Lots of people on corners reading maps and guides. No one helps them. Locals must be sick of tourists. I helped a few and was helped by other fellow travellers mostly.
Helped San F women from Council find her 'host family'
Walked around Montmartre. Had a Beer and Rose and spoke to a local. Veronica introduced to cigarettes.
Vibrant and exciting. Downer was the motor scooters trying to run everyone over. The worst so far. Misled again with directions from a 'trusted pharmacist' to get to Metro. Found Metro with more help, back to Napoli CLE, then back to Rome. Trip back shared a cabin with English couple (Paki background) very nice chat.
Walked then found a path going up a hill. Got to top, met a local girl who told me no way round to a road, so back down the same way. Got good view of Aix, but not the big mountain.
Malcesine port is beautiful. Short walk to Monte Baldo Funivia (cable car) station. Walking up to the station, I was thinking of a romantic time in the little empty car with my wife. MMM such thoughts which I was game enough to mention out loud. "I was thinking of that too" says Veronica. Our pace quickened as we moved to get to the cable car. Talk about the Mile High Club! Alas, we didn't expect 10 zillion people to be queued up.
Waiting for 113 Bus to take us to Menton. Another couple with us. I read timetable and insisted bus was due. Finally Tim confirmed UI was looking at wrong direction and the bus was not for another 2 hours. Veronica went off to Monaco. Tim and I went to by train to Ventimiglia then up the mountains a bit to Breil-Sur-Roya. Great trip. Got a bit messy with options to get back as we were committed to dinner at Deux Frères' tonight. Decided to go back from BSR in 20 minutes by bus rather than wait 3 hours for next train back. Bus back to Menton. Met Veronica
Had very bad sinus from red wine. Queue at Basilica too long so we went to the main Venice Art Gallery. Smallish and not very interesting.
I had a rest on a bridge because I was as crook as. Had a nice sleep just like a beggar. Met V at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni Dorsoduro. We both wanted to see this one, and met by chance. Absolutely fantastic. Picasso, Pollock, Dali - and a man on a horse with a very big thingy.
Had very bad sinus from red wine. Queue at Basilica too long so we went to the main Venice Art Gallery. Smallish and not very interesting.
I had a rest on a bridge because I was as crook as. Had a nice sleep just like a beggar. Met V at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni Dorsoduro. We both wanted to see this one, and met by chance. Absolutely fantastic. Picasso, Pollock, Dali - and a man on a horse with a very big thingy.
Does any town not have markets! Looking around fro laundry while wheeling the luggage bag (with dirty laundry in it). Had directions but could not find it. Finally - it must be here. It was. Laundry finished about 1:00pm. Took it back to unit.
Went to internet café, but closed. Faarrccc. Directed to another one. Suffering the crap music while I have another beer which I bought before I knew the internet was down. Beer glasses have the beer name printed on the glass. Very nice. Bar maid in purple strapless 'pants suit'. Got to the next cafe which had 'booths' for making telephone calls. Good idea, but the caller had a kid in stroller so had the door open. This women does not know quiet' and was shouting and yelling for ages. Bring back the electro music from the other place. At dinner that night (at the Trattoria behind us) saw 'back bling'!!!
Very nice owner and family at the Hotel. Good tourist info available, chats and advice. Nice breakfast area with other guests.
Toilet Nazis at railway. Pay money (0.5E), then get token, put in turnstile, then unisex.
Toilet Nazi, this one .8E because it is a UNESCO site . First view of Venice out of Venezia St Lucia is the Grand Canal. Amazing like a movie. Had to ask how to get to Villa Casanova on Lido Island. First dinner crap in the main street was frozen lasagne crap. Has second dinner later at the Pizza bar near the canal which was very nice. How about the mozzies in the room!
Walked to Pantheon looking for toilets. Found at McDonalds. Got coffee as well. First McDonalds of similar we had ben to in the whole trip.
Toursime packed and very helpful. Bus trips 1E, lots of them. Bought Aix City Pass
Dog turds everywhere
Dog turds everywhere
More mullets! Big dog in the cable car! This is very weird. Cable car turns around 360 degrees in the second leg, so I could not avoid looking out. Ended up being a great ride up to 1760m.
Waiting for 113 Bus to take us to Menton. Another couple with us. I read timetable and insisted bus was due. Finally Tim confirmed UI was looking at wrong direction and the bus was not for another 2 hours. Veronica went off to Monaco. Tim and I went to by train to Ventimiglia then up the mountains a bit to Breil-Sur-Roya. Great trip. Got a bit messy with options to get back as we were committed to dinner at Deux Frères' tonight. Decided to go back from BSR in 20 minutes by bus rather than wait 3 hours for next train back. Bus back to Menton. Met Veronica
Trip to Milan went through mountains in long tunnels so not much to see. Changed trains at Milano Centrale. Got to Desenzano but no buses. Got a taxi to hotel with soccer on the radio!
Bus to Verona arrived. Absolutely chocker. No choice but to cram in. Got in back doors with our luggage. Bus slowly emptied till we had seats about halfway there. Drove through main streets to Verona stazione.
Bought lunch at providores in the market from old Nuns.
Exquisite dinner. Fireworks just for us. Old Tim is troubled by the cost of dinner. So am I but this is a very special night.
