skip to main |
skip to sidebar
14th.- 17th. OCTOBER SANARY-SUR-MER
Campsite very good but a although the brochure states 800m from the sea we managed to get very lost on our first attempt to find it. We knew where it was because of the sun but the rabbit warren of private roads protecting the villas on the cliffs had us going round in the proverbial ever-decreasing, combined with the lack of any meaningful signs and extremely short,steep roads. We must have spent an hour and a half trying to get back to the site where I discovered we had gone in totally the wrong direction, despite the sun. However, when we got the scooter out and set off again the next day, the beach was a) more than 800m away and b) virtually impossible to get onto because of rocks and cliffs.
The town is a walkable distance away except for the exceedingly steep hill all the way back, but it is an extraordinarily pretty little fishing village with lovely bars and restaurants all around the quay and a terrific Provencal market all along the prom several times a week. 5kms away is BANDOL which is another very smart resort and we shall certainly be back here.
The news is that the French are on strike over pension reforms and blockading the oil terminal at Marseille....we can see the tankers at anchor on the horizon.....and that the refinereries are shut. Fortunately we have a full tank, good for 400+ miles, which will get us halfway back to the channel so will only need one full refill.
Despite the sunny days the evenings are closing in and getting chilly. We are booked back on Wed 27th but decided to start north on Mon.18th and take a leisurely route to calais for Sat.22nd.
Mon.18th. St.LAURENT DU PAPE...lovely Dutch campsite on edge of Ardeche/Rhone. Lovely road to AIX (past superbly situated Paul Ricard race circuit which has stunning views back to the Med); Tomtom let us down by routing through centre of Marseille which is overflowing with rubbish due to strike (looks like normal actually); came across stunning monument to Jean Moulin. Topped-up 32 litres diesel.
Tues 19th. BEAUNE.... Good road along the Rhone and through Crozes Hermitage; round LYON avoiding tolls on truck route and up to Boug-en -Bresse ; our favourite Aire in BEAUNE centre quite full; terrific meal at Le Fleury but pricey - 2 half bottles wine 42€. cars queuing for fuel in town but topped-up another 22 litres in small town.
Wed.20th. GURGY....another rural route to another favourite Aire on a river bank; topped-up 24 litres en route but passed a lot of closed stations; weather bright and sunny but v.cold with frost at night; had lovely walk along river bank in afternoon sun.
Thur.21st. MAREUIL SUR AY .....lovely route up through champagne region to another favourite Aire on the Marne canal; village in throes of beautification (as if it needed it) making access to aire very complicated; had great walk along canal.Stopped off at terrific monument to Battle of Marne 1914-v.impressive; picked 19 litres, filling tank again and plenty to get back home
Fri.22nd. CALAIS....Boring final leg, mainly toll-free motorways. Last year when we had to get back urgently for the GF's burnt leg, we did virtually the same journey in 2 days on motorways (1st night Beaune, 2nd Calais),733 miles and spent £144 in tolls. This year we took 5 days of easy driving,803 miles and spent £2 in tolls on a 2 junction detour round Avignon. Although the driving was fairly easy it wasn't quick and could probably be only cut to 4 days by missing Gurgy. Another terrific meal to finish at Au Cotes d'Argent, which has become a bit of a tradition over the last 5 years. The Gf kept her head down and did not start an argument with the chef this time.
Sat.23rd. HOME....unusually long wait to check-in at Tunnel as British customs stopping everything, esp.foreign registrations for in depth grilling. Took 40 mins to clear check-in but train on time and home at 1pm.......nothing too nasty in the post box and everything still working...so far !
3rd - 15th OCTOBER 2010 SAN REMO TO FRANCE
We stayed in SANREMO until 10th October and only left in the end as I started to get itchy feet to be moving and the weather became very windy for the last 2 days, prompting a decision to head down to HYERES, only about 100 miles away but about 50 miles more southerly.
The days at SANMREO passed in a most pleasant fashion, alternating between beach and swimming pool and occasional trips out on the scooter.......but after one particularly hair-raising ride up a mountain to SAN ROMOLO (patron saint of SR) the GF was loathe to venture much further afield. Trips into town.....which really is a very nice to roam....became increasingly a walk there and a bus ride back as taking the scooter was not worth the wear and tear on the nerves. Everybody rides a scooter, from smart business women in tight skirts and high heels to mama picking up the weeks groceries and papa bringing the produce from the allotment and every category in-between.......and that's not mentioning the 'youth' element. And they have powerful scooters, not 50cc jobbies and they ride around at top speed. Unfortunately, the car drivers are used to this and expect everyone on a scooter act like a maniac and disobey all the rules and are therefore surprised when someone like me has an over-developed sense of self preservation and doesn't conform to the maniac stereotyping. Helle & Jan left early one morning, after staying a week longer than they intended, with much hugging and kissing and promises to visit then in Denmark next year.
