June 29, 2009- North Umbria Lake Trasimeno

Buona Sera,

It is a warm sunny day and we headed out to Lake Trasimeno. We want to travel the back roads and the Nav Chick for once behaved herself most of the time. We drive through some amazing countryside, sunflower, wheat, corn and other vegetable fields. Vineyards and olive groves around the twisting curves as we wend our way to Lake Trasimeno. Lake Trasimeno is famous for its battle in which Hannibal defeated the Romans losing only 1500 men to the Romans 15000.

Next stop is Castiglione del Lago, located on the western shore of the lake. In the past it used to become a island during floods. Because of its strategic position it was fortified both by the Etruscans and the Romans. It was often fought over and as a result was often destroyed and rebuilt, In the 13th century the town was named Castello del Leone from which its name is derived. We walked around the town, however, most things are closed and will not open again until 4:00 P.M. We visit the church of Santa Maria Maddalena. It is a Neo-Classical design from 1836 and houses the 16th century altar piece Madonna And Child, St Anthony Abbot and St Mary Magdalene.

We had our lunch in town in the square. I have a caprese salad and Fred has a sample meat tray with cheese and garlic bread as well as a bruchette which we share. Large portions and excellent food along with a shared bottle of wine and water.

Our trip home takes us through more hills and a somewhat varied landscape. Forested areas along with the farmland. The road is winding and not well traveled so the drive back is rather relaxing for me as we basically have the road to ourselves for the greatest part of the journey. I took some video of some of the hairy parts of the road which I hope to post on Facebook and I'll have Fred post on Flickr when he gets to the date so you get an idea what I experienced. I must say though I know a couple of bikers that would love the roads, my son Jonathan included. We were passed by a group of bikers when Fred was doing the speed limit and we were left in their dust.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 28, 2009- A Short Trip to Todi

Buona Sera,

Today we woke up to a heavy fog. While sitting at breakfast the sun is trying to break through. As I am drinking my tea I see a huge bright yellow bird with black wings land on a post in the vineyard, next the biggest cottontail rabbit I have ever seen hoped across the driveway and into the garden then off through the vineyard. The bees are active as well so the fog isn't bothering them. The sun soon burnt through and we have a gorgeous afternoon. After lunch John and Adrienne head off to Orveito and Fred and I hang out at the villa. I spend the afternoon at the pool catching some rays and relaxing in my floatie.

We head into town late in the afternoon to do some banking only to find Fred's bankcard has been blocked. Well money in hand we stop for a gelato (ice-cream) and decide to walk around town. We walk down an interesting narrow street that is going downhill. Turns out it went down right out of town and a long way away from our car. So we walk back to the car park. Only problem is I don't make it all the way. I sit and wait for Fred who goes ahead, while waiting a man stops his car and asks me, I think, if everything was okay and did I need a lift. I explain no my ride is coming and thanks. Him in Italian and me English.

As we were walking around Todi there are signs announcing a Jethro Tull concert next Sunday. I see a sign about Madonna Feista and say to Fred wow Madonna is coming to Todi as well. When we get back to the Villa I mention it to Adrienne and John about Jethro Tull and Madonna. Well the laugh is on me Madonna was a festival in town last night for a patron saint. As you might guess there are a lot of Madonna's in Italy :).

Supper is back in Todi as no stores were open to get what ingredients were needed. We have pizza and again my good Italian has the waiter laughing. I ask for funghi (fung=chee) not Fun ghi pizza for us non Italians mushroom pizza. Well at least he understood what I wanted so that is all that really counts. Plus my pizza was the best by far that we have had on this trip.

Well another movie night and now bedtime. Tomorrow more adventures in store.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 27, 2009 - Shopping day Perguia & Spello

Buon Giorno,

Today was a shopping day for us. We went into Perugia to stock up on wines that we liked after the taste testing we have done since arriving in Italy courtesy of John. Also on the list were balsamic vinegar, cookies, crackers and something for our supper as John and Adrienne were heading out for a romantic supper in Todi. We came out from our shopping and it is pouring rain. Guess who forgot to completely close the sun roof? So our seats are somewhat wet not soaked, but wet enough when you sit one them.

Once we finished in Perugia we headed off to Spello to pick up truffle paste. We also purchased more wine. So we now have 26 bottles of good Italian wine to take back with us to Liverpool plus two bottles of Limoncello. The nice thing about being part of the European Union is no customs!! :). So if you can pack it, it can be taken back. On our way back to the villa we spot a field of sunflowers and manage to find our way to it to get pictures. The stalks are taller than I am and the heads all face in the same direction. We had thought we would take the scenic route back to the villa, however, there is a storm brewing with black clouds and a lot of lightening. I am not doing that ride again through those narrow hilltop roads so we take the fast highway route back.

