Early start to catch the ferry back to Dover and managed to get on an earlier one, the new Spirit of France. Had breakfast in the restaurant and very good it was, all cooked to order and only £13 each. Good value.
Arrived home late afternoon.
A great month away travelling around Europe.
Left early for our trip back to Pas de Calais and our last night stop. Stopped for a short break in Saarbrucken. A nice centre but the area is very industrial.
A beer bike in
Arrived for our last stop at Chateau de Cocove and very nice place it was. Good dinner.
Went for a drive to a few towns around the Black Forest and started by going to a super town called Staufen where they produce various flavours of schnapps and of course had to sample some of the best gateaux of the region. The townsfolk were preparing for a wine and musical festival in the streets for the week-end.
The schnapps distillery
Next stop was St Blazien to visit one of the largest domed churches in Germany. Quite magnificent inside and very unusually all white.
Went back to Staufen for dinner and to watch some of the festivities.
We left Fusch early for us! Decided to split the six hour journey into three, stopping in Innnsbruck and Lindau in Bavaria.
The journey was through some beautiful scenery and getting into Innsbruck was easy with may Maybeline (sat Nav American ). We parked near the centre of town and walked off to find the Old Town. We found it relatively easily with some lucky decisions! Through the Arch into the older part of town had coffee in the main street and ambled through the old streets for about an hour. Lovely.
Central Innsbruck
Back in the car for another two hours to Lindau on Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Germany. This is an island in the lake with so many old buildings it has been listed in total. Bit of a difficulty finding it as our German is almost non existent. When we found it we realised so had most of Germany. It was very busy, but beautifully done. All the buildings were well kept up and the views were lovely, good choice to go there.
The Bodensee
Considering the whole island is listed there were some really modern and quirky bits of architecture. May send some of these examples to Mid Devon!!
Arrived at our hotel above Freiberg at 7.30 after a very satisfying day. Had dinner German style in the Munster Place, dull food, dull surroundings. A disappointing end to the day, hope for better from Freiberg tomorrow.
Street scape in Lindau
First full day in Freiburg. Hotel Mercure a bit disappointing as they are refurbishing it, and it needs it! Breakfast 17 euro, and charges for wifi, as a result we spend our early mornings in Freiburg at Starbucks!!! Learned this in China ( Shanghai) where we had the same problem.
The day was beautiful and we picked up a local map and took the walking tour. We walked from about 9 am to 4 pm taking lots of photos, reading info, having lunch etc.
We loved the city, very pretty, well worth a visit. We lunched in the Colombi Cafe, one of Leading Hotels of The World Group. Don’t know why everyone doesn’t as it was very cheap and great food. Evening restaurant menu looked very expensive, but lunch is always good value when it comes from the same kitchen.
The following are some examples of Freiburg.
Rathaus
Merchants House
Gothic Cathedral
Typical Street
The evening was completed with an excellent meal at a small restaurant on Konvictstasse. A couple of Dutch brothers running a small hotel/ restaurant called Krauzeblume. Chef trained in Amsterdam. Very good, we would definitely try there rome if we came back again.
Visited Krimml falls today. This is the highest falls in Europe and 5th highest in the world. We weren’t sure what to expect, but really had a good trip. The entrance was 2.50 each, so not bank breaking. Then you could walk from 1000m to 1300 m, which we did. It was a pretty steep ascent and en route there were several spots to view the falls from. The spray was quite breathtaking in some places. Stopped at the top for a hot choc before descending at a faster pace than going up.
Irene getting very wet
Took the gondola ( Trass Express) to the top of the mountain at Zell, bit of a rip off at this time of year as it was a one way ticket only as we were going to walk down. We decided a 1000m walk up was a bit beyond us at this altitude.
Still a bit of snow at the top and virtually no people.
Made our way down crossing a lot of pistes that we would normally ski.
The “Standard” Black 13 with no snow just green.
Zell am See and the lake
A well earned rest but still a long way to go
A reclining chair made for two at the top
Finished off the day in Zell town and had tea and ice cream at the Grand Hotel terrace on the side of the lake.
