Off ro Work - OK Not Exactly Work

I have been a bit lazy with updating my blog because I am working (not too hard admittedly) at the World Open Youth Championships here in Opatija but more below. 

Saturday was a big day. Up early, tidy the house, drive to Avignon get fuel, return car and board the train for the 2.5 hour ride to Paris. Get to Paris and the change from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord. Being nervous I cab it between stations but in retrospect should have got the two stops on the RER but my train was late arriving and I only had an hour and wanted to do something which seemed easier. Boarding Eurostar is time consuming with French immigration then British Immigration and security but on to the train for a relatively quick 2.5 hour ride to London. 

Arrival in London no problem and again I cab it to Shepherd's bush rather than metro based mainly on the amount of luggage - remember the vase I bought on the ship - cursing it along the way. Keys obtained from the local Greek restaurant and blessed arrival at my friends Espen and Helen's apartment.

I tube into town and walk down Oxford Street and am amazed at the number of women wearing Bhurkas and Hijabs - maybe 75% although one could argue that it was simply the result of summer holidays. Anyway just unexpected. Around 19:30 I get hungry, ok more hungry than normal and jump on to TripAdvisor and find a fantastic Japanese restaurant called Roka in Mayfair where I had a GREAT meal - think Nobu. One dish arrived lateish so they brought a gift dish and didn't charge for the late dish - now there is a restaurant that understand customer relations. Anyway I wander around and finish up in Soho, an area I have never visited before but which has a great nightlife - a drink of Baileys and home for bed.

Sunday morning - I've never been a lover of London so I decide to make an effort to give London another chance and after coffee at Antonio Carluccio Cafe i bought a Hop on Hop of Bus ticket and spent the  day riding the two main lines. This proved a good idea as it did change my attitude to old London town. I have to coffess to having lunch at Bubba Gump's a fast food shrimp restaurant themed around the movie Forrest Gump. Have eaten at this chain in the USA many times and enjoyed it - don't eat in the London one!!

I did get off at Knightsbridge and wandered around and looked at the McLaren showroom with the apartment block above. I understand that there is one apartment for sale for $A300 million dollars and a studio apartment think luxury hotel room for $A45 million - the world had gone mad and is number numb - it's crazy.

Around 17:00 I finish touring and on a whim buy a ticket to Thriller, the music of MJ. I head home for a quick nap and back to the theatre in Piccadilly Circus. I thoroughly enjoyed Thriller it was great to revisit Jackson's brilliance. I should however note that the seats were the most uncomfortable of any theatre I have been in with the distance from the edge of the seat to the seat in front being less than the length of my hand from wrist to fingertip. Luckily the seat next to me had obstruction vision (they say no vision I say) and it was empty so was able to swing my legs sideways. I do reflect how sad it is that so many people are remembered for their murky world rather than their true genius. Didn't get home till midnight very exhausted.

Monday had a relaxing late start walking around Westfield at Shepherd's Bush Before heading off to meet a Czech friend for lunch at a restaurant he proposed called Colbert in Sloane Square and of course it's....French. I'm on a French Restaurant moratorium for the foreseeable future. Anyway nice lunch and good to catch up. On a whim, yes another, I head to Abbey Road and have somebody photograph me at the famous pedestrian crossing outside Abbey Road Studios. Seeing signs for Finchley Road and Hampstead made me a little teary as this was where my darling Linda grew up. Eight years this week!!

Back to the apartment for a relax before meeting some Israeli friends visiting London and going with them to see Book of Mormons. I knew absolutely nothing whatsoever about the show. I didn't know if it was a play or a musical just that it was not to be missed  I totally and absolutely enjoyed it and would agree it is not to be missed. It basically takes the piss out of religions but one could also view that it highlights the success of religion and missionaries. If you get a chance don't miss it. The cast were Amazingly talented. Dinner with the friends at TGIF next to the theatre and home for a midnight clothes washing and packing.

I must have covered a lot of ground in London as I spent around one hundred dollars on my Oyster Card doing buses and trains. Luckily there is a daily limit which I did hit both days.

Next morning I decide to avoid the 55 pound cab to Stansted Airport and bus it to Shepherd's Bush Station, train without change to Liverpool and Stansted Express to the airport. Feeling very proud of myself having negotiated all of this with ease. 

Go to check in Ryanair to Trieste, my stepping of point to Opatija in Croatia, and find the shortest Ryanair queue ever.  Having paid seventy dollars for one bag they then wanted another $66 for the excess three kilos. No f...ing way, so I unload some bits and pieces In order to comply.

I go through security, what a nightmare as one waits thirty minutes no queue just to check your bag which had electronics in it. I'm still heaps early so I plant myself in a bar for two hours and get to the gate. They start allowing people down the stairs towards the plane on the tarmac even though they is an escalator because they want to hold us at the bottom of the stairs for ten minutes. Then they allow us on to the tarmac to board the plane and make us stand in the rain for five minutes because the plane isn't ready to board - how absurdly rude but then again what should I expect from Ryanair - got Justin to tweet my opinion on the matter.

