Thursday, December 5, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
The last snip - from Val
The last part of the journey took us almost exclusively along canal and rives side cycle ways, from the Rhine river to the Rhine Rhone canal, the Saone river, the Canal du Central and onto the Loire. Each section had it own character, vineyards, chateau, ancient churches, and cosy camping spots by the water.
The days passed easily, hills were few but the nights lengthened while he days shortened. It got harder to climb out of a wet tent before 8 am, and after dinner were back 'indoors' for a 12 hours night. Hooray for the Kindle.
With time on our side to reach Paris we circled round south to see friends in Orleans, to a warm welcome and a bath.
Klaud & Philippe, Orleon
Loire bridge in Orleon
On up to Chartres
Viewed the lovely Cathedral
and eastward to Versailles.
This was the most challenging leg to navigate, being on the outskirts of Paris and having a mesh of big roads, some not OK for bikes. From there in to the city, all by bike.
Delights:
Once again too many to mention, but include 2 Chateau visits; Chambord amazing for the outrageous architecture, over 400 rooms and over 200 fire places.
At Versailles we viewed, along with a few thousand others, massive over decorated rooms, marble, rich fabrics and golden twiddley bits. We got a little bit told off for biking in the grounds too.
An exhibition of contemporary German glass work in Chartres, an architecture museum, also very modern , in Orleans, the stunning, golden yellow Romanesque church at Paray le Monial and a especially handsome Canal Pont bridge in Briare.
We camped in Paris in the Bois de Boulogne, an easy half hour bike ride from the Eiffel Tour. Returning at dusk we wondered at the many woman parked up by the road side, pink ribbons tied to the wing mirrors, a rosy glow and waft of scent coming from the vehicles. It was my first viewing of an outdoor brothel.
We were soon riding round the city like locals, nipping along the bus lanes,( which are marked for cyclist too) and occasional but not continuous cycle paths
Then we joined Judith for 4 nights in an apartment, in the Marais district and lived the city life.
“Domingo” and “Hurdy Gurdy” enjoyed the Apartment life too!
Walking , viewing, eating and totally enjoying this lovely city.
19 nights in a bed, therefore 76 in the tent. Nearly half of these were 'wild camping' wich helped the budget no end, but were also mostly very enjoyable.
We spent less than $80 per day, largely thanks to the outrageous NZ exchange rate, so apart from the airfares it is cheaper to go away!!!
By the time w got to Paris we had covered 3500 kms.
Regrets. Very few, but I would have liked to see the Museum of Concrete art some where in Germany. Don has wanted to make a concrete sculpture in the garden and I have rudely tried to stop him It might have given us some ideas. And i yearn to float down the Rhine , through Basel, with a pink floaty bag full of my clothes, it just looks such fun.
It was a great trip well done, and now its also great to be home, seeing friends and ripping into an overgrown garden . Thanks to all the careful drivers who never frightened me, and the hosts of delightful helpful and fun folk along the way.
What a great feeling Warsaw to Paris.
Paris the Remarkable.
The Architecture,
the parks,
Art Galleries,
Cafe's,
black youths hustling at tourist hot spots, hookers working out of cars, vans and off the roadside throught the Boise Boulange - morning and eviening, motor scooters motor bikes and horn tooting cars, cars parked illegally with hazard lights flaxhing , almost continuous police sirens from groups of squad cars racing to quell something or other, mini bus loads of policemen parked in quite Boulevards, reading newspapers while awaiting the next callout, traffic police directing traffic - sometimes 3 or 4 on the same intersection - directing traffic with a combination of waving arms and earsplitting whistles.
Cycling the Champ's Elysee,
past the Arc d'Triomphe
along the Seine,
around the Louvre, through the Tuillierie and Luxemborg Gardens
and under the Eiffel Tower.
Camping alongside us, Dom, Thailand born, greying hair pulled back in a pony tail with his jazzy little snap brim hat adorned with a colourful ribbon, smart jacket and a pocket full of losing tote tickets, but a big smile and confirmation the he'd had
"A jolly good day, I just love the atmosphere, the colour the noise and the access to all the stands, all for only Ten Euro’s”
It was his description of the big event that decided us to go along to the races on our first day in Paris, and we really enjoyed it.
We also had a pocket of losing bets, to the grand tune of Twelve Euros
There was plenty of Sheik Rattle and Roll at the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Packing bikes at Charles de Gaulle airport
The flight home was horrendous, as expected and as usual (for me anyway)
but the drive home through the luxuriantly green and beautiful North Canterbury and uncluttered road along Kaikoura Coast, made us wonder why we ever go away
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Whatever Happened to Romain
We never saw Romain again - we hope he made it to London ok.
The day after we ran away from him, we met up with a couple from France, they were both riding reclining bikes, and the first we saw of them was only a blur, passing us at high speed down a long sweeping hill.`
Joel and Irene are French and live in Brittany, but have big plans to sell up their house and travel the world. (They were quite heartened when they found out now old we are - gives them at least another ten or twelve years on the bike).