A day out to MONACO by bus to VENTIMIGLIA and train to MONACO (15€ return for 2). The station is weird and tries very hard to ignore the fact that whilst it is in Italy, trains are coming to and from France..(they go no further)... and whilst everybody appears to be going to or coming from France, there is no mention of these trains on the arrivals and departures board which steadfastly maintains that only Italian trains going to Milan and Turin stop here or originate from here. Its actually quite funny and confuses the hell out of everyone as there are also no staff to ask so everybody walks around the train with SNCF and a french flag on it asking everyone else if this is the train to Monaco,Nice or Cannes and looking harassed as they all shrug. Once it gets going of course, a very reassuring french voice assures us all that this is indeed the train back to civilisation, so sit back and enjoy. Only takes 30 mins to Monaco, along scenic coast and the difference between Italy and France is very marked. The station at Monaco is fantastic as is the whole of the city. Give me the money and I would move there tomorrow as it is the best city I have visited...only sorry I have never been to a Grand Prix there. No problem to find the circuit and walk round it as all the red/white curbing is in place permanently......so we walked it and then after lunch took the tourist train trip which went round it again ( and other places). A very walkable city (albeit quite small) but exceptionally clean and tidy and SMART. We passed a ferrari dealership which must have had 50 cars on display in the showroom and forecourt. Great place.
So we left SANREMO on Monday the 10th in rain (first in 3 weeks) and had rain until HYERES, where this was changed for high winds. Pretty scrubby campsite near GIENS at TOUR FONDUE opposite the Golden Isles of Porquerolles,Port-Cros and Levant for 3 days. The wind got worse, over 50kph. We walked into GIENS on market day and caught the bus to HYERES the next. Both places very pleasant esp. Hyeres which we noted last year as a possibly interesting place to visit. Decided not to linger here as I took against the campsite and it was very remote (most southerly tip of FRance) and head round to SANARY SUR MER where there is a campsite highly recommended which takes Camping Cheques...of which I have 4 left, bought early 2009 and expire at the end of 2010 and must therefore be used or we lose the value.
27th.September-3rd.October 2010 LIGURIAN LEISURE BREAK pt.2
Down the road 70kms to SANREMO (or SAN REMO). We had heard of a great campsite but it is very full, won't take bookings and you have to arrive early in the morning to see if any pitches are available. We got there at 10.07am and there was a choice of 3 pitches left, only one of which was really suitable for an attempted parking manoeuvre and that involved using one of the other vacant pitches....thereby breaking the golden rule of NEVER using an empty pitch to facillitate entry to your chosen pitch on an Italian campsite as sod's law dictates you won't be able to use it when you want to get off. These pitches are Very small, double length for back to back with hedges between adjacent pairs but lots of trees.
There are larger pitches on a terrace overlooking the sea but they cost another 10€ a day on top of the 15€ Acsi rate.. Electricity is only 3amp which barely runs the fridge and is not enough for the electric kettle. However, in every other respect it is a great site with accesss to beach, seawater swimming pool and jacuzzi, direct access onto 24 km old railway track cycle and footpath which goes through centre of town...30-40 mins on foot, bus/tram stop outside, 1€ each way into town, great views and lovely weather.
The longer we stay, the better we like the campsite and are contemplating moving down a level to the more expensive sites overlooking the beaches at an extra 10€ a night as they get the sun all day long whereas we are shaded by trees. We eat outside from breakfast to dinner, 8.30am-8.30pm but could do without the shade in the evenings. There is quite a lot of movement each day but everything is full again by 11am. When the germans behind us left I moved back 2 feet to get the satellite dish successfully working on Astra 2 instead of Astra 1 (german tv plus BBC World service for english news) but then a large swiss van moved onto the pitch 12ins from our rear.....and as I am on the front ramps I cannot roll back off them without asking the swiss to move forward - I did point this out when they parked but they could not move forward without sticking out into the access road. I trust that their smiles and assurances of assistance will hold good when I knock on their door at 8am one morning asking them to move.