Arrived at the hotel in Trieste which I would describe as a typical Italian Hotel - think marble lobby looking very swish with marble etc. Stairs leading up to the TINY lift built into the atrium of the winding staircase barely big enough for me and the luggage. Reach to room and ARGG single bed - oh well only one night.

I spend a few hours walking around this quaint but not better than one would expect Italian Coastal town, Dinner in a beautiful Italian (ah no French) restaurant before a much needed sleep. Next morning it's raining but I still brave more walking around the town notwithstanding that there isnt that much to see apart from the lovely piazza and seaside. Hotel, pack and need to catch a cab for the 850 metres to the train station due to the now heavier rain. Just as I get to the train station I get a message that the inward flight of my co-workers has been delayed by an hour so i sit at the station for an hour having a coffee, get the bus to the airport and then sit there for another hour waiting. Finally they arrive and we are taken in a car to Opatija after crossing the Slovenian and Croatian borders.

Opatija is one of the most beautiful seaside towns I have ever been to. It was the winter playground of the Austra Hungarian royalty in the early 1900's. Visitors were not allowed to simply wander into the town and workers had to leave at 22:00 each day. The architecture is so beautiful. The first day I am told the hotel is below the main street so I go up and have a wander around only to find a few days later than the main street stretches a long way to the left AS WELL AS the right. 

I like this place so much I am discussing the possibility of taking a bridge holiday here with Alex Smirnov and Andy Hung - both of whom are keen so maybe I'll be back here soon. Well in any event next year the youth will be in Salsomaggiore Italy and 2017 together with the Open Championship in Lyon (the Gastronomique Capital of Europe I am told) with a plan for the 2018 Youth to come back to Opatija - YAY!

I have been writing around 6-8 pages a day for the 22 page (with results etc.) Bulletin so have been keeping up my end of the workload with two other Co-Editors and Editor. Francesca the Italian Layout Editor and photographer is amazing and the Bulletins are certainly worth a look - my articles excluded of course.

The event is all meals included and while the food is plentiful and has a wide variety it is very much like cruise food - amazing the first day - really good the third day - I've had enough the fifth day.

Have had three meals outside the hotel - one with some Aussie youth players, one with a co-editor and the staff dinner at a seafood restaurant where the owner catches all the seafood - All quite good.

Well this will be my last Blog for this trip. I have been writing a small bridge blog, nothing too special, which you can find at: 

http://www.worldbridge.org/2015-championship-diary.aspx

Well I have had an awesome time but its time to return home for three weeks to do my washing - nah to see my family, kids, grandkids and friends as well as celebrate the Jewish Holy Days before two weeks at the World Championships in Chennai (Madras) India.

Hope everybody is well
Love to all
XD

Provence

Sunday morning up relatively late and head to Isle sur la Sorgue for the morning markets. Lest anybody think I am on a shopping spree I have bought almost nothing to date just enjoy walking around the old villages and looking and digesting the atmosphere. Isle sur la Sorgue is a very pretty town sitting on the Sorgue river which flows through the town. However the markets and throngs of people take away much of the beauty of the place. This market has a large antique section which is quite interesting. No bargains just nice to look at. I discovered an amazing cake/coffee shop called Jouvaud and would recommend it to anybody with a taste for cakes.

Today’s lesson from the market – I used to like hard nougat and today learned that hard nougat is in fact hard because it contains a lot of sugar whereas soft nougat is based on honey which in fact keeps it soft.

Back home for a peaceful afternoon before heading to Gordes for dinner. Gordes is probably my favourite village beautifully nestled on the side of a hill. Unbeknown to me there is a wine festival as I arrive so many many people and most of the restaurants are full. I get into La Trinquette for a very traditional and well executed French meal before heading home.

Monday morning and I leave without my money and drive back 10 minutes to get it. I then wasted ninety minutes of my time that I will never get back by going to the markets at Cavaillon – just think Parklea markets. I head to my lunch booking at La Coquillade at Gargas which turns out to be a five star hotel restaurant set among vineyards with beautiful views of the surrounds. Sitting (mercifully undercover) in the gardens and enjoying a lovely lunch was excellent compensation for my lost morning.

Driving to all of the places so far in Provence have not really exceeded 40 minutes there is a lot to do and see if one has a car.

Tuesday morning and a drive to Aix-en-Provence, one hour drive, somewhere I enjoy very much. It was market day but perhaps that it every day. About an hour walking around the markets and the old town before settling on a Creperie for lunch. Pretty much as expected especially as they tailored my crepe (spinach goats cheese, egg and chorizo) to my wishes. However the person at the table next to me was complaining about his Mexican Crepe – who orders a Mexican crepe in France anyway.

