NICE

Bonjour,

Thanks J&A for your comment. Indeed, the sculpture is a bigger relation to our doorstop!
It's great to be in France. The food is great, I can understand the language and the atmosphere seems happier than the rest of the countries we have visited so far. Our campsite in Villeneuve Loubet Plage is pretty cramped but does have a 20m heated swimming pool open all year. They shut the roof in October just in case the weather deteriorates (Polish FA take note) though the weather whilst we were there was in the 70's for most part. We are a 30 minute walk from the village which houses the very interesting Escoffier museum (below) in the home where the great chef was born.

We are also a 30 minute bus ride from Nice, below is the Promenade des Anglais. On our extended jaunts we have a rule of 1 meal out per week but in France there are no rules. We feel we are there after our first pastis and I need to eat (not at the same meal) escargots, a plateau de fruits de mer and steak tartare. I'm two thirds of the way there. Meals in France are far more leisurely than in Italy or elsewhere and 2 hours is the norm for the simplest of menus. Frenchmen take an age to read about, discuss with the waiter and order their meal - a lot longer than anywhere else which adds to the experience.

We visted the modern art museum in Nice which was excellent - a Gilbert and George below.

And also work by the fascinating artist one of whose external installations is pictured below. The last thing I wanted to do was forget her name and, true to form, the last thing I did was forget her name! Nikki somebody or other. There was also a special exhibtion of the artist whose name before we came away seemed to be the answer to every art quiz question on TV - Anish Kapoor.

Fortunately the collection contained no Pollocks!
Onwards to Lyon.
A bientot
J&P

OUT OF ITALY

Ciao,
We left Venice on a warm, sunny morning and headed across the country towards Pegli, just south of Genoa. We found the sign to the campsite but there was a lively market in progress and the access road was double parked. Italians have no respect for rules of the road - always double parked, often driving on the wrong side usually because their take on the hands-free law is one hand on the mobile and the other gesticulating wildly out of the window!
Plan B (our contingency rather than the rapper) took us to a small site 20kms further south. An old crone approached us and said the proprietor had gone to lunch at 12 nd not yet returned (it was 5pm). We could not find a suiable pitch so after an epic 27 point turn we were on our way.
At this time of year few campsites are open and after another 50kms of driving down crowded narrow roads, the rain started. It was the worst I have experienced while driving and there was simply nowhere to stop.It shouldn't have been dark but the thunder, lightning and rivers for roads made or a scene of biblical proportions. Eventually, we spotted a campsite sign in Ceriale (too far to visit Genoa) but at least we were safe and sound. After reversing into a couple of trees we hooked up and had a warm beer at the barely open bar - they were not expecting any further guests that night.
We always make sure we have emergency rations in tins and plucked out one such bought in Germany. It depicted a smiling Bavarian, foaming beer in one hand and a hunk of bread by his side. Probably a warming sausage casserole.
Pauline announced it had an unusual taste. Indeed it did.Judicious use of herbs and citrus did little to mask the taste and texture. I haven't told Pauline but next day I translated the ingredients. We won't be having another lung stew any time soon!
Ceriale in sunlight the next day had little to tempt us so it was onwards to France and a small site at Villeneuve Loubet. Much happier and a view of a fish sculpture along the promenade at Cagnes sur Mer.

More next week.
Au revoir
J&P

BESIDE THE SEASIDE

Ciao,

We are still on the same site by the Adriatic but have chosen this week for a bit of walking, cycling and swimming. A long (for us) ride, about 30 moles, took us to Jesolo along a river bank and Pauline looks suitably tired below.

 

These are the fishing nets used along the river.

 

We moved our van so we could finally see some tele. A view of the van from the beach below. The start of the new 'Strictly' season is upon us, and Pauline, as those who know her well will appreciate, is particularly looking forward to the Vietnamese waltz.

 

The water is still warm, that's me in the distance but we are now moving into Autumn with daytime temps dropping to the mid 60's. Many of the campsites are closed or closing and there is a lot of end of season feel. The farmers are picking their grapes and cutting trees in anticipation of winter.

 

We are moving on in a couple of days to Genoa and then to the south of France. An early post this week and I'll see how the internet access is next week but there will be a post at some stage. Thanks to all for following our progress and look forward to seeing some of you next month.

 

Cheers

J&P

EVERY DOGE HAS HIS DAY

Buona Sera,
Venice is fantastic and approaching by ferry is the perfect way to start. St Mark's and the Doges Palace, iconic symbols both, show you have arrived.

With river taxis, gondolas and vaporettos criss-crossing the waterways you could have arrived in any century. Having seen many of the sights on previous visits we spent much of the 3days wandering the back streets and taking vaporetos around the city. a one-day strike by the ferrymen (trying for an extra hour for lunch, no doubt) meant that an extra day exploring last week was not possible.

I know many conspiracy theorists think I write this from a basement in Tooting, so rare are my appearances - so here I am to prove you wrong.

We had some good meals out, great pasta as you might expect, although had we read the reviews in advance we probably wouldn't have gone. What some people see as rude service (probably Yanks) Iwe perceive as quirky. Despite their generous tipping, I think most restaurateurs are not so pleased to have Americans as they are invariably loud, discuss various gynaecological problems and keep customers away. Similarly the Japanese turn up en masse and share 1 pizza between 12.

The Rialto Bridge.

We visited a couple of new places. The Ca D'Or pictured below 

and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The latter had a diverse collection of 20 Century art including Piccasso, Chagall and Magritte but as so often with modern galleries, the rest was mainly Pollocks!

Have I mentioned the Germans? Didn't think so. Our campsite, on the Adriatic is huge with over 500 of the 550 pitches occupied by Germans. We thought we had found an English motorhome but when we approached with the aim of swapping DVDs and books the owners turned out to be German. In a GB registered van. Flippin' cheek!

At least this little chappy seems pleased to see us.

Ciao

J&P