Sanremo is delightful. A bit faded but like a dowager duchess still trying to keep up appearances and was obviously a rival to Monaco (30kms) Nice and Cannes in its heyday. There is still money here, evidenced by the shops,hotels,casino,yachts and marinas. It's Italian, however, which means most of it is in need of some TLC. The old town, another rabbit warren of steep,cobbled passageways and alleyways is incredibly interesting but a bit scruffy. The atmosphere is great, wall to wall cafes,bars and restaurants.....and scooters. This must be what a bee feels like in a hive. Thousands of scooters buzz everywhere. There is more parking space for scooters than there is for cars and scooters obey no traffic regulations at all. The roads are quite narrow and because the cars can't park they clog the roads nose to tail from here in every direction for as far as we have been and the scooters whizz passed them at high speed on the outside and inside without pausing for junctions or lights, and they take no prisoners. It is quite nerve wracking for me and the Gf is very nervous......so we have taken to parking outside the centre and walking a lot. Had a great trip along the (very scenic) coast road towards Monaco and inland to DOLCEAQUA, yet another mediaeval town with castle,steep,cobbled passageways (upon which we are now experts) and one of the most beautiful churches we have been inside.
On the site, we have made friends with our Danish neighbours, Ella and Jen, who are great fun and have taken 3 months off to tour Europe in an old, borrowed caravan which they have been told to abandon if it ceases to work. She has just had a new kidney after 8 years of dialysis and is lucky to be alive, hence the desire to get more out of life than working. He is a banker (but very nice) and she sells yachts and they sail all the time and organise a big international regatta for old,wooden sailing boats in June. We are seriously thinking of accepting their invitation to meet them in Denmark next year after they have done a great selling job, extolling the countries delights and a trip in May and June seems to be very much on the cards
The campsite arranged a free BBQ one lunch time as a thankyou to guests. Food was Ok and wine kept flowing, followed by grappa. In true b-team tradition, I am glad to say that our very giggly foursome was the last but one group to leave in the midst of the becoming-pointed clearing up and the afternoon was spent fast asleep until we decided to share a couple of bottles of wine late into the evening as we put the world to rights on war,religion,immigration and italian campsites (except this one).
The weather remains very,very warm and sunny.
20th.- 26th. September 2010 LIGURIAN LEISURE BREAK pt.1
A very pleasant 8 days spent on the Ligurian coast in very warm and sunny weather. The campsite ticks a lot of boxes but falls short of a top billing by being just too far for a stroll into town and the lack of a path on the road down to the beach. Being Italy, all the good bits of the beach are private concessions and the public bits are on the scrubby side. The campsite has an arrangement with one such operator and runs a shuttle bus to and fro. For 5€ you get the transport, changing huts, umbrella and 2 loungers which seems quite reasonable. We only did it once and that was the day the clouds came over in the afternoon along with a stiff breeze, necessitating a strategic withdrawal earlier than anticipated. Other afternoons were spent by the pool which was very nice. A couple of trips on the scooter, first to ZUCCARELLO, an old restored fortified village ....having climbed up the very steep path to the castle only to find it closed for further restoration...and secondly to CASTELVECCHIO DI ROCCA along a fairly hair-raising road to nowhere. We had climbed steadily but not seemingly spectacularly but suddenly the road was on the side of hillsides with no protection and very major perpendicular drops to the valleys below. I knew there was a problem from the grip being exerted by the Gf on the pillion but luckily traffic was very light (and careful) and we arrived in one piece. Lovely old mediaeval village with passageways and staircases carved into the rock and houses seemingly piled on top of each other.....the sky only glimpsed high above at irregular intervals. The next town along, ALBENGA, was also worth a visit but we missed out on the cathedral on account of it being shut between 12-3pm, this being Italy. The coast round here is very picturesque, area looks quite prosperous with lots of flower/herb/vegetable growing in huge greenhouses. Excellent supermarket within walking distance with a very drinkable Montepulciano D'Abbruzzo at 1€30 and 66cl bottles of Peroni at 0.95€. Campsite full until last couple of days when it started to empty as the town started to close down at end of season.....all beaches were 'free' from 27th sept.