Then I did something I always do and always regret, I drove the short distance to Marseille which, apart from the absolute waterfront is not a particularly attractive place. It doesn’t have a warm welcoming feeling at all.

Back just before the butcher closed and grabbed a small precooked Moussaka and Potato Dauphinoise before a very good night’s sleep.

Wednesday morning and I had originally decided to do my long drive on Friday but changed it to Wednesday not wishing to do it the day before I left. Good call as the radio was saying that Friday would be the busiest day of the year as the French head home from their annual vacations.

First stop was Canne but the traffic was so horrendous that I just drove through and didn’t even stop. Up to Grasse where I bought another table cloth from the woman I normally visit and then walked around the old part of town before my scheduled lunch at Bastide St Antoine, probably my favourite place in the world to dine. Sitting in the gardens and enjoying an amazing meal is just so relaxing. Not to self – if they offer an aperitif of champagne on arrival don’t, contrary to my normal non-drinking, say “yes please” and enjoy a glass of rose champagne - $A38. Anyway the meal was outstanding but I suspect my enjoyment was enhanced by the surroundings.

After lunch I head to what is probably the most beautiful village I have been to – St Paul de Vence. What sets it apart from the hilly winding passageway through the fortified village is the number of non-mainstream shops and galleries which the village offers. One gallery I walked into had a lovely collection of Marc Chagall paintings – unfortunately the one I liked had possibly been sold – for just $A250,000 – damn! Seriously the galleries (maybe 20 of them) alone are worth a visit to a most beautiful place.

I head off to Biot, a town known for glass artists and after a quick look around I head back towards ‘mon gite’. Feeling a bit tired I stop in Aix for a quick Tapas dinner and home for a VERY well earned night of sleep.

Must have been tired as I slept in the next morning. I am pretty marketed out but it is such a nice way to see the villages so I head to Goult and Menerbe, the latter of which is very beautiful. Home for lunch of chicken bought at the markets (very tasty and better than the first chicken) and I head to Isle sur la Sorgue to pick up something only to find that when I got there it was pissing down with rain.

How many cups of coffee and macarons can one person have while waiting for the rain to end. Café to café and more rain. But out of everything bad comes something good…..one of the cafes has is owned by the three times winner of the French Macaron Maker of the year award – and I can see why. They were lovely so I bought some for the train ride to London on Saturday. I pick up my shopping get back to the car and I am soaked through. Oh well only water.

French Post used to offer a box with up to 7kg insured and airmailed to Australia for $A65. Went to the post office thinking I might send some things back that I won’t need in Croatia to be told ‘non monsieur, we have changed everything – now it is $A150’ WTF! – anyway I’ll leave it in the apartment in London and bring it back with me.

Back to the house to dry off and I head out to Phebus Restaurant in Joucas, a Michelin one star restaurant within a five star hotel. I really enjoyed the offering here – lots of small courses and unexpected amuse bouche from the chef. Must have enjoyed it as I left almost four hours after arriving.

Friday morning and I sleep in till 09:15 – unheard of. Head through the windiest streets to what some regard as the premiere market in Provence, Lourmarin. I don’t know about the best market but it is in beautiful surroundings and the goods being offered are of a better quality than many of the other markets. Some chicken to have with salad for lunch and back home for a relaxing afternoon before London and Croatia.

Not too much blogging as I will be working at the bridge but maybe one more.

Miss you all

XD

Relaxing in Provence

Arrived in Toulouse which is the fourth largest city in France with 1.25 million residents of which 103,000 are students. It is the home of Airbus and I was planning to do a tour but non EU residents are required to apply three days in advance to obtain security clearance. Shitty world we live in really.

Walked around the old part of town and opted for a galette (buckwheat crepe) for dinner with a gelato chaser. Feeling tired went to bed relatively early.

Anyway up early for the mandatory pane chocolate (choc croissant) and café au lait – their version of cappuccino. More walking around the old city including the old Synagogue before I head off for Montpellier.

On the way to Montpellier I stopped for lunch at the seaside town of Seste – unfortunately the seafood lunch didn’t match the beauty of the town.

Arrived in Montpellier (formerly a mountain with a bare top hence the name peeled mountain) 8^th largest town in France known for its university especially its medical school.

Checked in at the hotel and walked to what I would find out is the largest square in Europe and walk around looking for somewhere to have dinner. Settle on a restaurant where I order a small salad – think a salad that I would normally serve for 12 at a dinner party and some salmon tartar. Luckily the waitress forgot about my dessert order as I was stuffed.

Good night’s sleep, FaceTime to kids/grandkids I leave relatively late (10:30) and take the tourist train around old part of Montpellier which is exceptionally enlightening about the history of this city.

