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Post by artisans on Mar 19, 2017 21:06:22 GMT 2
What we think is one of the easiest & best ferry routes across the English Channel got us into Dieppe in the afternoon and straight on to a secure camper park ready to start our journey back to Corfu. Dieppe is delightful and our prompt arrival gave us a couple of hours to explore the town and get into the mood.
Our next day’s drive to Pont Authou was not a great distance, but time was on our side and we were going south. There aren’t too many campsites open inland in March, but it was a good spot once we’d figured out the best way to cross the ‘Seine.’ We crossed at Pont Brotonne which is quite spectacular. A stop at a local Auchan supermarket in Dieppe had stocked us up with local cider, wine & cheeses, so we were in good shape for our onward journey.
Trying to avoid motorways, we drove to La Flêche, just south of Le Mans, which was a real treat as many of the roads are dead straight and easy to drive. Our campsite at La Flêche opened on March 1st, and was the first site to do so in the Loire valley. It’s a great little campsite almost in the town itself, and the walk across the river, in the warm afternoon sun, was such a pleasure.
It was great to be heading due south, and the roads on this section of our journey were a joy to travel on … long & straight, lots of passing sections, and picturesque picnic areas to stop in. It was only March 16th, and the temperature hit 220C! We usually use campsites, but the overnight ‘Aire’ in Coulon was one of the best we’ve found, and the village itself is something very special, set amongst poplar-lined streams and fens where farmers use boats to access their fields.
We’ve realised for a few years that we don’t have to wait for Spring … just drive far enough south and it’s there waiting. Our trip on Friday was one of magnolias, cowslips and mimosa, punctuating the endless fields of vines as we neared Bordeaux & Cognac. The trip into town, by bus & tram, costs a whole €1.50 from the campsite at Bordeaux du Lac (cheaper if we had admitted to being over 60!). Bordeaux is an amazing city – such wealth, and all from wine. I loved the trams, which ferried people silently into and through the centre – the best system I’ve seen anywhere.
This was our last day in France for a while, as we headed into Spain on Sunday. Tonight, we’re perched on a clifftop above San Sebastian for three nights, and just when we were getting used to French again, it’s time to re-programme our mouths to Spanish. The problem is that Basque is something altogether different and neither of us has a single word to our credit. We’ll let you know how we get on …
Steve & Jan
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kaz
Roda Anorak
Posts: 3,961
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Post by kaz on Mar 20, 2017 18:49:14 GMT 2
Great journey you are having, glad you are enjoying it all....I remember going to a Bull Fight with my parents in San Sebastian, what view you must have had there xxx
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Post by daveh on Mar 20, 2017 18:49:47 GMT 2
Sounds great trip so far, so many lovely places in Europe to visit if you have the time. Enjoy Spain and rst of your trip home to Corfu.
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Post by artisans on Mar 20, 2017 20:59:45 GMT 2
We were in Constitution Square today, kaz - that’s the place where the bullfights were held in San Sebastian.
Steve
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Post by artisans on Mar 22, 2017 22:39:05 GMT 2
Our rudimentary Spanish and our enthusiasm for good food made a day in San Sebastian very rewarding. The central market in the old town was full of delightful goodies including super-fresh fish and so many hams, sausages, cheeses and wines that we were completely spoiled for choice. What a contrast to the boring selection in UK supermarkets! We think one of the differences is that people actually live in the centres of these towns and they still value their traditional cuisine.
We had planned to stay a third night in San Sebastian, but the weather forecast persuaded us to run ahead of the big storm coming in from the Atlantic. Spanish TV is reporting big seas in the town today, but we continued our journey through the Pyrenees, south & east to Zaragoza, and what a treat it is. The extra night allowed us to spend a day in the city today and it was hot, hot, hot! The market here is even better than the previous ones in Bordeaux & Donostia, and we managed to find something that is mentioned on all cooking programmes involving Spain – lomo de merluza! (Hake steak). Jan cooked it tonight with sautéed potatoes and local asparagus, and what a joy it was!
Something that is popping up in cities across Europe these days, are arcades of gastro-bars, where young chefs are celebrating local produce with endless variations on local dishes, all together under one roof. We’ve visited them in Florence, & Bologna and the arcades are often adjoining, or even within, local fresh-produce markets. They are packed at lunchtime with young people enjoying freshly prepared local food with a beer or a wine. Something similar in Roda would be sure to be well supported. After a ‘pintxo’ lunch, we crossed the Roman bridge over the river Ebro and visited the spectacular Basilica at Plaza del Pilar, which is simply amazing. Zaragoza is off the conventional tourist route so there is little English spoken, but we loved it.
