a hot night. https://jauntlet.com//90223https://jauntlet.com//90223Fri, 29 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200https://jauntlet.com//90222https://jauntlet.com//90222Thu, 28 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Wednesday, July 27, 2016 Today was a day of travel, driving from Lisbon to Granada. A distance of some 700 kilometres, but with very little to see. The plains and rolling mountains were covered either with olive trees or grape vines. Mike did a great job and kept insisting that he was happy to drive and felt comfortable doing so. The kilometres kept flying by to music from The Eagles, Supertramp and Mark Knofler. We reached Granada and found our public car park. After seeking instruction from our parking supervisor as ,Assistant Scout, I led our party through the streets. I must have misinterpreted his instructions for we could not find our residence. With further instructions and assistance from tour members we eventually found our address. The host Laura, let us in , showed us around the apartment that was exceptionally decorated, and eventually left us. After a long drive, such as we had, it was time for dinner at a well appointed bar/ restaurant. As usual the beers were cold , the wine exceptional and the food simply glorious. (See the photos) On our return, tickets to Alhambra of Granada, were obtained on the net and so plans for tomorrow were set. https://jauntlet.com//90221https://jauntlet.com//90221Wed, 27 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Tuesday, July 26, 2016 Today we left our beautiful apartment for breakfast at the cafe below. As we wait for our coffee and pastries the radio plays a song recognised by all. It was John Paul Young and Love is in the air. What a shock. The day was warming up and so we ventured onto their Metro and rode to the centre of town. We got off and started our search for the Hop on Hop off bus. Suddenly Scout had disappeared with a statement that he would purchase our tickets at an outlet he had seen. He seemed to be gone for a worrying period and at that moment we saw the white cap and stripped shirt he was wearing coming back towards us. We road to where the bus begins its route and then sat for quite sometime . Helen asked for air conditioning but this was provided only by small slit windows. Eventually we were on our way, looking at various sites including Hard Rock Cafe , large buildings, tree lined avenues(similar to Champs Élysées ), large shopping centres, port facilities etc. The tour did not appear to be as interesting as Bilbao but that may be because of the heat in the bus. Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and its history revolves around its position at the mouth of the Tagus river. The land has been inhabited by the Iberians, celts, Phoenicians , Greeks, Carthaginians , Romans , Visigoths and Moors. In 1755 an earthquake , and subsequent fire and tsunami totally destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas. All of these details have led to Lisbon as seen today. At the end of our ride we spied an institution that must be experienced. It was the Museu da Cerveja, better known as the Museum of Beer. Being keen to be educated we entered and considered the information at hand. After visiting this institution we split from the Gardiner's who looked to do more touring , while we looked to experience the Retail economy. We both returned to our apartment with many tales to tell. I must say for the first time we decided to return to the same restaurant we attended the night before. This was for two reasons, value for money and not a great distance to walk on a hot night. Tomorrow we move to Granada in Spain. https://jauntlet.com//90220https://jauntlet.com//90220Tue, 26 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0100Monday, July 25, 2016 We are on the road again today heading towards Lisbon. A smooth trip on some good roads. Partway we decide to take a deviation towards the coast and a town called Peniche. The reason for this is that we have the time to relax, as our apartment is not ready until after 3.00pm. Peniche is largest traditional fishing port and a major Atlantic hub for maritime tourism. This will mean I may be able to experience my grilled sardines. As parking is difficult in this Noosa lookalike during the school holidays, Mike lets us out of the car while he looks for a parking spot. We make our way to the first restaurant we see. Lucky, just inside is a table for four, a definite sign. When Mike arrives our happy English speaking waiter tells us all the fish is grilled after being selected from the display on ice just inside the door. What a meal, the sardines and the squid were fresh and the drinks were ice cold. Perfection. We all enjoyed the meal immensely . On to Lisbon. Getting to the town was easy but taking the right turns to arrive at our apartment was not so easy. After a few wrong turns we arrive at the correct address and meet our host. Intricacies are explained and we are left to our own devices. Mike and I head to