I head off around midday with a plan to stop briefly in Nimes but a phone call from the person I am renting the house from brings forward the meeting time so straight to Cabrieres d’Avignon. The house is superb. It used to be a silk mill built in 1791 and has been loving restored. I need to be careful on the uneven staircase but apart from that it is everything advertised and more – have a look.

http://www.theluberon.com/rentals/ls/cabrieres-davignon/4/maison-leontine

Down to the local Super-U to stock up on supplies for the next nine days.

Finally a relax in the pool followed by dinner in the only restaurant in this small town – 1700 including the immediate surrounds, just a 100 metre walk away. I was pleasantly surprised by everything about the restaurant. There were about 35 diners which the owner who has been running an 8 room hotel and the restaurant for 12 years tells me were mostly locals. Foie Gras and Lobster were exceptionally well executed for my taste and the terrace setting added to the enjoyment.

Next morning manage to sleep in till 08:00 before heading to the Boulangerie for a chocolate croissant and orange brioche both amazingly good. Around 10:00 I head off to Bonnieux where Friday is market day. A lucky parking place and I walk around the 100+ stalls selling crafts, jewellery, food, produce, cheeses, clothing, soaps and fragrances and heaps more. After buying nothing more than a few drinks to quench my thirst in this 35+ very humid weather I walk to the top (think upward by roads and steps) of the village which is no mean feat. However the view from the top is amazing somewhat assuaging my sweating aching body.

Anton provides me with some air conditioning relief as I drive 40kms to Avignon. I park Anton within the old city and wander around. I am somewhat amazed at how many shops are closed for vacation (in the middle of tourist season) as well as shops vacant and for rent in what seems to be a tired and run down town. Past the “insignificant” Synagogue to the markets, shops and finally a restaurant where I have a salad for lunch followed by an argument with the owner who charged one Euro for butter with my bread – as in one pre-packed portion of butter. She tried to convince me with the usual French way that without that her business would not survive, “if I give everybody butter then where would I be”. I ask if she charges for milk and sugar with the coffee and she doesn’t know how to answer. Couldn’t help myself I left a review on TripAdvisor telling my story.

I head to the Papal Palace which I don’t recall having visited internally before so I buy a ticket (over 60’s for 2 Euro discount) and walk around what was the home of the Pope from the early 1300’s to the late 1700’s. My reading is that the Papacy was more of a diplomatic role than a totally religious one at that time. Anyway the building is amazing considering it is 700+ years old and on a grand scale. Unfortunately it was used as a prison and military installation so not everything has been able to be restored.

On the way back to the house I bought a BBQ chicken for dinner which is usually very tasty although this one was just average.

An hour’s swim, ok walking up and down the pool in the sun before some quiet time.

Saturday morning left for Apt around 09:15 to the largest market (300 stalls) in Provence. Anton threw a wobbly with the entire media/GPS system freezing but the area is very well signposted so not too hard to find places. Finding a parking place had its usual worries and while much of the market was the same as yesterday there were enough different and new things to make it interesting apart from which it is very relaxing to walk around the old town with the market drawing thousands of people. Again the weather is very hot – around 30 at this time but would get up to 35 in the afternoon. Only purchase a small jar of Foi Gras made by an older gentleman who gave me a sample telling me how he lovingly makes it himself – anyway tasted good so I’ll see.

Luckily Anton reset himself and started guiding me for my lunch at Petite Maison, a Michelin one star restaurant in the small village of Cucuron. I was disappointed to arrive and find out that the chef had just finished a cooking class which included: lobster soup, zucchini flowers with lobster mousse and fresh lobster followed by cheesecake – DAMN. But it was still worth it with an amazing lunch punctuated by Amuse Bouche of the items from his cooking class. The meal was amazing and “relatively” cheap $A75 for 5 courses of outstanding food. I chatted with the rotund and very jovial chef for a while and found out there is only one two star Michelin restaurant in the Luberon Valley with the rest being one star. Sitting on the terrace with a pergola covered in greenery while watching the waitress constantly carrying a stray and playful cat out of the restaurant.

I wander around the adjoining village of Lourmarin before visiting the very interesting Lavender Museum. There are two types of Lavender – The high quality Lavender grown higher than 800 metres yielding one litre of essential oil per 130 kilograms and the inferior Lavandine grown below 800 metres yielding one litre of inferior essential oils per 40 kilograms. Showed how they processed the crop to yield the oils and of course the shop. I swear they pumped Lavender scent throughout the museum to encourage sales. Interestingly there were two or three busloads of Chinese adults and students and credit to the museum, the tour was available with Chinese audio sets as well as many other languages.

Back home only to find the weather had cooled down dramatically and a wind had started to blow. Leftover salad and some yummy French cheese for dinner – not too much after such a great lunch. TV and bed.  

Catch all soon
XD

Fifty Shades of French Countryside Green

Sorry about the long blog but this has been a very hectic holiday so far and hard to get time to get everything on paper.