Supper is a BBQ inside on a wood burning grate as it continues to rain fairly hard off and on. T-Bone steak, mushrooms, salad, wine, water, cookies and Limoncello to finish. A relaxing night and when John and Adrienne return we watched Band of Brothers a war series about D-day and the subsequent battles.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 26, 2009 - Montefalco

Buon giorno,

After a lazy morning reading and Fred still uploading pictures we head out to Montefalco. Last time we were here in October 2008 the pictures I took of mummies in the church did not work out and I wanted to go back with my new camera and see if I could get them this time. It is a relatively cool day and good for walking in a hill town. Once pictures were taken, we wander up to the square and stop in a wine store for a look see. We purchase a bottle of Sagrantino Di Montefalco to try and a bottle of Limoncello as a treat for after dinner. The skies were turning very dark so we head back.

Well let me tell you what is worse than driving on the narrow roads of Umbria, driving in a storm;0!! It was thundering and lightening and the rain was lashing down so hard that at points you could not see. Smart Italians were pulling over but not Fred. We did follow a truck for a bit but he took a turn in the opposite direction of where we were heading. As you may guess with hill towns the water flows down so in some areas as there are no drains there are major streams developing. In Bastardo the middle of the town street is a river which we drive through very slowly, thank god the car is higher up so no worries of stalling. So I have quite a few Holy Shit moments on the drive back which Fred does not really understand. Never the less we get home safe and sound but the Nav Chick has taken us the long way around via Todi.

Supper to night is truffle and sausage lasagna, sausages on the side and asparagus. Limoncello for dessert.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 25, 2009 - Gubbio

Buon giorno All,

After a second day of rest, me lounging around and in the pool, watching bees that are the size of small humming birds and ready to run if necessary. Fred working on uploading pictures to Flickr and experiencing a number of problems we decide to get out and see the sites again.

We headed off to the hill town of Gubbio. Another gut wrenching drive for me. The drive up is once again on twisting and hair pin curved roads. Two lanes that are supposed to be no passing. You guessed it we get passed and they cut in very close on my side. Also meeting big trucks on these turns is no picnic either. The Nav Chick works well though, enough about the drive.

Gubbio has quite the history behind it. Settlements are documented as far back as the middle of the Palaeolithic period. More recent archaelogical digs have lead to identifying site as in the Bronze era. Gubbio was an ally of Rome as far back as the 3rd Century B.C. As a municipality of the early roman empire they flourished. Evidence of this can still be seen with the remains of the the Roman Theatre and old town walls.
Throughout its history it was a town that fought minor wars with neighbours and fell under different forms of rule. The last being WWII where 40 Italians were shot by the Nazi's.

The town is a continual upward climb that is at times very steep. Luckily for us we find a lift that takes us from one level to the next. Thank God as my old knees are sure feeling the climb and it is a hot one to boot. From the Piazza Grande we continue our walk up the narrow streets to the cable car which links Monte Ingino (908 Metres above sea level) to the Basilica di Sant Ubaldo.

The cable car is only a two person basket which you stand in as you ride up the mountain side. It goes continually so you really have to move yours self to hop on board and it swings pretty good. Getting on is a challenge for me and I am wondering how the hell I am going to get off. The trick in getting of is you hold on to the basket, I grab the guys arm up there and you walk really fast as you step off. Well no accidents so on we head up to the Basilica. The outside of the Basilica is rather plain but the stained glass on the inside is totally amazing. As well the remains of Ubaldo are on an Altar at the front of the church in a glass casket dressed in all his
glory. Kinda freaky. We are not sure why he is so celebrated so will have to google it as there is no mention made in the church of his accomplishments at least in English that we can find.

Everything closes down at 1:00 PM until 2:30 in the town and as we are at the top of the mountain we have lunch up there. The gentleman who operates one of the restaurants is very enterprising. As you get off the cable car he has freshly made pizza and wine and is offering a sample. We decline and I respond we will catch him on the way back as we are not sure of how much higher we need to walk up to the Basilica. He responds I will be watching for you. On our return he is very busy so we sit at a table and I go off the the washroom. When I come back and sit the crowd has disbursed and he spots me. I have been watching for you and you can't eat here he exclaims. Better food at his place which is around the corner. He helps me out of my chair, gives us a huge slice of sample pizza and escorts us to his restaurant. We get a outside seat overlooking the forested valley and enjoy pizza, wine and water. The pizza is huge and really could have feed both of us. A mother and son sit behind us. They are American and the boy is about 8 or 9. We hear him tell his mom that this is the best pizza I have ever had, better then Pappa John's I should think so LOL!