the market to obtain the necessary supplies that appear to be running low. You know beer, wine, coffee pods etc. We all have a rest and at about 8.00pm decide it is time for dinner. We go down past our doorman and out to the streets. We decide local is best tonight and look to an Asian restaurant nearby. It turns out to be a reasonably priced buffet style, which is great as lunch was quite large. Good food again, now back to the apartment. Movies on TV for some and an early night for others. https://jauntlet.com//90219https://jauntlet.com//90219Mon, 25 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0100Sunday, July 24, 2016 We went to bed last night with voices in the street and a DJ working on his rhythm structures that sounded like jungle drums. We woke on Sunday morning to the same noises. To be expected, I guess, as our Airbnb apartment was in the student district , which may have been a mistake. Still the night had been reasonably comfortable, the beds a little firm ,but already you could feel the day was going to be hot, in the early to mid thirties. We set off with a plan to have a light breakfast and then find another sightseeing bus. We were becoming good at these hop on and hop off buses. By about 9.30am we had achieved these goals and were on the bus and off to the sights of Porto. We circle the city seeing the palatial house and notable parks, but we all know why we are in Porto, that is where they make port. Our bus ticket included a free tasting and so once we arrive at the site of the port where shippers 'lodges' were we looked for our free tasting. We never reached the free tasting but were caught by a sales man who directed us up a lane way. To our surprise we arrived at a display room to be given a tour of port making and a degustation of port samples. Very impressive and the white ports served at 10 degrees were delicious . After this we felt it necessary to find something to eat because we rarely drink port this early in a day. So we moved back to the old town and settled in for lunch. After, we resumed our bus tour and looked to take it close to where we were staying. After getting off we felt the day was still hot enough to catch a taxi. Another education in making ourselves known when not being able speak the local language . Finding dinner in Porto on a Sunday night was not easy. All but a few of the bars and restaurants that were open on Saturday night were not open. We did however find a restaurant and it had some Tapas and Porto style food. From this we all managed to make a selection are feeling full we returned to our apartment and hopefully a restful night. https://jauntlet.com//90218https://jauntlet.com//90218Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0100Saturday, July 23, 2016 More rain today and heavier, but of no consequence as we on our way to Porto, Portugal. We left at 10.00am after Mike had retrieved the car. This was to another test for the vehicle as it was over 700 kms to our destination. The trip was smooth, the car went well and without any problems. The only problem is the two GPS that continue to argue amongst themselves, and so in critical situations we resort to use of the iPad and Google maps. The countryside between Bilbao in Spain and Oporto in Portugal was either lush mountainside or dry plains. The plains in in Spain did not appear to get any rain.We drove through a number of run down Spanish towns, and farms seeing no residents but expecting to see a spaghetti western develop in front of up. Once in Portugal the country appeared to be that of a stronger economy than we had experienced in the Spanish countryside . Arriving in Porto we located our apartment and decided we needed to relax in the usual way. After a little exploration by our scout we headed for dinner near our apartment at a restaurant called "Moulles and Jugs", referring to Mussels in different sauces and jugs of Sangria. A very pleasant meal was had in a wonderful setting with each of choosing a different soup for our dish. https://jauntlet.com//90217https://jauntlet.com//90217Sat, 23 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0100Friday, July 22, 2016 This was a great day, the Guggenheim , a boat ride the Estuary of Bilbao and a ride on the finicular. We awoke to the first rain we had seen on our trip. It was only very light and not a deterrent for our team of tourists. We set off to walk to the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. A truly great building, on the banks of the river. We joined a short queue and then started our tour. We saw Warhol's, Picasso's, and a whole lot more including Louise Bourgeios was a French-American artist known for her large sculptures and installation art. My view of her exhibits showed her as a very disturbed woman, but what do I know. From the Guggenheim we decided to take a boat trip of the sights of the city from the river. This occurred after lunch. You may think there is a whole lot of eating and drinking going on on this tour , but let me tell you being a tourist is exhausting work