Second day in Ibiza and off the ship around 09:00 and a drive around the Island winding up at a mixed nude (optional) beach. I decided to go……nah too much information to make public. There were three sections each with lounges and umbrellas for lease at $A14 - as I found out each, rather than together. Waiters wandered around selling water and snacks and there was a restaurant for those seeking meals. About 70% of people were nude while the rest (like me) were more modest.

Spent about two hours there until the sun disappeared and clouds rolled in. Some more driving around exploring the island which isn’t anything special and much like any other Mediterranean Island. The water was amazingly warm and more amazingly salty but hardly surprising seeing there were salt flats adjacent to the beach. But as always in this part of the world the beach was ordinary in terms of sand but the water was a beautiful blue.

Back to the city for a typical Spanish lunch of Tapas – tuna belly with tomatoes, manchego cheese ragout and beef carpaccio – very yummy indeed.

Returned the car and walked to the tender to take me back to the ship – the ship had been moved from a dock to the harbour. I arrive at the tender wharf to find many many people queued up and was told that the ride back is very rough and the boats are travelling slowly. Good move as it was incredibly choppy with many of the guests getting a little “green”.

Ibiza’s sole reason for being is tourism and nightclubs with electro-music. I certainly wouldn’t regard it as a “must see” destination but certainly worth a cruise “peek” – one of the things I certainly like about cruises – an opportunity to “sneak peek”.

I had a booking to go to the Italian Tuscany Grill but enjoyed the French Restaurant so much that I changed booking back to that one and am sure glad I did. The food was even better than my first experience especially the Dover sole and venison – excellent. A few minutes at the Cirque du Soleil style show a drink and then some much needed (after the sun) sleep.

The cruise included an all drinks package and in my usual business analytical way I can tell you they are a LONG way in front.

Next morning I wake up in Majorca or as they spell it Mallorca which was a pleasant surprise. Shuttle bus to the city where I ask a taxi driver who was offering his touring services how much. He asks me how many people to which I reply I just need one car - $A225 – no thanks. I get into the hop-on hop-off $25 for just over an hour. I see all the highlights of this quite beautiful seaside city including the amazing Cathederal, Summer Palace of the King of Spain and a former palace used as a jail.

A few hours walking around the city with its wode streets, narrow shopping laneways and mandatory piazzas. After my palate pleasing Burger King Chilli Cheese balls I buy something moure gourmand, Balotta five year aged prosciutto being carved as we watched – supposedly the best available – certainly suggested by the price, some goat’s cheese and biscuits for what was a VERY yummy lunch in the cabin.

As I get to the cabin I get a note that was very disturbing. Not that there was some gastro going around the ship, that I didn’t mind but they had removed my bible for sanitary reasons – REALLY? Anyway as I go to get some baguette and lettuce for my lunch I notice that there is no self-service and everything is being served by the staff.

After lunch I have a long spa where I meet an Irishman who runs a bio fuel boiler company, an American school teacher and an American Banker – all quite interesting and pleasant to talk to. Back to the cabin to pack so that I can leave my luggage outside the room by 23:00 and off the Shabbat Services.

Around 25 people for Shabbat Services. A mixed bag Americans Israelis and Europeans. Pleased to see some reverse discrimination as the Siddurim had not been contacted for sanitary purposes.

Dinner in the main dining room was quite interesting as it comprised recipes from chefs who had won Top Chef, a reality Chef’s show in the USA. Probably as good a mass produced meal as one could get. A few drinks in various lounges and off to bed.

Up late for me – around 07:00 although I have been sleeping in a little throughout the cruise, and get ready to get off the ship which was a very painless exercise. A cab to the nearby hotel and off for what would be a VERY long day.

I bought a two day hop-on-hop-off bus ticket and spent the next eight hours doing the red, blue and green lines getting off firstly for a walk along Las Rambla and then to what I have always regarded as the best food markets I have been to – BY FAR. An amazing variety of, well just about everything food. Meats, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and much with the ability to buy and eat there – a must not miss of Barcelona.

Back onto the bus to the Segrada Familia (no tickets available), unsurprisingly not yet finished and the Gaudi Gardens (no tickets available). However I went to a 4D presentation on Gaudi which was good fun and interesting. Completed the circuit of what is an amazing city with just so many sights to see its almost hard to describe. Beautiful Gothic Churches, lovely national buildings and lovely residential architecture. I plan to do some more exploring tomorrow.

Barcelona is perhaps the most crowded city with tourists that I have ever been to but that said there is so much to do that it doesn’t seem physically crowded in terms of people nearby.