After lunch we head back down and because I am not fast enough getting on I have the basket all to myself but I am so busy taking a video I do not realize Fred is not on board. It is not until I hear the distant calling of my name and turn around that I see Fred is in a basket behind me. My words are all caught on the video of course and I will post on Facebook for those of you who are signed up. We then walk down through the town and head off to the remains of the Roman Theatre which is right near were we have parked the car. The drive back to the villa is pretty much the same as the drive to Gubbio. More Holy Shit moments for me.

We arrive at the villa in time for cocktails of fried zucchini flowers and red wine. John has been providing us with various wines produced in the area so that we can decide what we want to take back with us. Tonight's wine is Calatrasi. Adrienne is once again the cook as she claims she loves using fresh Italian ingredients, we are having grilled chicken on the wood burning BBQ, porchini pasta and salad. Gelato for dessert. Man are we being spoiled!!

Not sure now whether we are going to take a day of R&R or head out again somewhere tomorrow.

Ciao for now,

Sandy & Fred

June 23, 2009 - A day of rest!

Buon Giorno All,

Nothing very exciting to report today. We slept in and spent the balance of the day relaxing for the most part. I had a ton of laundry to do from being on the road since June 10th. What a treat we have a North American style washer and dryer at the villa so laundry is done in one day instead of over a number of days as with the British all in one machines.

John and Adrienne headed out for walks during the day both with and without Portia and I sat by the pool reading and trying to catch some rays in a somewhat cool overcast day. Fred and been working on getting our pictures on Flickr and updating programs on our PC's, something I did not know needed to be done besides Foxfire that tells you when updates are available. We enjoyed a cocktail hour eating fried zucchini flowers. I got a lesson on preparing them. You use the male flowers because if you use the female flowers you will end up with no zucchini's to eat.

Dinner is a BBQ, Suino (pork) kabobs, grilled portabello mushrooms and grilled zucchini from the garden at the villa.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 22, 2009 - Adventuring in Tuscany

Buon Giorno All,

Today we split off from following our great guide John to do some sight seeing on our own as we wend our way down to the Villa in Todi. Our first stop is to be San Gimignano with our trusty GPS unit giving us directions. All is well until Fred misses the turn off as the exit off the motorway was buried amongst construction. We get off at the very next cut off and the GPS (now known as the Nav Chick) wants us to turn around and get right back on the toll road we just got off. We decide no way and meander on the back road towards Siena which is the general direction we think we should be going. Well the scenery is beautiful but the drive for me is gut wrenching to say the least. The speed you are supposed to travel on narrow barely two car lane roads is unbelievable and to boot the brakes on my side of the car don't work. I am sure the floor board now has a great big dent in it were I kept applying my non-existent brakes. We finally reach our destination once we stop and look at a map and decide the Nav Chick does know where she is going :) after all.

San Gimignano dates back to the 13th Century. It originally had 60 towers of which only 14 now survive. The Cistern is an old well that has been in the centre of town since the 9th century. A series of pipes were used to drain water from nearby rooves into the underground cistern in days gone by. We stop here for lunch in the Piazza della Cisterna at an outside cafe and share a pizza.

From here we headed out to Montalcino another hill town but lightning and thunder plus accompanying rain put a halt to our plan to walk around the town. So off to Todi and the Villa we go. Again I have some Holy Shit moments in the car and that dent in the floor board is getting bigger! We arrive at the Villa to be greeted by John, Adrienne and Portia, a lovely glass of wine, cheese, crackers and salami. All Italian of course.
I must make note of what great guides John and Adrienne have been on the trip. John being the chief navigator and Adrienne the tour guide all through France and also with recommendations on the towns to see as we make our way to the Villa. These would be towns that would be too far away for day trips from the villa. We really have appreciated their insight.

Now for a chuckle. While at our photo stop at Mont Blanc in the French Alps John ran back with a spindle of CD's and gave them to Fred. We both thought how weird, why is he giving us CD's. Turns out they weren't blank CDs, but rather music we could have been listening to as we could get clear channels to listen to our music on our ipod. It would have been better than what we were listening to on the Italian stations such as Virgin Radio that played English stuff that was good for the most part but then some god awful heavy metal crap. Adrienne commented to bad John did not tell us what the CD's were for. Oh well all part of the travel adventure of which there is much more to come.

Ciao,

Sandy & Fred

June 21, 2009 - Italy

Buona Sera,

Well first I must tell you who the VIP was at the Chateau . It was the 13th Queen of Malaysia Nur Zahirah. Apparently her name was much longer but her hubby the Sultan requested she change it. How Royalty works in Malaysia is the Sultans of which there are nine take turns every five years on being the King. The current queen is young and apparently pretty but we did not see her.