and requires a lot of sustenance and fluids to keep the body operating. The boat tour was remarkable giving us the industrial and maritime history of the city and showing us many different architectural styles. Bilbao is a truly elegant city on the river with a mix of old and new styles and it was quite a revelation to us all. On returning to the square outside our apartment block we decided to take a ride on the finicular railway. The view from the top was beautiful . We decided we needed to experience tapas and so settled into the bar opposite our place and became friends with Abel our waiter. With limited English and no Spanish we sorted a menu that was very tasty and just what we needed. A short walk, an end of another day. https://jauntlet.com//90216https://jauntlet.com//90216Fri, 22 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Thursday, July 21, 2016 Today we are sad to leave Laurens, but realise the tour must go on. After packing up all of our bags we move to L'auto Bleu and say the necessary prayers to ensure the car functions at its best, and we have a safe journey to Bilbao in Spain. We set off with reserved confidence. The trip is between 500-600 kilometres and our estimated arrival time in Bilbao is about 6.00pm. L'auto Bleu performs increasingly well and eventually achieves the motorway speed limit without causing any stress to its passengers. Mike is driving and our progress is steady. We are heading to Toulouse with the French GPSin the car showing the way and the English GPS telling us what directions we should take. Close to Toulouse there is a difference in strategies and so we are forced to pick one. I think this where we made our error because from that point the roads seemed to get narrower. We strayed deep into the mountains the A roads became D roads and it was obvious we were lost in France. We stopped for provisions for lunch at which time I offered to take the wheel and give Mike a break. Setting off again I found the mood in the car had changed. I drove close to the verge on the right and looked right for traffic instead of left and had three passengers offering life saving advice. A few minutes into our search for a lunch site, and wider roads we saw an area we could eat and revise our strategies. At this time I relinquished the wheel to the Coach Captain and we dined on Gazpacho, baguette with assorted cheeses, meats and pates. With the tour bus ready to roll we set off to find a major road. Eventually this was done and we continued towards Bilbao. Arriving in Bilbao we resorted to more technology using Google maps on an iPad. We located the street our apartment is in but drove past it. Going around again we all remembered a short lady standing in a driveway, sure enough it was the representative of our host. We are greeted by her, shown our car park and taken to our apartment. After the usual instructions about the apartment, she leaves and we are desperate to have some dinner as it is after 10.00 pm. Some bars are open but they are packed and not much food seems available. Eventually we see a restaurant "El Fogon de Beni" open but with no patrons. Mike enters to ascertain if he is still open, and the answer is yes. After we enter he closes the door. Our party is to dine alone. The restaurant is ours alone. We have four great meals and after 11.00pm we leave. All the bars that were pumping previously are now empty and the streets are quiet. What an unusual day. https://jauntlet.com//90215https://jauntlet.com//90215Thu, 21 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Wednesday, July 20, 2016 What a day today turned out to be. Not much was planned on our last day in Laurens, but for lunch with Helen and Mike, Kathy and Alan, Sylvia and Adrian and ourselves. The lunch was at a recently renovated chateau, Chateau St Pierre de Serjac between Pouzolles and Magalas. The drive up the long driveway was amazing, pencil pines lining the drive, a grand entrance. After park the car we walked toward the complex. It has a hotel, apartments, winery, restaurant and bar, spa and other facilities. A playground for the rich and famous. What a sight and the attention paid us by the staff as we arrived was startling . Umbrellas were moved and before you know it we were settled in, in the Australian style with men at one end and women at the other. Or maybe it is international. We all settled for the set menu and made our selections, with Alan given the task of selecting the wines. As I said the food was stunning the wines great, and we all had a most enjoyable lunch. Because of the hour we finished we call off the after lunch drive and returned to Laurens for an afternoon nap. 6.00pm rolled around and we decided to spend our last evening on the terrace. As the evening rolled on Mike offered a bbq snag as a light meal which was all we could handle. Soon we were realising that we would not be returning to the terrace again this trip. We have had such a pleasant time on the terrace enjoying the view and having many discussions. Although we will be with Helen and