That night Mr Tripadvisor steered me towards what is rated the 9^th best of 7000+ restaurants in Barcelona and I was not disappointed. The meal at Fulla d’Ostra was excellent. The owner is a retired Brazilian Opera Singer came to Spain at the end of his career to teach singing and always had a passion to open a restaurant. He teamed up with a Chilean Chef, Marcello and opened a 22 seat restaurant in the suburbs of Barcelona. He complained about his monthly rent of $A1600 (clearly he should never consider opening up in Sydney) a month but did say that salaries of $A1400 a month for the waitress and $A2200 a month for an assistant chef was manageable. Interestingly and a sign of the power of Tripadvisor and the internet was that 90% of his customers were tourists and not surprisingly for an Opera singer he was able to speak with each customer in their native tongue. Anyway the meal was a surprise degustation and was superb.

An hour walking around and off to bed for a very well earned (14km of walking) night sleep.

Now I have been to Spain a few but not too many times and everywhere there are museums of erotica or sex and museums to Jamon (ham). A taxi to the Rambla where it is too early in the morning for the former so I opt for the latter and it proved to be MOST interesting. The finest ham in the world is Iberico which comes from pigs raised in the Iberian part of Spain and they are turned out to pastures to fatten up on a diet of acorns. At the end of the tour there was a tasting and it was certainly easy to identify the superior Bellotta hams from the ‘simple’ Iberico ones.

A walk to the top of the Rambla to hop on the Blue Line Bus to the Gaudi Gardens where I have wised up and bought a ticket for a walk around in warm but pleasant weather. A taxi to the Joan Miro Museum which is…..closed – who closes a museum on Sunday in peak tourist season???

A quick walk down the road to cable car to take me on a scenic trip around Montjuic – mountain of the Jews, followed by a funicular back down to the port near my hotel which I now discover, having initially thought was not well situated, is right on the beach near all the action.

I stumble across a lovely beach club style restaurant with great food but more importantly attractive young ladies who come to the table to give you a ten minute shiatsu massage which was well earned and much needed.

Back to the hotel for a relatively early night as I had to get to the airport 06:00 for my flight to San Sebastian.

Next morning up on time and hit the airport around 05:45 and it is jumping, people everywhere and long queues to check in. Just to see what happens I decide to try the priority queue for my Vueling (Iberian Airlines budget operator) flight and all good where for some reason I get priority through security and priority boarding – go figure.

Quick one hour flight running one hour late and I arrive at San Sebastian airport where I try to figure out how to get to town and then get to Biarritz the next day to collect my car. If you are wondering why I need to get to Biarritz to pick up the car, that’s easy - $A1500 for 11 days if I pick up in Spain and $550 if I pick up in France. Anyway I have a brainstorm to rent a car at the airport and return to Biarritz Airport in France which works perfectly as they had a French car they wanted to get back to France. So I rented a most beautiful Mercedes for a day at a price that I would never have normally considered but it seemed just so convenient.

Into San Sebastian to my hotel. Well that would be a lie. When I looked at the hotels in San Sebastian the cheapest 3 star hotel was around $A250 so I opted for what turned out to be student accommodation at the University for $A130. Basic dormitory accommodation with a single bed. No check in till 15:00 so I head off to do some touring.

San Sebastian is a great town with a lot of charm and character – on the water, surrounded by hills with the mandatory churches atop and hillside. However this trip I discover Pintxos – think tapas set out on bar, they give you a plate and you take what you want and pay. All small bite size portions between ($A3 and $A5) such as grilled foie gras on toast, crepe filled with mushroom, beef cheeks, shrimp brochette, lamb sweetbreads, tomato mozzarella and anchovy – you got the idea. It was a quite amazing lunch for around $20 including drinks.

With a car things changed for me so I took the train tour around San Sebastian and then went all around the old part of the city, headed up to the beach resort of Jean de Luz (France) and Biarritz (both places I had been to before when playing bridge here) – something I had planned to do the next day. All of this was really tiring as evidenced by the fact that my iPhone had told me I had walked 18.5 kilometres, not to mention the fact that I had woken up at 04:30. A home style fish dinner with restaurant style prices on the water and bed in my dormitory at 10:00.

So I then cancelled my Biarritz for the next night having already been there and booked for Toulouse a day ahead of plan. This proved to be a great idea when I woke up the next morning to hear it raining. In the car and off to Bayonne Airport where I return this beautiful A Class Mercedes to get a not so beautiful Romanian Dacia (subsidiary of Renault) POS which I have named Anton. I had booked a Peugeot 308 Station Wagon and they exercised their right to the “or similar”. When I arrived to pick up the car I was met with passive resistance on every front – “monsieur you booked for 11:30 there are no cars now and we cannot guarantee the type of car” etc etc”. The manager stepped in and lo and behold he says “I have two solutions for you” they being an immediate Anton or Jeep Cherokee. I took Anton because it had an amazingly large boot which took all of my luggage. I head for Pau, Lourdes and Toulouse and seem for some reason to be trapped in one lane roads until I pull over and check to find that the Anton’s GPS is set to avoid motorways. Anyway, that fixed I get to Pau and don’t see to much there except a salad Nicoise for lunch so head off to Lourdes.