19th.September..........ITALIAN RIVIERA-
Naturally, Sunday morning dawned without a cloud in the sky so at least we had a very pleasant run down through Italy to the coast, just west of GENOVA, and the last 60 miles was very scenic. Joyfully, the overhead signs with local info gave the temperatures as 25-26-27 and finally as we turned off the motorway, a pleasant 28 degrees. And then we got a result at the toll booth ! We had joined the A26 at VARESE, for some 250 kms and when the GF popped the ticket in the machine it wanted 18.80€ and we had opted for the Credit Card lane. Nothing happened so she tried the card in every possible configuration but it kept saying 'carte illegible', so we tried 3 more cards with the same result, pressed the help button and a voice in accented english kept telling us to try another card. I got out...against instruction as I later saw...and tried all the cards again without luck and then kept my finger on the help button. Suddenly, the ticket reappeared, the barrier opened, and a voice said 'I 'ave 'ad enough, arriverderci, go,go go'So now we will a)find a charge of 18.80€ on all four cards b) be on a motorway blacklist, arrested and fined next time we use the autostrada or c)get away with it........answers on a postcard.
Our destination was a small town called CERIALE, nr. ALBENGA. The campsite is another typical Italian one (see above, except electrics are good) but the family that run it are great, especially the son, Paulo, who spends all day squeezing outfits into impossible pitches, even driving them himself when faint-hearts baulk at his optimistic assessments of what we will go where. Our first night on Sunday was spent on a pitch near the road but the place was full and he assured us that a lot would leave on Monday morning and we could have our pick. The site is very shaded and everybody wants to get a satellite siting which is the bane of Paulo's life but he seems to keep everybody happy !
15-16th September 2010 IN THE ORCHARDS
Found a nice little campsite in a village called WAHLWEIS near STOCKACH at the western end of Bodensee but not very close to the lake....there were quite nice views when we walked up above the site through the apple orchards but not actually on the lake. The weather is not exactly brilliant with chilly nights, much like late September in the UK and whilst I would like to stay here and explore, the sunshine of the south is calling very strongly. The site owners are a very nice young couple who run the fruit farm and the site is extraordinarily pleasant......harvesting is going on all around with tractor trains of apples whizzing about all around us........the climate is such that the apples are picked by hand from now until november and mainly go for juice, with lots of small producers all around but surprisingly small numbers of pickers.
17-18th SEPTEMBER 2010 LAKE LUGANO
Time to head south. The cost effective route is through Switzerland in spite of the road tax sticker because the St.Gotthard tunnel is toll free. At the border in KONSTANZ I had hoped we might slip through because we would be through Switzerland in 3 hours but we were pulled over straight away and sent to the cash desk. The daily rate is 3.50 swiss francs but the minimum charge is 25 swiss francs which gives a 7 day permit....another rip off so you pay the 25sf and smile. Ran into heavy rain up to the St. Gotthard which still only has one tunnel open...just as 2 years ago..but the queues on the Italian side going into Switzerland must have been 10-15miles. I love this route because 17km in a tunnel is interesting and it seems that you you going downhill for about 60 miles and can virtually coast all the way down to the Itailian lakes using no fuel at all..........which was fortunate when I discovered that the Italian petrol stations were on strike and I had only put 20 litres in due to the high prices of the swiss diesel..
Lake Lugano is entirely within the swiss borders but the town right at the bottom ,PONTE TRESA ,where we were headed is in Italy and our campsite did not disappoint in being a typical Italian one.........difficult, narrow entry, narrow access roads, small cramped pitches under low trees and extremely iffy electrics but with direct access onto the lake and a view to die for. Fortunatley not too many tourers around so found the largest of the pitches available and ensured that once on we could get off again without difficulty and then had a lovely walk round the bottom of the lake together with our first delicious ice cream. Unfortunately it started to rain heavily in the evening and we had a thunder storm that seemed to last all night. In the morning it was clearer and we walked into the town 10 mins away along the the lakeside walk which turned out to be charming but we had little time to really explore as the heavens opened again as we left the local Carrefour with our weekly shopping and the roads were awash. This continued for the rest of the day, spoiling what should have been a nice stopover.
12th.September 2010 CZECHING OUT
A fleeting visit to the Czech Republic but time to head south for sunny climes via the bit of the Romantic Road that we didn't do last time due to Romantic Road overload. We intend to pick it up at AUGSBERG so turned towards Germany via the pretty route over some mountains (which did not appear on the map) despite the satnav wanting to take us the long way round. If I had known that the road between ZWIESEL and REGEN had been closed and that a long detour was now necessary (which was marked very confusingly) the satnav option would have been good. But we had a pretty enough route over what I now know is the Bayerische Wald, and whilst not dramatic appears to be a big ski centre. The border is is just before ZWIESEL and the contrast between the Czech/German sides is striking. No ski resort on the Czech side, just huts advertising cheap booze and cigarettes, then suddenly,at the border, a smart german ski resort with lots of bars and hotels,cars,bikes and people.