Mike on the "Gira por Espana", we will miss our times with them in Laurens. https://jauntlet.com//90214https://jauntlet.com//90214Wed, 20 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Tuesday, July 19, 2016 We awake to another rest day before our "Gira por Espana". Mike has enlisted the assistance of a friend who speaks fluent French to accompany him to the garage, so that he can make his point clear to the repairman. The mechanic where Mike purchased the car seems to have fixed the fuel injector problem, but now another problem has arisen and the warranty is running out. With a long trip around Spain and Portugal it is important to have these problems rectified. With Mike going back and forth, Helen, Lynn and I are left to our own devices. Armed with some coins I venture to the boulangerie to purchase our fresh croissants and baguettes. I am successful and return for breakfast. The rest of the day is spent catching up on washing and relaxation , some of us even get a little sleep in. Mike returns and it is decided to test the car with a run to a couple of bars in Gabian and Fouzilhon, for a refreshing beverage. The car passes mechanically but there are still warning messages from its computer. Further decisions are made to attempt to solve the problem before Thursday . We return to dine in, and to relax on the terrace again. https://jauntlet.com//90213https://jauntlet.com//90213Tue, 19 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Monday, July 18, 2016 A very late start, Lynn and I did not get up until 9.30am and we were to have a lazy day as Mike was picking up "La Bleu Auto" in Beziers. We have great hopes that the vehicle will be fixed for if not we may have to change plans for Spain or hire another car. On Mike's return with the car not fully repaired we decided to go shopping for dinner, Helen and Mike invited Adrian and Sylvia, our hosts from last night. All necessary supplies were purchased at a variety of supermarkets, and we returned home and Lynn offered to prepare Poulet a la Laurens. A special dish. I checked my iPad on returning and noticed a "friend request" on Facebook. When I opened the portal imagine my surprise when it was from mum, Lorna Kelly. When we left Sydney mum was not talking IT, but now she has access to the Internet and has a Facebook account. If I was surprised , Lynn almost fainted with shock. I accepted the request and before you know it mum and Lauren were on Facebook messaging and we were talking, and mum was so happy she was able to see us. We slowly recovered from the shock, and Lynn proceeded with dinner. When the Adrian and Sylvia arrived it was decided to partake of the views from the terrace with a few beverages. Dinner was great and then we returned to the terrace for some of Helens unique aperitifs. They included sloe port, sloe gin (sloe berries are found in UK and France by side of the road similar to blue berries) and pomegranate vodka. All tasted great. Sleeping was easy again this night as you can imagine. https://jauntlet.com//90212https://jauntlet.com//90212Mon, 18 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Sunday, July 17, 2016 The first day after our return to Laurens and we catch up on our washing before heading off to Fouzhilon to the east. This is home of Adrian and Sylvia, two of Mike and Helens family who spend half the year in France and half in the UK. Their home was simply "marvellous" with a view of 360 degrees perched on top of a hill . Adrian is a real character who seems to have a love of shopping on the Internet. He proceeded to show us many of the nic nacs he had bought including a bug zapper shaped like a tennis racquet and flashing lights that float in the pool. Both of our hosts were real characters and very generous with their hospitality. As our car is not back as yet we were driven home by Adrian after dessert which was fresh fruit salad soaking in Cointreau, Cassis and another alcoholic source. We all made it home safely and had no trouble sleeping. https://jauntlet.com//90211https://jauntlet.com//90211Sun, 17 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Saturday, July 16, 2016 Today we started early with a coffee and brioche in the street La Spezia waiting for Mike to retrieve the car. Then we were off on a long days drive past Nice to our next destination approximately 490 kms.We stopped a couple of times so Mike could revive. Eventually we reached Aix-en-Provence, and we located our hotel, Le Concorde, right in the middle of the old town. The time was about 5.00pm and since we're leaving early the next morning to return to Laurens and a date with destiny (car mechanic) we spent most the rest of our time looking in shops or drinking and eating. https://jauntlet.com//90210https://jauntlet.com//90210Sat, 16 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Friday, July 15, 2016 We awoke this morning with the news from Nice re terrorist attack. What a cowardly act. We had driven down that same esplanade de englaise two days before and commented how the palm trees had been