Took bus out to ground for Fiorentina v Parma. Only one other fan on bus so I just got out when he did and followed him. Of course, got to ground at wrong side, had to walk around stadium to my gate. Small ground with concrete rows with seats plinked on the flat bits. Very cramped - your knees poke the person in front. Sat in middle of group of Fiorentina fans, oldies and families. Fantastic to be there without the lingo! Very step terrace on end for the me fans. Behind that, hillsides with vineyards and rural houses. Brilliant! Could grasp the universal language of abusing referees via and gestures and 'the arbitraro is a ...." Started to rain, and a guy started selling ponchos for 5E. Made a killing, including my money!
immigration sad faces.
From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Chatelet les Halles in Paris city on Line 7. Then long walk and travelators to Nearly had crush on travelator when idiot glamour push got stuck. Metro Line 7 for Monge and Hotel Saint-Christophe at 17 Rue Lacepede.
Cafes seating outwards. To see and be seen
Expresso coffee. Rocket fuel
Baguettes - shops. Carrying them
Good looking men and women. Lots of eye candy
Strong men moving the parked car around at Place Monge markets
To Arc de Triomphe, ceremony with lots of Inspector Clousseau
Lots of rubbish around. Paris quite dirty
Train first stop Aix-en-Provence 3 and half hours. Arms field all the way. Little clusters of buildings and houses and church steeples. Great perspective.
Amazing scenery so different to Japan. Continuous rural and cropping (grape vines and olives mostly) along much of trip. Then coastal near Cannes to Nice.
trimming trees in to balls with shaper
Walked 5 kms along Rue de Clichy and Boulevarde de Clichy. And Boulevarde des Batignles. Got to Parc de Monceau but couldn't find toilets. Desperate. Found 'infants only' Finally found them.
Paris excellent. Will be nice to get to a smaller place. Feet aching. Now I know how the Proclaimers feel walking 500 miles.
Hazelbrook is so quiet. Adagio noisy (short cut street and lots of scooters. Same as Paris
Smoking laws. Will be an impact when they change.
Sitting here listening to town ville clock tower chime the hour. Exquisite.
Evening stroll. Town pretty quiet as many eating places closed. Lots of rubbish around. Dirty.
Walk down town for coffee. Bus from M Gare Routierre on RN8 shuttle to Aix. Driver not convinced or happy we wanted this one that stopped at all the towns. "The express other bus" "No, we want this one". Lots of derisive comments to a French mate (I think). Typical service!
Went to internet place and did some work. Took a long time and veronica thought I had been kidnapped by aliens.
Must remember that traffic stops right at pedestrian crossing. No stopping lines a few metres back. Disconcerting and unsure of whether car (or bus) will stop.
Alzheimer's information train at station. A few carriages with service info. Part of on-going programme from a number of agencies. Travelling around France by rail.
Very special location in background as Tim chatted to us and described the troubling psychotic episode from Bestival. Not nice to hear but fantastic and important that he told us. Of course, Madeline and Liam already knew.
further revelations from Tim as we sat talking in park. Good he told us and that Madeline knew and had supported him.
Back and forth arranging place to stay for next 3 nights. We had gone off Milan. Ended up choosing Densenzano at Lake Garda. Had seen suggested to go to Sirmione which was on our itinerary for a day trip, so that’s good enough.
Walked down street, straight to the Basilica. Awesome first sight of historic Florence, and at night. Got a bite to eat.
Back in rom writing these notes at 6:00pm when the Basilica bells ring out. Very nice background music.
Maps with Roma Pass don't have a lot of bus routes. Nearly impossible to work out. The train/metro map does not have tram routes on it!
Went to Roma Termini early to get ticket to Fiumicino Airport. Stepped in pool of fluid that probably was piss. Packed bags with room to spare.
Seats around parks and fountains particularly. Invites you to stay.
what do people do - eat, smoke, kiss, root.
Zoo - menagerie - wallabies - rooting!!!
people sit under trees and read, watch, talk
Out early looking for internet café. Nearby but doesn't open till 10. Back to unit. Both sleep. We need it.
Vo resting up. I walked to Gare Routierre but office closed on Sunday. Walked to Tourisme, also closed. Community association stalls in main avenue. Saw Comite Communal Feux de Forets (local forest fire-fighter volunteers). Looked a lot like RFS people! Offered me local water around the back - rose!
Think it was this day we got message from "Felicity" that she had found Tim's phone - after are bizarre and worrying call from Tim. That's another book. Complicates making contact about meeting in Roquebrune. When will this boy learn.
Annual 'garage sale' in the village so lots of people and stalls.
Does any town not have markets! Looking around fro laundry while wheeling the luggage bag (with dirty laundry in it). Had directions but could not find it. Finally - it must be here. It was. Laundry finished about 1:00pm. Took it back to unit.
Walked along Lake Garda edge towards Desenzano. Very pebbly and lots of private areas closed off. Saw leather woman tanning her pancakes. Saw Suzie Q mullet about 10 feet long at the back. What's with all the dogs! Saw blokes with dog slings. Just choke the fuckers. Tried to work out how to get to Sirmione in the morning.
Went to internet café, but closed. Faarrccc. Directed to another one. Suffering the crap music while I have another beer which I bought before I knew the internet was down. Beer glasses have the beer name printed on the glass. Very nice. Bar maid in purple strapless 'pants suit'. Got to the next cafe which had 'booths' for making telephone calls. Good idea, but the caller had a kid in stroller so had the door open. This women does not know quiet' and was shouting and yelling for ages. Bring back the electro music from the other place. At dinner that night (at the Trattoria behind us) saw 'back bling'!!!
Lots of bling and high fashion now we are in Italy. Notably different from France.
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