Ignoring the messing about due to road closures, we stopped at a Stellplatz in a village called PLATTLING but didn't like the look of it, being a bit isolated and the 2 motorhomes already there looked as though they were living there permanently......then 2 young ladies appeared out of the woods holding hands and the GF decided it was time to move on....another avenue of pleasure denied me....
So we drove another 50km to ALTOTTING which had a very nice Stellplatz close to the village centre and over a dozen motorhomes parking up for the night. Browsing the Michelin Guide I was amazed to find this place rating a fairly decent mention as a place of pilgrimmage for over 700,000 people a year........and the coaches were much in evidence. So we walked into centre to find a a very pretty little place making a fortune out of its Black Madonna housed in an octagonal chapel in the centre of a ring of churches,shrines and a monastery with remains of Bro.Bernard who has been beatified or sanctified in living memory for being the monastery gatekeeper and handing out bread to anyone who knocked at his door(he didn't even have to bake it himself). The Black Madonna is another of those nasty doll things, not as gross as Santiago da Compost-heap but getting close. There was a Big pile of wooden crosses by the door and people were picking them up and then circling the chapel on their knees. The place was covered with hand painted plaques thanking the Virgin for her intercession and just the sort of place I loathe but apparently very popular and a good class of pilgrim.
13-14th September 2010 WHATS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT
First to AUGSBERG. Stellplatz on outskirts a bit scruffy but quite busy and wanted 7€ to park overnight. As weather was iffy and a bit of a hike to centre we opted to park for 2hours (2€), walk into town, see the old buildings and cathedral and then move on down to FUSSEN.. here we found 3 basically private Stellplatz, catering for 40,50 and 100 motorhomes at 8-9€ a night plus tourist tax of 1.60€ each, plus slot meter for the electricity plus slot meter for showers and .50€ for fresh water....and by 5pm they were full but you could stay on a decent campsite for that money (if there was one). Fairly long walk into town centre but very pleasant village, lots of nice old buidings. Drove out to the KonigSchlosser at NEUSCHWANSTEIN -the whole point of being here -where mad Ludwig II built his fairytale castle and now lots of people make lots of money from herding tourists around. Entry to castle is long walk from carpark (7€) so get the shuttle bus or if you are a Good Fairy you flutter your eyelashes at gullible husband and opt for the horse-drawn carriage at 12€ one way for 2. Visting the castle is by tour guide only, so you book your language time slot and then hang around buying coffee and souvenirs until your tour is called (8€ each). Tour takes 30 mins, no photos allowed and explanation is perfunctory and then back to the souvenir shop. Took the shuttle bus back down 1€ each to find that the crowds waiting their turn to buy tickets was enormous, as were the queues for buses and horsecarts.........if you go, early is good. With 2 coffees, we spent 45€ for a very unsatisfactory visit.
Back to FUSSEN and stayed the night at a different stellplatz where the owner had a workshop and fitted a non-return valve to the water system to try and cure the minor problem I have with water seeming to run back from the hot water tank when we travel. Unfortunately this seems to have exacerbated the problem but it only cost 20€.
We shall head for Bodensee or Lake Constance and SWitzerland trying to avoid buying a motorway sticker by slipping into the country via Konstanz.
10th-11th.September 2010 IT'S NOT CALLED CZECHOSLOVAKIA ANY MORE
Having been re-powered, we looked at the map and discovered that PRAGUE was less than a hundred miles away so it seemed silly not to go and have a look. However, a bit more research than 15 mins on the Web would have been a good idea......as my mentor Von Clauswitz pointed out "time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted" and this,once more proved so true. I knew that they were not in the €zone but would accept €'s and that there were roughly 30 of their thingies to the £ and 24 to a € and thought that I would have time to figure out the best currency to deal in before I had to shell out any hard cash. Wrong. Hadn't read the section in the European Drivers Handbook on Czech roads otherwise I would have known that you have to buy a sticker for the windscreen at the border in order to use the motorway which appeared to be the only way in to the country. I took too long puzzling over the signs to actually pull over at the border into the customs area where you buy the stickers and pulled into the next service area to read the book and discover I was now liable for a very large fine which they apply with glee.....and I had parked next to a police van that was stopping lorries and testing emissions or something with a large piece of equipment in the back. Fortunately I spied a kiosk which sold the stickers so quickly proceeded to obtain one. They wanted a mere 250 thingies..or crowns ....which in £s equates to £8.33 (I realised later) or 14€ which equates to £11.62 and but was the only currency I had. Even later, the actual exchange rate that the bank charged me for withdrawing cash the next