Well on to more important things, us and our travels. Today we leave Annecy, towards the French Alps and head into Italy a 5 1/2 hour drive. To be quite honest I was rather disappointed at first. I told Fred the Canadian Rockies are more spectacular than what I was seeing. You have no sense of how high you really are as the drive up to the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which links France and Italy seemed very gradual. The tunnel passes through Mont Blanc which is 4870 metres high, and translates to 15830 feet for us who are still very old school. As well the Alps cover a much larger area the our Rockies. Well after we went through one tunnel on the lead up to the main tunnel that disappointment was wiped away. WOW the snow peak was spectacular!! Going through the tunnel I expected to have to present my passport and get a stamp. You pay to use the tunnel crossing into Italy but they don't care about your identity. The rules to drive through the tunnel are very strict as 39 people died in a freak accident in the tunnel in 1999. It involved a tanker truck carrying margarine oil which caught fire. The tunnel is 11 1/2 kms long. On the Italian side, once you are down the mountain the land gives way to hilly farmland.

After we check into the hotel in Bologna, Fred and I head out to the city of Ravenna, which is famous for its mosaics. Unfortunately, we do not have a map of the city sites to guide us around, but we do get into a Cathedral that has a pulpit that was all mosaic and showed some of the craftsmanship involved. We then wander around the town to try and find other sites. Sunday everything is pretty much closed but on the walk back we came across a little supermarket and pick up wine and bread sticks for our pre-dinner drink with John & Adrienne, plus the best black licorice ever. I had found this in Venice last October. So it was back to the Hotel with our goodies.

We decide to have supper in the hotel's restaurant rather than venture out into Bologna. After we go in and are seated we are told that the restaurant is kinda closed. Isn't that like being kinda pregnant,? They served us but the choices where very limited. Our bolognese was okay but to be honest I have made a much better sauce myself. Then again, without the experiences we are having the blog would be rather boring.

Caio for now,

Sandy & Fred

June 20, 2009 - Annecy Our Last Night In France

Bon Jour All,

Today was a very long driving day for the guys (9hours and close to 1,000 km). The country side reminded us very much of southwestern Ontario. Farmland, dairy, horses, corn and a few vineyards. It was not until we started our climb up towards the Alps that the scenery got interesting. We passed a dormant volcano and then entered the foothills of the French Alps. Our last stop in France and well worth the drive.

Annecy is built at the edge of Lac d'Annecy and is very quaint and quite picturesque. The lake is glacier fed and is crystal clear and even in the overcast skies the colour is a lovely aquamarine. We walked around the old town which houses a prison that is surrounded by water. There are many boutiques and shops that make use of the old quarter. Really a town that I think is worth spending a few days in. We are only overnight guests as we head off to Italy tomorrow to start the second part of our trip. Supper was in a little roadside/waterside cafe were we ate outside. A delicious meal of Steak and Frites. The fries were to die for, well not quite but the best we have had in a long time.

Bon Soir Mes Amis,

Sandy & Fred

June 19, 2009 - Brittany's Atlantic Coast

Bon Jour All,

Today we headed out to Quiberon and the Cote Sauvage or Wild Coast. This is just a short 25 miles southwest of us. The seaside here is very rugged and dangerous as well as beautiful. We get quite a number of pictures here and enjoy the fresh sea air. One minor problem all the sound of the pounding surf makes mother nature take its course on a person. A bigger problem is the toilet facilities. They are very European you stand over a hole. Sorry no can do so I wait until a stop that has what I am used to as I am not that desperate yet :)!

From here we head into Carnac hoping to catch sight of ancient stone monuments from the Neolithic to early Bronze ages (3500 BC- 1800 BC). This is France's Stonehenge. Disappointing though is the hill from which we are supposed to see the stones in their special arrangements, all 2395 of them but the trees are full so no sighting from our view point which is supposed to be the highest in Carnac. We do catch a glimpse of them as we leave the town but of course it is on a busy roadway so not stopping for pictures :(.

Our last stop is Vannes. This is one of the few towns that was spared damage during WWII. It has numerous medieval homes (great examples of half timber houses) that are now stores and restaurants, as well as homes.

We now headed back to the Chateau to relax and get ready for dinner.

Dinner tonight was in the Chateau. The restaurant is a Michelin One Star restaurant. Our dinner menu was:

L’amuse bouche au gré de notre inspiration

L'agneau: Filet rôti, huile de basilic, poivron et courgette "comme un tian",
Jarret confit, sarriette et crème parmentière

Les garriguettes de Plougastel cacao, poivre et glace "berlingots"

All french to you right (LOL) and us to. Should have paid more attention in class at high school. Well have no fear, dinner for Fred and I consisted of a appetizer -cracker with lobster cream and shrimp with a cold lobster soup. Thank god it was small the soup that is not fishy exactly but not really enjoyable to me. John, Adrienne and Fred enjoyed it. Our main dish was lamb with small discs of zucchini and peppers. Potatoes were absolutely delicious, creamed to a almost thick soup consistency with lamb in it as well. The presentation was amazing. Small looking portions but really plenty of food. John and Adrienne both had fish, Adrienne Monk fish and John Sea Bass. Dessert for Fred and I was wild strawberries in a chocolate wafer tube with a larger wafer chocolate biscuit as a top and a dollop of ice cream that was a fruit flavor. Yummy. This was all complimented by a bottle of Bordeaux compliments of John.