Went to the Grossglockner National Park and Glacier today which is just up the road from our hotel. Never been before as the road and Park is closed all winter.
Our hotel is at about 800m and the highest point we reach on the road to the Glacier is about 2600m so quite a climb and a huge difference in air temperature. 22 degs at our hotel and 6-10 degs at the top.
You can see the vertical edge of a glacier, it breaks off at this point and falls further down the valley
The road to the glacier was amazing. The highest road in Austria and construction started in the 1930’s. Progressed a bit since then, sometimes you looked up and couldn’t imagine you would be driving up there soon.
Nice to get back to Fusch for the warmth. Took an hours walk around the village to finish the day.
It was a little cold at the top
Left early morning from Menaggio for our next leg to Fusch in Austria. The route takes us via St Moritz in Switzerland and we arrived there at about midday and stopped for the compulsory beer. Weather still great and about 17 degs up in the Alps in St Moritz and nice and sunny. This is apparently one of the places to be if you have the dosh for your winter ski break but it is not very Alpine and not very pretty. At this time of year it is almost all closed up. Opens up again around the end of June. Bloody expensive, 10 euros for a small beer and a coffee.
The drive to St Moritz and beyond was fantastic.
A great scenic drive and eventually arrived in Fusch at 6pm. Very strange, no snow only sunshine. It looks rather different at this time of year . The usual Saturday night dinner, schnitzel , but very welcome after a long day. Warm greetings were had from Bella (new baby Lisa 6 weeks old), Sepp, Zucci and Charlie. Somehow 6 new rooms have been added since we were here for our ski trip in January.
Oh what fun!
Another nice day and we decided we needed some exercise so we planned a walk from a book that we found in the apartment. There are lots of great walks that start near or from Menaggio.
We decided to keep near to the lake so drove to Nobiallo about 10 mins along the lake to the north and parked the car. From here we walked for about 31/2 hours in total stopping for a beer along the way an ended up in Rezzantico where we had lunch in a small restaurant overlooking the lake. We were the only ones there. It was delightful.
Beer stop
Delightful hamlets along the way
Lunch
A lot to take in for the motorist
Caught a bus back to Nobiallo which took about 10 minutes!!
We then drove to Tremezzo and went to the gardens at Villa Carlotta which took up the rest of the day.
Villa Carlotta
Back at the apartment after a long and exhausting day and it looks like the weather may be on the change with the mountains across the lake getting very misty this late in the afternoon.
A great few days in this most beautiful part of Italy
On our way again tomorrow. Next stop Fusch in Austria.
Warm and sunny day, perfect for exploring this beautiful area. Bought a day “Navetta” ticket for the ferry that traverses this central part of the lake.
First off was Varenna which was delightful and our favourite. Explored and had lunch.
Looking back at Menaggio from the ferry.
Coffee stop
Lunch stop. Terrific setting.
On the ferry to Bellagio our second stop.
An aquacar
Second stop at Varenna on way back to Menaggio
Alfresco dinning after a long and enjoyable day.
Left Nice for Lake Como in Italy.
Stopped early on just across the border into Italy to visit Bussana Vecchia a perched village that was destroyed by and earthquake but has been partially renovated since the sixties. It was worth the small detour. Thanks to Ron for the info.
Beer and a small lamb kebab at this place before we set off again for Como.
Arrived in Menaggio on lake Como late afternoon. Super view from our apartment balcony.
Went to Cannes for the day to find some “Stars”. Had a nice lunch at the “Festivale” restaurant on the Croissete.
In the evening went to Ma Nolans on the port to watch the European Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. Chelsea won after penalties. Late night.
A couple of Stars !!
Walked up to the Chateau and around the town during the day and had to go to the Vieux Four for dinner.
Nick arrived in Nice for a few days and after a short walk and a zizz we prepared for our dinner date at Patrick and Sylvine’s with Martin and Chris and Thiery and Liz.