day was 33 crowns to the £ which put the sticker at £7.57 or €6.28 not €14. And this was at a government office. Welcome to the Czech Republic. So then the satnav took us through the centre of Prague to the campsite on the opposite side instead of using the ringroad as its IQ routes thought the ringroad would be too busy on a Friday.......after crawling for an hour I was not amused and dodging trams was not funny. Anyway, found the campsite which was quite pleasant. Spent the next day in PRAHA which is top city but top tourist destination and the crowds are unbelievable by early afternoon...so much so that we gave up on some places as not worth the crush. Very walkable city, which is half the problem as there are no 'hop-on-hop-off' buses,most of the centre being a proper pedestrian zone. WE walked from one side of the river to the other via the Charles Bridge and back over another bridge, finishing in Wenceslas Square (which I found very emotional for the symbolism) and even had time for an afternoon concert in a church listening to a Norwegian ladies choir singing in English. The language problem is the same as eing in Japan in that everything is unintelligble, but the people are nice and speak english....even learnt how to order a beer (and they serve very nice large glasses of Budvar) and a glass of wine for the memsahib....Tesco is big in the Czech Republic and we spent the remainder of our 1000 crowns (after 2 beers 2 coffees,a glass of wine,a map,a concert and a days transport)on beer at the one near the campsite and I still have 100 left...£33. Decided that weekend crowds being too much we will move on but come back this way again for another look at a very grand city.
1st. September 2010 PRETTY GERMAN VILLAGE.....and first signs of problems ahead...
The strange pricing structure meant that we had to be away by 8am as nights are free but days are charged for between 8am-6pm which involved finding a jobsworth to unlock a chain barrier....there were plenty around at night checking on parking tickets but they all disappeared at 8am when half the park was trying to get away before incurring another days charge.....and all of them, including us wanted to pass through the service area to empty tanks etc. This now took an hour so were not away till 9.30.
We had all decided to miss Hanover which had been on the itinerary for some reason and now headed for Hannoversch Munden, Nowhere near Hannover but in the vague direction of Berin and recommended in several guide books but without much detail
We stopped first at WUPPERTAL to gaze in awe at the overhead hanging monorail as proposed by D. but did not linger too long as parking proved problematic. Arrived HANN>MUNDEN to find lovely little town full of half timbered houses and a nice little Aire on the edge of town 5mins from centre with all facilities. D. opted to hook up to the electric for a euro/8 hrs whilst I did not, having 2 large batteries and a solar panel.......so I was somewhat miffed when the tv stopped working for lack of power-as it turned out-when I should be able to go for weeks without electric hookups, esp if we keep moving as the engine also recharges the batteries. So the faint stirrings that all may not be well........
2nd September 2010 THE PEARL OF EUROPE.......and problems confirmed
To MAGDEBURG which may have been the Pearl circa 19th.C but merely pleasant today. Some old buildings but evidence of where many were destroyed and replaced with the socialist workers vision. Nice Cathedral. Our overnight stop was on the quayside of the R.Elbe, entrance disguised successfully as no entry with bollards which sunk into the ground when 5 euros were put in a machine at the side but if you didn't know it was there you'd have missed it. We all had a nice stroll around. Batteries again ran down after a few hours so I have a problem.
3rd-6th September 2010 BERLIN-DON'T MENTION THE WAR-PLUS A BIRTHDAY
To BERLIN, a campsite near suburb called GATOW and across the road from the old British Army Barracks at SPANDAU. Bus from ouside the gate into City centre in 35/40 mins for 2.10€ pp each way although on Staurday we did buy a 3 day Berlin pass each for 22.50€.Into city on Friday afternoon for orientation as were meeting up with Katharine,Julian & Charlie who were flying in for the weekend as a 'surprise' 40th Birthday present for Julian who had already guessed anyway. On Staurday we all met up at 10.30 and organised bus passes and a city bus tour. BERLIN totally crowded and fairly manic. Hopped off the bus at the Brandenberg Gate for photo-op, had lunch at wierd asian fastfood joint, did the Holocaust Memorial which is v. good and the Reichstag. Back on bus to continue tour back to beginning. Quite interesting/amusing tour guides. Weather cool,hot,cool,wet. Drinks on the Kurfurstendam and look round the bombed-out church and replacement new one over which opinions were divided. On Sunday F and I walked from the cathedrals on the Gendarmenmarkt up to the Unter den Linden, past the Altes Museum to Alexander Platz for coffee, then caught the metro through the 'ghost stations' to meet up with family for lunch at Checkpoint Charlie and then the Wall Memorial, very informative,interesting and thought provoking, esp. the display in the old Gestapo headquarter ruins.. We then all walked down to Potsdammer Platz for the regulation beers and gaze in awe at the Sony Centre temple of technology.........