Lourdes is an amazing place. Population 15,000 – visitors per annum 6 million. It is second only to Paris in terms of tourism and square metres of hotel space. I had been before but didn’t head down to the church and grotto with the holy healing water. It was interesting to see people’s level of faith as, for example, I saw +/-30 people in wheelchairs being taken to the Grotto for their Holy Water. The level of commercialisation was unpleasant with shop after shop after shop selling religious artefacts, rosary beads and bottles to be filled with Holy Water.

Off to Toulouse where I am catching up on my blog.

More soon

XD

Round the Med

Arrive early in Ajaccio (pronounced a-jack-show), Corsica which was nothing much more than a stock standard Mediterranean town with lots of beachside hotels and resorts. Being Corsica there is a lot of Napoleonic history.

I got off the ship and got onto a bus which took a one hour tour of the city after which I spent about two hours walking around and headed back to the ship. That night I dined in the speciality Asian Reataurant, Silk Harvest – advice if you come on the Celebrity Eclipse, you really must…… NOT eat at this claim to being Asian Dining Experience. Well that’s not fair it certainly was an experience just not a good one. The more I travel the more I realise how spoiled we are for Asian food with the multicultural society we have in Australia. Anyway one bad meal does not a cruise spoil.

Apparently there was an announcement that it would be a rocky night – didn’t hear the announcement and didn’t notice anything during the night.

Next morning Villefranche, the port of Nice. I was meant to meet my friend Laurent for breakfast here but he slept through his alarm so I trained the three stops into Nice where I meet him at the station. He drives us to the old city where we have a lovely breakfast in the sun. He is a qualified town planner who works in Canne for a property development company. He told me a lot about the property market in the area including one four level penthouse of 3,000 square metres (not a typo) with a selling price of $A120,000 a square metre or $A360 million. He also told me the supply of Russian millionaires has dried up and that there are no Asian buyers in Europe “yet”. The market is OK and average prices are around $A10,000 a square metre which is just below Sydney prices. Anyway very interesting for me.

We part and I walk around the old city for a while, head to the Promenade des Anglais but it is way too hot for me in the sun so I head one street off there and look at the shops winding up for coffee at the Hotel Negresco, a hotel with a rich 100 year history and coffee prices to match the history. Having “done” Nice so many times I hop on the train to Monte Carlo which I have also “done” many times having spent two weeks here for a bridge tournament. I’m not sure how long the station has been there as I have never been to it before but it is huge and quite magnificent – yes I know it is Monte Carlo – but I am guessing the residents don’t train too often. Just wandered around and when I tried to have a coffee at the Hotel de Paris was politely told “Non Monsieur, guests only allowed in this hotel”.

Had a sandwich at Lina’s, a place I have been to many times but there sandwiches are sooooo good.

Head back to Villefranche, missing the station although I swear it didn’t stop there and having to get off the stop after and go back one stop. A tender to the ship and off we go for Ibiza as I sit in the spa watching the sunset.

The next day we are at sea till we arrive in Ibiza at 16:00. I do a tour of the kitchen which is massive on any scale. They gave us all the statistics which included 33,000 kilos of fruit and vegetables and 8,000 kilos of meat, fish and poultry.

In the afternoon I attend the charity auction of the glass pieces made by the glass artists during the shows on board and buy the central piece which is a vase with auction proceeds to the Breast Cancer Society. Unfortunately I buy it before the reality of how I am going to get it home sinks in – oh well I’ll manage it hoping it survives.

I get off the ship at 16:00 and have a brainstorm to rent a car so that I can see some of the Island. I drive to the old part of town and wander around and was quite unimpressed. I head back to the ship to have dinner and change and head back to the same old town and am extremely impressed as it has transformed itself into a vibrant night town with a lot of restaurants, people, clubs, shops and activities. Like most of Spain it comes alive at night.

Back to the ship around 23:00 and I will head off exploring the mountains and beaches in the morning.

Catch you soon

XD

In the Beginning

As with most trips these days this one started with an invite to "work" at the World Youth Championships in Opatija, Croatia. They said that Opatija is the Monte Carlo of Coratia - let you know later.

Got to the airport and checked in smoothly and lounge for the thirty minute delay for the first flight to Hong Kong. Only slept for two hours but a lot more flying ahead of me to catch up. Nine hours in Hong Kong so I went to the Citigate Shopping Centre five minutes from the airport and mooched around buying nothing, nada, niente despite the centre having every possible major brand there at 30%-70% off, Back to the airport for a shower before the onward flight to Rome where I did manage to get 7 hours sleep.