Fred and I have really enjoyed our stay at the Chateau. The pictures will show you what we experienced once we get them loaded. For those of you on Facebook I have loaded some shots.

Tomorrow is a big driving day as we head to Annecy, in the foothills of the French Alps, our last stop in France before heading to Italy so we are off early.

Bon Soir mes Amies,

Sandy & Fred

June 18, 2009 - To Chateau de Locguenole

Bon Jour All,

Today we have a long drive ahead of us. John guides us along through seaside towns along the north coast of Brittany and stopping along the way for picture opportunities of what the French called a rugged coast. We also stopped at Paimpol to purchase sandwiches for a lunch. This is the first town that does not have a lot of sandwich stores. We come across a small supermarket and decide to buy provisions for a picnic lunch. Baguettes, smoked salmon, ham, brie, wine and butter. Supplies in hand we head off again. We stop at a beach at Sillon de Trab?? that is supposed to be a rocky coast of pink granite. We see some granite but was not what we would call really rough. Lunch was enjoyed by all. Portia strolled along the beach and quickly returned to us when she could smell the food.

After our little picnic cheap lunch for 4 of 28 Euro's we continue our drive along the coast. A couple more stops the last were we finally see some rugged coast line at Tregastel beach. Here I discover Fred has split his shorts as he is walking to get some pictures with his right butt cheek hanging out. We cannot believe he did not know they split as it was not on the seam and looked as if they caught on something. Well there were more shorts in the car so a quick change and off we go. We are now heading towards Lorient and the Chateau. The scenery changes to hills of farmland and forests. We arrive at the Chateau late in the afternoon and are greeted by the staff. The reception manager was anxious for us to get in and move our cars. He told us someone very important was coming in and we may find it difficult when they arrive as there will be 20 cars. We hate to tell him but we are important too so we go in to sign in a process he said we did not need to do as John had it all done. Ok so they take our bags up thank god as it is stairs again and the guys move the cars. Everybody is happy now.

The Chateau dates from the early 1800's but its history is much older; local records have evidence that traces the present proprietors families back to the end of the 16th century. The ownership has been passed down through generations of women and is currently owned by the de la Sabliere family. In 1968 the Chateau was converted to a hotel by the family in order to conserve the heritage of its ancestors. Pictures will be posted on Flickr in about 5 days once we are in Italy.

Dinner tonight was in Hennebont 5 kms away. The best supper yet and for me truly French. We came across the little restaurant after wandering around as not much seems to be open. I have escargot, you can't come all the way to France and not have some of these babies. They are very large and yummy, chicken in a garlic sauce, with mushrooms and diced home fried potatoes, red wine, water and for dessert which was shared with Fred profiteroles. It's not Fred's day today at all. After dinner he breaks a tooth on an after dinner toffee.

We hope things will be okay until we get to the villa if he needs a dentist, better still if he is okay until we get back to England. Tooth that remains is all filling so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Bon Soir,we hope you have been enjoying our adventures.

Sandy & Fred

June 17, 2009 - Seaside Towns in Brittany

Bon Jour All,

Today we head off to Dinan, a town founded in 1000 A.D. by the Lords Of Dinan. It originally consisted of a hamlet around a bridge, a street full of craft workshops and businesses. The town has lovely preserved medieval streets. The houses date back to the 15th and 16th century. The castle and surviving walls is very small in relation to other sites we have been to. The church dates back to 1120 and was commissioned by a young knight Rivallon le Roux, where when he was battling in the Crusades he vowed should he see Dinan again. He also vowed he would pay for the Church, dedicate it to the Holy Trinity and name it St. Saviour's. The craftsmanship is amazing. When you enter the church you feel a distinct difference in temperature. The stone keeps the inside very cool and the architecture show visible marks of the Crusades.

Our next stop is St-Malo. The stone ramparts have stood since the 12th century and were enlarged and fortified in the 18th century. We walk along the wall looking out to the Rance Estuary across to Dinard. Unfortunately the town was virtually destroyed in 1944 with a week-long fire set by retreating Nazis. The older section of the town has been painstakingly restored and St-Malo has regained its role as a busy fishing port, seaside resort and tourist destination. Of the two towns Dinan to me had more character and was very quaint.