We caught up with them,( they were stopped at the bottom of the hill) and immediately hit it off with them, as you tend to do on the side of country roads. Later, we had stopped for our morning treat of cake/tart/whatever looked sweet and tasty, when they came into the Boulangerie as well.
"We have been looking for you, we forgot to take a photo" said Irene
They sat down and we chatted away, they had flown to Bucharest and were riding up the Donau back to Brittany
"Have you met a TV Reporter from Bulgaria " I asked them
"Non" said Joel looking puzzled
Then a look of astonishment and terror took over his face
"Not Romain" he gasped
"Yes, we have been running away from him for a day or so" I replied
" Oui, Mon Dieu! - we had Romain for four days, we could not get rid of him"
"He had no food, no tent. we felt sorry for him" said Irene, "But in the end we had to tell him, this was no good, he was spoiling our every day, we ended up like you, running away from him".
Romain was sleeping in churchyards and any rough shelter he could find. He had no shelter at all and we are now wondering if he has managed to survive the trip, as the last couple of weeks have been wet and quite cool.
We kept running into Irene and Joel for the next few days, but they were so full of fun and laughs there was no thought in this instance of trying to dodge them.
We last saw them at the Rhine Fall's a couple of weeks ago and having left the route for three or four days we expect they have gone well ahead of us.
Another French couple, who we have christened Frank and Fran (yes, we have been surprised by the number of our friends and acquaintances travelling in Europe over the last few months - a fleeting resemblance is all we need) are now revolving in the same loop as us, today we met for the fourth time, at which point Val said:
"We think if we introduce our selves, we may not meet up again" to laughter all round, and anyway, we like to see our Picton friends on the road with us!!
Even though the introductions were not made, they too seem to have moved into another orbit.
In three days we will be in Orleon, meeting up again with the Sainmont Family, who we met on the banks of the Loire in 2008, and subsequently hosted one of their son's, Johan, in New Zealand on several occasions, as well as his Mother, Klaud and younger brother Alban, when they visited him in NZ in 2009.
Alban Sainmont made fantastic pancakes on Saturday morning
The day after we ran away from him, we met up with a couple from France, they were both riding reclining bikes, and the first we saw of them was only a blur, passing us at high speed down a long sweeping hill.`
Joel shot past first
Closely followed by Irene
Joel and Irene are French and live in Brittany, but have big plans to sell up their house and travel the world. (They were quite heartened when they found out now old we are - gives them at least another ten or twelve years on the bike).
We caught up with them,( they were stopped at the bottom of the hill) and immediately hit it off with them, as you tend to do on the side of country roads. Later, we had stopped for our morning treat of cake/tart/whatever looked sweet and tasty, when they came into the Boulangerie as well.
"We have been looking for you, we forgot to take a photo" said Irene
They sat down and we chatted away, they had flown to Bucharest and were riding up the Donau back to Brittany
"Have you met a TV Reporter from Bulgaria " I asked them
"Non" said Joel looking puzzled
Then a look of astonishment and terror took over his face
"Not Romain" he gasped
"Yes, we have been running away from him for a day or so" I replied
" Oui, Mon Dieu! - we had Romain for four days, we could not get rid of him"
"He had no food, no tent. we felt sorry for him" said Irene, "But in the end we had to tell him, this was no good, he was spoiling our every day, we ended up like you, running away from him".
Romain was sleeping in churchyards and any rough shelter he could find. He had no shelter at all and we are now wondering if he has managed to survive the trip, as the last couple of weeks have been wet and quite cool.
We spot Irene and Joel again - thats them on the left.
(it was them who told us we were in Switzerland!!)
We kept running into Irene and Joel for the next few days, but they were so full of fun and laughs there was no thought in this instance of trying to dodge them.
Rhine Falls from above
Rhine Falls from below
We last saw them at the Rhine Fall's a couple of weeks ago and having left the route for three or four days we expect they have gone well ahead of us.
Another French couple, who we have christened Frank and Fran (yes, we have been surprised by the number of our friends and acquaintances travelling in Europe over the last few months - a fleeting resemblance is all we need) are now revolving in the same loop as us, today we met for the fourth time, at which point Val said:
"We think if we introduce our selves, we may not meet up again" to laughter all round, and anyway, we like to see our Picton friends on the road with us!!
Even though the introductions were not made, they too seem to have moved into another orbit.
The unspoiled Loire.
Being back on the Loire is like meeting an old friend, the river is unspoiled and has an "outback" feel to it, then suddenly around the corner or on a hilltop in the distance, there is a Grand Chateau.
We camp along the Loire,
in the shadow of this Castle
And sip our wine as the sun goes down in a blaze of glory.
In three days we will be in Orleon, meeting up again with the Sainmont Family, who we met on the banks of the Loire in 2008, and subsequently hosted one of their son's, Johan, in New Zealand on several occasions, as well as his Mother, Klaud and younger brother Alban, when they visited him in NZ in 2009.
The Briare Canal overpasses the Loire
Philppe met us on the outskirts of Orleon
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