Steve
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Post by artisans on Mar 23, 2017 20:54:56 GMT 2
After snow across Spain, the big weather front is forecast to reach Barcelona tomorrow, but we made it from Zaragoza in spectacular weather. It’s amazing just how dry this area is, with irrigated green fields popping up in arid scrubland. The valley at Fraga was spectacular with its drifts of flowering fruit trees, as far as the eye could see. I’m not sure I’d want to stop in this area, but it is great to drive through. Tonight, we watched the sun go down over the Mediterranean for the first time on this trip, with our van facing out to sea on the campsite at Mataro. Tomorrow it’s off to Barcelona to see the Sagrada Familia and the Ramblas again.
Steve
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Post by davidandpaula2012 on Mar 24, 2017 3:27:24 GMT 2
There football team is Real Zaragoza and it sounds like that.
Your adventures are so envious to I hope everyone not just us x
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Post by artisans on Mar 24, 2017 21:10:29 GMT 2
It rained all day in Barcelona today, but nothing could stop us enjoying the Sagrada Familia Basilica again, just two years since we were last here. The impression created by this unique work-in-progress stays with you forever, whether you are religious or not. It is hard to accept that the concept for the overall design was created some 100 years ago and it’s still almost too modern for many to accept. We’ve been in awe of some of the cathedrals we’ve visited, from Durham to Florence, and Lyon to Bologna, but there is nothing like this ... everyone should visit at least once in their lives.
In the afternoon, we jumped on the Metro and headed back to the Ramblas, and to our favourite tapas bar, Cafe Guinart, at the entrance to the central market. Not only do you get some of the best and freshest food in town but, if you sit at the bar, you get a cookery lesson too. We had a meze-like selection of marinated anchovies with olives, cod croquettes, patatas bravas & fried padron peppers - what a treat! After that, it took us almost two hours to walk around the market which seems to get better with every visit. It is so good to see young people sitting at bars in huge numbers eating fresh fish, seafood, fruit & vegetables ... such a contrast to things at home. We’ve visited many impressive markets across Europe, but this must be the best.
The weather is set to change tomorrow, and we’ll head to Mataro at some time ... maybe we’ll find more treats!
Steve
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Post by artisans on Mar 25, 2017 22:37:52 GMT 2
We have often commented on how easy it is to become a vegetarian in Corfu during the summer. It saddens us that so many ex-pats head off weekly to Lidl in Corfu Town to buy their international foods rather than support the local economy, enhance their well-being, and celebrate the wonderfully fresh produce that is grown, caught & reared locally. In Catalunya, we have found that it is difficult not to eat fish - it’s in almost every local dish that’s on the menu. The range of sea food in the central market in Barcelona is like a who’s who of European fish & crustaceans, and the locals are buying it by the kilo. One thing we have noticed is that even the poorest of people will pay what we consider to be high prices for top-quality produce, even in Greece where disposable income is less than generous. We watched people today, in the market in Mataro, buying huge quantities of fish, together with maybe three types of crustacean and perhaps langoustines for a special treat. The sad thing is that many of these come from UK waters - especially the langoustines and hake. Only 1.5% of hake caught in British waters is eaten in the UK, and most gets sent to France, Portugal, or particularly Spain. It is a lovely fish, it is healthy and sustainable, and we watched one after another head off to local kitchens .. it was almost like a feeding frenzy! We ate a modest lunch today, with just a handful of small dishes on the menu and in a town catering for locals only. Just about every dish contained fish and we ate our fill for €15 including two glasses of local wine. As for veggies, the Saturday market was superb with kilos of sweet tomatoes and the first local strawberries coming out at €1 per punnet. We were in heaven ...
Steve
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Post by artisans on Apr 19, 2017 21:03:55 GMT 2
We’re finally in Puglia, Dave, and it’s Trulli freezing! It was down to 30C today at midday, travelling through the mountains to Taranto ... let’s hope it’s a bit warmer across the water in Corfu. See you all on Saturday.
Steve & Jan
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Post by daveh on Apr 20, 2017 9:16:08 GMT 2
Dont bring the cold with you! I see the jetstream bringing cold weather down, scotland was -7 a few nights ago and central england -5 in places 2 nights ago. Today it is very windy so feels chilly, only 13c at 10am. Enjoy the tip of Italy and hope sea flatter by weekend.
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Post by artisans on Apr 20, 2017 19:51:10 GMT 2
You shouldn’t have mentioned the sea, Dave - we were trying to ignore that aspect! It’s still Baltic here in Puglia, and we are only 150 miles away from you ... let’s hope another day sees a big change. After seven weeks on the road, we’re spending our last night in the camper tonight. See you all soon ...
Steve & Jan
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kaz
Roda Anorak
Posts: 3,961
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Post by kaz on Apr 20, 2017 20:51:06 GMT 2
Take care and enjoy your last night in camper, safe journey across to Corfu xxx
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Post by artisans on Apr 20, 2017 22:07:36 GMT 2
Thanks. kaz - we’ll be seeing you before too long!
Steve & Jan x
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