Arranged to meet for lunch on Monday at the Sony Centre but I changed the venue to ALBERTS on Karl Marx ALLEE as a fitting venue for a 40th Birthday lunch which as it turned out was not nearly so exciting as described, and its International Cuisine seemd to stop at Double Cheese Burgers; hardly a monument to a socialist workers paradise.
All in all, the whole group seemed to agree that BERLIN was worth a visit but had been over-hyped. I thought it was 'vibrant' and the tourists were like those in London. There are good things to see but take away the Wall and the War and there are plenty of nicer cities.........and you can only take in so much Holocaust info.......D&M did the new synagogue & museum, and had had there fill. We found the Nikolai quarter with old church and interesting old streets. Love the buses and metro......nobody checks tickets esp on metro, in fact saw nobody in uniform or authority at all in underground ( see Dresden Later).And BERLIN has more modes of transport than any other city...Bus,tram,metro,urban train, taxi,tour bus, bike rent,bike tours, rickshaws,tuktuks,segways,group bikes that you sit round in a circle and all pedal,the Beer BIke that is a mobile bar with draught beer on tap that you sit round and pedal, trabant safari tour in trabant convoy, hot air ballon, electriv scooters,river boat cruises and walking tours and some I may have missed.
6th-9th September 2010 RUDE SHOCK IN DRESDEN
We all wanted to visit DRESDEN and we found an Aire that appeared to be next to a Motorhome Dealership and as I have a serious battery problem this seemed an ideal location. Found The dealer with ease, and the Aire was actually a small campsite at the rear of the workshops with about 40 pitches at 11€ a night. I found the service department with a nice man called Marcus Laessing who spoke excellent english and explained that I thought I needed 2 new batteries. We found a pitch on the very crowded site and he took all the details. Couldn't do anything that day (Tues) but would have the electrics checked out next day. D&M turned up an hour or so later and with a bit of pleading we managed to squeeze them on the same pitch as us, causing a slight bottleneck in the confined space. Facilities were excellent standard but everything had to be paid for extra (water, electric,showers,waste) so no bargain. Very busy dealership and very pricey. 15min ride into DRESDEN on tram -7€ for a 2person day ticket-an Dresden is delightful and more than happy to pass that way again. Obviously rebuilt after 1945 fire-bombing but wonderful place and hardly a mention of the bombing and then only in a chronological context. Excellent place for just meandering and very photogenic. Lovely market place with food stalls and beer where we had a v.pleasant dinner to save cooking so we could play cards or something. On way back on tram we appeared to be accosted by a young girl who had been been sitting with 2 men who all looked like and were dressed like students. Far from trying to sell us the Big Issue I realised that the card she was holding covertly so that only we could see it had the transport company logo on it and she was asking to check our tickets-which were perfectly in order. She then sat down again with the men and they got off a few stops later without-and this is my point - checking any other passengers. We were targeted without doubt.....Stasi or what ? Because when D&M went in ahead of us next day, the men from the Same group of 3 demanded their tickets for inspection and no-one elses. Paranoia.
So they checked out all the charging systems on the van incl solar panel, declared everything working normally and batteries on the knackered side of good. My man is now Herr Koch, the young electrical expert. Unfortunately, german batteries are different dimensions to UK ones so we are limited to start with. They show me the catalogue and prices leap from the page in the 300-500€ range. I am expecting to pay £100 for a battery ! These are gel batteries. I ring the dealer in the UK. £120 is the price i would pay for lead acid which they fit. Herr Kock finds a lead acid battery of the right dimensions but it is 90AH instead of 100AH and the price is 199€ or £166. The choice is go home and abort trip to save 2x£46 or pay the extra £92 and continue. No choice really so we go ahead. In the end I pay 494€ which is for the testing and fitting. The batteries arrive next morning at 10am but due to local difficulties they don't get round to fitting them (10mins) until friday morning.........and when I go to pay, they won't take our debit/credit cards (only EC Maestro cards) and I have to go the local (excellent) shopping mall and get the cash....have to use 2 cards as can only get 300€ out in any one go....hey ho. D&M are heading for home, only being away for September, by way of Bayreuth and the Rhine. Jolly good last supper chez Parker after which D & I win convincingly at WitsEnd against the girls and F&I stuff the Parkers at bridge after not having played for over 3 years !!