Supper was at the hotel as we spent a few hours in the afternoon relaxing. Fred has a good sleep as he was not feeling at all well the night before. Bad timing for us as we have not been sick for a very long time and this trip I started out with a cold (gone now) and Fred a very upset tummy. Me I hit the terrace to catch some sun, and John, Adrienne and Portia enjoyed the terrace in the shade relaxing and reading.

Tomorrow we head to the Atlantic coast of Brittany to stay at a Chateau something Fred and I am really looking forward to.

Bon Soir,

Sandy & Fred

June 16, 2007 - Leaving Normandy on to Brittany

Bon Jour All,

Our last stop in Normandy is Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. This is a unique structure that dates back to 708 when Aubert Bishop of Avranches had a sanctuary built on Mont-Tombe in honour of the Archangel Michael. The abbey is unique as it constrained by the pyramidal shape of the mount. The medieval builders wrapped the buildings around the granite rock. In the 10th century the Benedictines settled in the Abbey. During the 100 Years War the place became a impregnable fortress and a symbol of national identity. During the Revolution and until 1863 the abbey was used as a prison. In 1874 it became classified as a historic monument and restoration started. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Now there are a lot of steps and I do mean a lot of steps. I was amazed by one gentleman who made it all the way through the site and he only had one leg. Sure made me stop complaining. While very impressive on the outside it was rather sparse on the inside. You could see where the different structures started and finished over the years .

We are now leaving Normandy and making Brittany. Our hotel in Dinard has a spectacular view of the bay and port of St. Malo. The concensus is to relax upon our arrival as the guys have been driving a lot since our arrival. So we have drinks on the terrace and check out the lay of the land. We head into town to check out the sites and to have supper.

Tomorrow we are off again to see a couple of more port towns.

Bon Soir,

Sandy & Fred

June 15, 2009 - Along the D-Day Coast

Bon Jour All,

Today we drove along the coast and visited the sites of The Battle of Normandy. Our first stop is Pegasus Bridge. This was the landing site of Captain John Howard and his gliders who were the first allied troops to land on D-Day. They were responsible for holding the bridge. These British troops of the 6th Airborne Division have a special Memorial to the Pegasus. I found this site very heart rendering. It was very sad to read the letters that sons wrote home to their mom's promising to return and not to worry only to lose their young lives after writing these letter.

Next stop was Ouistreham and the Musee du Mur de l'Atlantique. Here there are relics of the D-Day invasion. Tanks, a landing craft, trucks and artillery guns. We then move onto Douvres-la-Delivrande the site of a German Station. The twin bunkers still standing are now home to a museum which looks at the history of radar.

We now go along to Juno Beach. This is the site where our Canadian troops landed on June 6,1944. The beach today looks huge but the decay of the beach has considerably shortened its length. It is hard to imagine the area of ground that the troops had to cover under fire in order to take the beach. There is a concrete bunker, which appears to be at the top of the beach. However, in 1944 it was on the beach itself. We have just missed the anniversary celebrations of D-Day by a week and the wreath, flowers are still in place around the memorials.

Arromanches-les-Bains gives us a panoramic view of where the US troops landed. They certainly drew the short end of the stick on their landing site. The cliffs that needed to be scaled today still look foreboding and they too have eroded over time. It is also the site of the Mulberry Harbour and shows the ingenuity of the US engineers as it is a man made harbour to ensure the troops met their agenda on D-Day.

From here we head off to Bayeux. This was the first town in occupied France to be liberated in 1944. However, here we tour the town and come specifically to see the tapestry. The tapestry was stitched by English nuns over a 10 year period between 1070 and 1080. It is 230 ft long and 20 inches high. it is a masterpiece of political propaganda and story telling of how William, Duke of Normandy won the crown of England in 1066. The scenes depicted include Halley's Comet, battles, shipwreck and of course the victory of William who was now named William the Conqueror. The needle work is amazing and detailed.

Our last stop for the day is Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. There are 9,386 white crosses at the cemetery. Again a sad site when you consider the age of the soldiers who gave up their lives and the number of unknown soldiers that someone somewhere is wondering what happened to those poor souls. A beautiful tribute to those lost in battle.

Bon Soir,

Sandy & Fred

June 14, 2009 - France Normandy Coast Towns

Bon Jour,

Today we head out early to Cabourg with stops along the way at various coastal towns.
Our first stop Abbaye de Jumieges. This is a imposing ruin of a Benedictine Abbey founded in 654 by St. Philbert. It was plundered by the vikings in 841 and then rebuilt by William Longswood Duke of Normandy around 940. The Abbey was not concecrated until 1067. The French revolution forced the evacuation of the remaining 16 monks and the abbey was then auctioned off to a timber merchant who promptly demolished part of the buildings to sell the stones. The site is amazing and what remains has been well preserved.