Arrived in Rome 7:00am and the hotel got me a room by 10:15. While waiting i looked for some breakfast and Roman breakfast is very unlike Sydney. Basically coffee, pastries and sandwiches. No such thing as eggs, cereals etc. Anyway had a lovely Foccacia and small salad. Back to the room for shower and hit the streets in my shorts and polo - very overdressed for the - wait for it - 41 degrees. What to do in this weather, I decided a hop on hop off bus with much staying on would be good. Did the circuit with just two stops for drinks and lots of refreshments.

Not sure what it is, but what seemed awesomely magnificent (Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps etc.) today seem nice, beautiful and interesting but not as awesome as they did the first time around (1983). I guess that is a combination of the world being a smaller place and the internet and TV bringing it all, and so much more to compare it with, into our homes. 

Overall though Rome is small and for me anyway, lacks some charm. It is not particularly well maintained or looked after and it looks somewhat tired. Anyway I will enjoy my teo days here as I calculated that I hadn't spent any time here in 32 years.

Back to the hotel for what I thought would be a short nap but which turned into a 15 hour sleep.

Down to the lobby to wait for the guide. Casually check phone to see message "on way to your hotel had an accident with two cars am OK waiting for police. Not messing with you so here is a pic". So I will be my own guide today.

It's coolish but forecast to touch late 30's today so I decide on visiting the Colisseum first thing spending more than hour learning about this awesome structure. It's still hard to comprehend how they managed to build a structure like this with no real tools.

A quick cab drive to the Vatican where I tke a tour of St Peter's Square, the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel and then a self-tour of St Peter's Basilica. I was at the Vatican 32 years ago but never did a tour of the inside and this was extremely interesting. The size and grandeur of the Vatican is on a scale difficult to imagine.

I look around for a good meal and settle on the Michelin one star Pipero near the Opera House. Not disappointed with an amazing meal comprising a six course surprise degustation accompanied with numerous amuse bouches which I simply cannot describe. The 22 seat restaurant with the owner flitting from table to table ensuring that everybody was enjoying the amazing dishes that were coming out of the kitchen. If in Rome give it a go.

Got back to the hotel around 10:30 and slept amazingly well.

Next morning packed and taxi to the station to catch the train from Rome Termini to Cittavechia, the port city of Rome some 90 minutes by train. I arrive very early for boarding (11:30) which was very very lucky as the electricity failed not long thereafter totally disrupting the boarding procedure of the 3200 guests.

I spend the next few hours exploring the ship which is quite unbelievable. A lot of aspects are the same from ship to ship but this one (Celebrity Equinox) has an extensive grass deck for concerts and other activities, a Corning Glass Museum where they have daily glass blowing displays complete with kilns, burners etc (more later) and more lounges and bars than I can possibly remember.

Before boarding I booked a three meal specialty dining package of which one has to be used the first night. I watch the beginning of the Italian Tenor show (ordinary) and head to the Murano Restaurant for what would turn out to be an amazingly great meal. Lobster Bisque, Mushroom Cappuccino, Goat Cheese Souffle, Lobster cooked tableside topped off with a dessert sampler. The waiter was interesting, Serbian who aspires to owning his own restaurant, he earns four times more on-board than he would earn in Serbia.

The ethnicity of the crew is very diverse but for the most part are Eastern European. Unlike my previous cruise (MSC Italian) the crew here are exceptionally friendly and welcoming something that I am sure will make the cruise more enjoyable. One downside however, is that a bonus for this cruise was an unlimited drinks package – certainly no loss for them.

Next morning and AGAIN up early to catch the 90 minute train ride from Livorno, the port city serving Florence into the centre of Florence where I meet Monica, a tour guide (who did turn up) I had arranged for the visit. I have visited Florence twice before but never learned as much as I should have, so I decided to rectify that this trip.

She took me to the first church (of course) then to the Duomo explaining the history with every step we took – exceptionally interesting. Toured the Baptistry which was very interesting but, being Sunday we could not enter the Church proper (Duomo). Around to the Vecchio Palace, Ponte Vecchio and surrounds. Lunch at a lovely Italian Eatery followed by a highlight tour of the Uffizi Gallery. I recall Florence as being much more quaint and beautiful thirty years ago rather than the commercialised place that it seems to be now.

Anyway, after almost six hours we part company leaving me an hour to explore the shops before the train back to the ship. Dinner in the main dining room where I try and engage with the adjoining English people who didn’t seem the least bit interested in doing that – oh well their loss.

We have been advised that, due to a weather system in Nice we will be going to Ajaccio Corsica first and then Nice rather than the scheduled Nice first. Was meeting a friend for breakfast so have changed that 

I head off to the top deck to watch the glass blowing show which was fascinating seeing nothing turned into a beautiful bowl and vase and how it is done have always been fascinated by beautiful glass pieces.

A small donation to the Casino and back to the cabin.

Next morning Ajaccio on Corsica. I get off the ship and take a one hour bus tour of the city where I learn about some of the history of the city – think Napoleon – but fundamentally a pleasant but not outstanding Mediterranean town.