replaced, and then to see the street on the news with such carnage was so sad. Our plans today are to visit the Cinque Terre national park. We had decided to go by boat and so made an early start to get to the waterfront and pick up the first ferry. A beautiful day with temperatures to get to about 28 degrees. An early coffee while waiting for our ferry, and at 9.15am we are off with a full boat load of about 60-70. Happily most of the cranky Italians got off at Portovenere. We continued on to the first of the 5 villages. The water was a bit rough to get to some of the villages, and so we only got off at a couple. We wandered the streets of shops at Vernassa a pretty place , and added to their economy in a small way. After attempting to walk to Monterosso al Mare, and finding the way a little difficult, we turned back and caught the boat to the next village for lunch. The lunch was good and dining by the seaside is becoming regular and most enjoyable. Back on the boat and back to La Spezia. After a good day on the boat we were all feeling a little tired, so Mike went to check the car in its parking area, and the rest of us went back to our apartment. After a rest it time for dinner again. If meals are not the seaside they are in village squares, and tonight was no different, with lovely looking buildings all around. https://jauntlet.com//90209https://jauntlet.com//90209Fri, 15 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Thursday, July 14, 2016 Not much to tell today except we had a pleasant drive to La Spezia via Pisa. Yes we did see the tower , beautiful white marble, but no we did not have a photograph taken trying to hold it up. Eventually found the apartment in La Spezia and what a great setup, Italian shabby chic according to the girls. The only thing lacking was a lift so we had to all carry our bags up the 3 floors, a long way. The girls then retired to a bar while Mike and I found some free parking a 15 minute walk away. By the time we got back and found the girls we were ready for a beer and the girls who had had time to do a little shopping and purchase a cold drink (non alcoholic). We ordered beers and wines for the girls. Lynn and I went back to our apartment, while Helen and Mike searched for a market to provide supplies for breakfast. Lynn had a lie down and on Mike and Helens return we contemplated dinner. We did not stray very far and found a square with many restaurants to choose from. A very pleasant dinner with steamed mussels and tuna spaghetti, Buon Apatito. Then it was not far back to our apartment.https://jauntlet.com//90208https://jauntlet.com//90208Thu, 14 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200Wednesday, July 13, 2016 The day begins with a cup of brewed coffee and some fresh fruit. Our plan today is to see as much of Florence as we can and with Mike's extensive recon on the previous night we should be right. Getting into the town centre is fairly simple, walking up some very narrow streets , a left turn here and a right turn there and before you know it we are crossing the Ponte Santa Trinita over the River Arno. We take a photo of the Ponte Vecchio and encounter the first of the large crowds. Mike referred to this bridge as "The Old Bridge". We have a list of other sights we would like to see but notice flashing past a "City Tour" bus and jointly decide to take the trip and see what we can of Florence. The first leg takes us to the Piazzale Michelangelo with a commanding view over the city. We snap a few photos and are advised to take another trip into the centre where we changed buses only to head for the hills and a village called Fiseoli, where centuries ago the British built magnificent holiday homes and gardens. After the bus trips we thought it was time for us to return home. We decided to trust the"Scout" with this expedition. Considering we were not seeing any familiar street corners we realise his ability to navigate through the streets of Florence may not have returned to him as yet. Once home we rehydrate withs drops of local beer and wine, and contemplate our evening meal. Our host had suggested a Ristorante close to our apartment and we decide it will be the one tonight. Our walk to the restaurant does not take long but we find the establishment is closed for the holidays. 20 metres further down the street is a restaurant and its speciality we are told is BBQ. Knowing this, Lynn is the only one of our group to test their skills having Bbq chicken. However we noticed two business types who were looking for a meal to satisfy. The waiter brought out two huge rib steaks and the customers made all the necessary decisions prior to the meat being cooked.(see the pictures). We feel the evening should not finish just yet and wandered across the park to what seems to be a pop up bar. What a great idea. We sit down and enjoy the ambiance before heading home. Tomorrow we are on the road again heading to La Spezia and the Cinque Terre , via Pisa. https://jauntlet.com//90207https://jauntlet.com//90207Wed, 13 Jul 2016 21:50:00 +0200