Our next stop is Honfleur a port on the Seine estuary. It is a old town full of cobblestone streets and half timber houses. It was here that the first voyages to Canada in the 15th & 16th centuries.Jean Denis set off to discover the St.Lawrence river estuaryin 1506 and t he most notable being Samuel de Champlain who came up the St Lawrence and discovered Canada a century later. From here we went on to Trouville and Deauville both seaside towns that were much like Myrtle Beach in structure. The two ran into each other with one being more upscale then the other. Our last stop before Cabourg was Houlgate another seaside town. The beach is long and sandy and there was a volleyball tournament going on.

Our resting place for two nights is Cabourg. We walked into town and lo and behold they have rolled out the red carpet for us. :)! The main street has a large red carpet right down the main street and the road has been blocked off. The place is very busy
with tourists, families and buskers entertaining the crowds. We head back to the hotel for a short rest and to regroup to decide where we should have supper. We decide to drive into town for dinner and experience our first lesson on french traffic lights. We are stopped at a light and are sitting for what seems to be a very long time. The red light is not changing and some drivers have driven around us to cross. Finally a gentleman knocks on the window and explains that we must be move up close to the light. It then recognizes a car is there and the light changes. Who knew!!

The other thing is the French really love their dogs. Dogs are allowed in restaurants and pretty much anywhere a person can head off to. Lots of dogs everywhere and they all seem to be well cared for. No strays anywhere.

Now for your chuckle when in Rouen I learned that at 55 years of age you are considered a senior. So you get a break on charges in the hotels and one person of a couple eats for free with breakfast. John has turned 55 in March so poor Adrienne is traveling with a bunch of seniors :).

Well Bon Soir for now,

Sandy & Fred

June 13, 2009 - France

Bon Jour All,

We have encountered some problems getting internet/e-mail access during the trip and we think it has do to with the provider the hotel is using, Orange. John was able to get access using both his iPhone and allowed Fred to get passwords etc, so we'll at least get day one's travel news updated.

We headed off to the Chunnel bright and early and as we arrived early at Folkestone we were able to get an earlier train to Calais. We did have a Holy Shit moment as we are about to leave the motorway exit for the terminal. We are forced off the road by a stupid British women. She pulls over into our lane not even looking, after some serious horn blowing by Fred she waves at us and carries on. The train ride was a very interesting experience for us. You drive your car onto these large freight cars. We were directed onto the upper level, and then drove forward through several rail cars. Once in place engines are turned off and hand brakes are engaged. You then sit in the car and get a ride via high speed train through the Chunnel under the English Channel. The trip takes 35 minutes in all and it is kinda of eerie. You have a sense of movement and I heard some sounds or creaking. But in no time at all you are driving off the train and are on your way. Customs clearance is completed in England so there is no time wasted in France to get clearance. After a short ride in France it was time to stop in a petrol station (Gas Station) to refuel and grab some lunch. The area is very large and has a marshland complete with ducks, picnic areas, playgrounds, food concessions both hot and cold as well as the usual fuel and souvenir stands. Everyone replenished we head off to our first stop Rouen. The speed on the highway is 130 km/hr and they drive on the same side as Canada. It is weird as we now have a English car the passengers side is were the driver should be and the drivers side is the passenger so my comfort level drops a bit. The road is a divided highway so that is one blessing and we are following John.

Rouen- Was the Capitol of Impressionism in the second half of the 19th century with the masters Monet,Renoir and Sisley using the banks of the Seine in Rouen to capture the natural light. It was also here Joan of Ark was imprisoned then burned at the stake. The Gothic structures are also very amazing. The best way around is walking as most of the city centre is pedestrian walkways.

Finding our hotel took us a while as we lost John our guide and the GPS kept telling us to turn were we could not go. At one point we drove up a street that had goods all in the street and people walking about. Pretty sure we went were we were not supposed to go as some French man had quite a bit to say to us which I figure was not very nice given his tone and gestures. Oh well we do finally get to the hotel and checked in after a number of phone calls from both John and Adrienne as to our whereabouts.

A great walking city and very lively on Saturday afternoon. We visit the Notre Dame Cathedral which was built in the 12th century on the foundations of a 4th century basilica and is an 11th century Romanesque edifice. The structure is perpetually evolving since having been destroyed first by the vikings in 841 and much later damaged in 1944 by allied bombardments. We stop for a drink by the Great Clock which has been in operation since the 14th century until 1928 after more then 5 million hours without stopping. It was fully restored in 2006. We also stop at the Jewish Monument and Saint-Maclou Church and the site where Joan of Ark was burned at the stake. Fred and I head down to the river bank to get some pictures of the Seine while John and Adrienne go sort out Portia before our dinner. We find a little pizza bistro outside Saint-Maclou church. A full day and lots of sites seen on our first day in France. Pictures will be posted on Flickr once we get to Italy and have good internet access.