Fond farewells and we have had a lovely time with them over the last 2 weeks and many laughs and lots of wine,beer and brandy....knocking on th e door at 8am to say goodbye was a bridge too far though..............................................
2
5th.August 2010 BACK ON THE ROAD .....again
After what seemed like a week long 65th Birthday celebration...which also involved a street BBQ to include the other 2 neighbours who were 65 over the same weekend (that's an awful lot of Leo's) we were finally able to load and leave at midday on Wednesday.
First stop was the public Weighbridge at Copdock where for the princely sum of £7 I discovered that we were 35 kilos over the limit at 4040k. Not too much of a problem with a full tank of diesel at 90k and 2/3 full freshwater tank at another 60k and a fair amount of food. It does mean some careful calculations on the way home regarding Wine stocking. but at least it was not as bad as I had begun to fear. Down to Folkestone and the Blackhorse CC site to discover it was extremely busy with overnighters coming and going to the ferries/tunnel and that somehow or other I had booked for Thursday night not Wednesday. Not an auspicious start but they had room for us. Derek and Margaret arrived an hour or so later in thr rain and we a jolly night chez nous eating and drinking and planning the next few weeks.
26th August 2010 UNDER THE SEA TO FRANCE
Caught the 7.20 tunnel shuttle, D&M preferring the seasick ferry at 10.30 and headed North without incident through Belgium and into the funny bit of Holland that sticks into Belgium on the coast near KNOKKE. Destination GROEDE which was described as 'Hollands most beautiful beach'. Bit of Tourist Board over-exaggeration and the weather was overcast much of the time but a pleasant enough spot and a good ACSI family campsite.
27th-28th August 2010 A DAY ON THE DIKES
(Stop sniggering at the back)
We stayed 3 nights, took the bus to Knokke, which is a very nice seaside town and v.upmarket with lots of designer shops etc, and then SLUIS a very pretty little town but much like a designer retail outlet village ( my minority opinion).On the Saturday, by way of entertainment, we all hired bikes and rode around the dikes and polder with a picnic overlooking the estuary that runs down to Antwerp and across to Vlissingen. The bikes were very large typical Dutch ones that produce a very comfortable upright riding postion, with lots of gears for the unexpectedly hilly flat countryside....getting up the Dikes proved quite strenuous in places on account of a force 8 blowing off the North Sea. But I haven't had so much fun on a Saturday since the night in the Hot Tub in Kesgrave. Weather warmish but v.windy. Sun hot when out.
29th-31st. August 2010 DUSSELDORF MOTORHOME SHOW
One of the clinching arguments for the trip to Berlin was the opportunity to visit the Dusseldorf Motorhome Show, undoubtedly the largest in Europe and apparently a very lively affair in a huge exhibition complex which becomes a campsite for the week. Can Verify that. Arrived on the Sunday afternoon after fairly boring trip past Antwerp,Eindhoven and Dortmund to be confronted by v.large queue of motorhomes trying to access the caravan centre. Initially we managed to find the wrong queue as we decided to opt for a pitch with electric hook-up and getting into the right queue required the cooperation of 3 lines of traffic queueing for the non-electric pitches...........but everybody was very jovial about it. A strange pricing structure meant that staying for 3 days (arrive Sunday,leave Wednesday) only required payment for 2 nights and we got discounts by having joined the Duss.Motorhome Show Club for free some weeks ago so the 3 nights cost us 38€ . The vans are all parked in long rows, nose to tail and with constant coming and going required a great deal of organisation since we learnt that there were over 2000 motorhomes on site on the Sunday. The entrance to the site resembles a Filling Station but instead of fuel pumps there are rows of service points for water,waste and toilet emptying. Next to the entrance was a large collection of fast food and beer stalls plus a huge marquee,.long trestle tables, serving hot meals, lots of beer and an oompah band. We had a super time in there one night, great food, much ale and clinking of glasses with everybody around us. Good fun.
From the camping area, free shuttle buses run to the exhibition halls and back with great efficiency and we had a good day on Monday at the show which was enormous. Bought replacement LED light bulbs for a bargain 2€ each instead of £6, a couple of washing up bowls and other mundane items but not a new van as we didn't see any that we liked....(not in our price range anyway) On Tuesday caught the shuttle to the complex and then a train into the city.
The tourist office gave us a walking tour leaflet called Dusseldorf in one hour which was about right. A pleasant city, some nice old buildings, a modern housing developement around the old port and a very chic shopping area called Konigs Allee and an several hours were well spent.