Bon Soir,

Sandy & Fred

June 10, 2009 - Life in Liverpool

Greetings All,

Well we are relaxing at John's in London and have e-mail access. It is amazing how dependent we are on this technology to keep in touch with family and friends. We sure have come along way since smoke signals or the written letter :).

Since it seemed, in my last blog, that I have done nothing but complain I thought I should share with you just how really different things are here.

Post or mail is delivered 6 days a week and you get your mail very quickly. If I send a letter to you today you will get it at the most in two days if you are in the UK. Most times it is received the next day.

As for banking you already have been given some insight. It is a catch 22 for new comers to the country unless you get some one to sponsor you which we did not want or need given the funds we brought in. Also they input the females name in first when setting up the account. Now I am not sure if in our case it was because I am not a Brit and Fred is as they used both of his passports but now I HAVE THE POWER!! LOL Credit card was issued under my name which I am sure some of you will get a great chuckle out of as Fred is the money man in our family.

Having my nails filled here is somewhat expensive as they charge pound for dollar for a fill. I did find a place in Liverpool that was most reasonable compared to others but again they do not have the technology I am used to. No machines to file, or air brushes, everything is done by hand. So a fill took almost two hours. The young girl did tell me that if I can find an oriental place that they may have what I am used to. She did a good job just not the nail art that Kim spoiled me with.

Food choices here are excellent. We have a larger variety of healthy food choices in what I would call fast food selection. That is ready made meals that you pop in the oven all fat and salt reduced should you choose. Potatoes here come in 26 different varieties (don't know them all yet)and the strawberries are sweet but smaller than in Canada. We have had some good feasts already on these. I also like that they seem to have more choice in getting smaller portions for your meat. Something I know supermarkets in Toronto were starting but still have a way to go. They have less frozen meats and more fresh I would guess because people here tend to shop for food more frequently than in North America. Fridges also tend to be smaller so this will be an adjustment I need to make as food shopping for us was once every two weeks most of the time when we had a separate freezer as we bought our beef by the hind and chickens by the dozen. Those days are long gone for a number of reasons space not being the only one.

Petrol or gasoline as we know it is twice the price than in Canada but then Fred is getting 51.5 miles to the gallon on his Mercedes which is diesel. So that kinda evens things out.

Overall the Brits are somewhat laid back about getting things done and don't have the urgency we have to get going and get it fixed. I am sure we will adjust over time or else just learn to deal with it.

Well that is all for now. Take care everyone and we will soon have some travel news for you as we head off to France.

Cheerio,

Sandy & Fred

June 10, 2009 - We are finally in but lots needs to be done

Greetings All,

Well we have been out of contact for some time. We finally moved into our flat late Tuesday June 2nd just over a week after when we were promised it would be ready. We were glad to finally get in but and it is a Big But there is a lot of stuff that needs to be done. The place was stated as being professionally cleaned but I beg to differ. Now those of you who really know me know I am not the worlds greatest housekeeper but this was unbelievable. We did see the girl cleaning but she was more impressed with our view and the space we had. She did point out some things that needed attention but we would have needed to be blind to miss them. So once in we went back into town to get cleaning tools. Bleach was the order of the day and I still think I can smell it. Despite one hell of a cold I have developed (first in 5 or 6 years) so I am not a happy camper. Our boxes arrived on Wednesday around 3:00 PM and the delivery person was a saint. He helped us carry the boxes up the two flights of stairs (14 stairs each flight) not that I counted:)! So boxes in, cleaning started I unpacked it all much to Fred's amazement. He wanted me to take it easy as my back was killing me but I needed it done yesterday so I got it done. All boxes were unpacked by Friday and for the most part each item had a home. This is to be our home for 12 months at least and I want to feel like I belong. Now having said that I also needed to remind myself that we are just renting so some of the things I want to do will need to be thought out more.

When we moved in we were given a inventory list and the agent said anything that was wrong we should make a note of it. As I stated earlier the Big But!! We listed so much on the sheets that was wrong that the agent said he had to come out a review it again. Like get real I don't think he looked at it in the first place. So now we wait. The extra furniture that was not on the inventory list was removed on June 9th but other issues will have to wait until we return form our trip to France/Italy and back through Switzerland. So no e-mail access, phone or TV until after July 8,2009 when we return.

Now I know this all sounds very negative but I think our expectations of how life should be did not really take into account the differences there are in a different country. Even though it is English speaking in certain aspects it is entirely different than Canada. It is like England is the colony not the other way around. Our experience with the opening of a bank account was a eye opener. Glad to say we finally have a account and bank cards just took over a month.

Well things can only look up now. Bonus to all this is I've lost 7 pounds even with all the restaurant eating. Well we are heading off France on Saturday and have a couple of days in London before we head off so we are back in touch again.

Cheers,

Sandy & Fred