Archiv für das Monat: Juni, 2013

16.06.2013

Hi all together,

We spent again a good night. (Slowly it becomes boring to write always how good we spent the night, or?)
The parking place was filling up already. Around 9 we went finally to buy a parking ticket for the parking place. A young blond French lady was greeting us on the little house for the parking tickets. She said something in French… I understood only ‘Bonjour’ and replied it. Gave her 3 Euro for the ticket and said fine ‘Aurevua’ (however it is spelt). I could listen to this young woman the whole day… her voice and the French language… hmm… :)

After it we went to the beach. At least me, Julia hat to go somewhere. As she came back, we went finally in the water. Not much to see here. Like in Cyprus. Just the visibility was worse. The swimming area in France is ending exactly at the break water… the most interesting part, because here are mostly the fishes. Anyway, I found an octopus, which was hiding in a stone, and a few small fishes.

We went out after our small snorkeling trip. The water was still chilly here. A few minutes sun bathing and trying our self and then back to the car. It was already early afternoon and we had still a longer way in front of us. First of all to St. Tropez. The famous village in the Cote d’Azur.
It was just a few kilometer in front of us. And it is not really a village… more a small city.
My grandmother was watching always the soap opera ‘St. Tropez’, that’s why I’ve heard already about it. :)

Ahh, not to forget the I have up the steering wheel the first time since 3000km to Julia. To drive every day is really tiring. And now I am passenger and can write while we are driving. Is also great, saves my time in the evening. But I am afraid that I will write now even more… and then translating again :-/

Even before we arrived in St. Tropez we had  a little confrontation with the police. Not really confrontation… they blocked a road (for unknown reason). The funny thing is that they blocked the road before a crossing and was redirecting the driver to the right street. But the other directions was open. So, everybody turned around and just drove from another direction to the same crossing and could enter St. Tropez. Totally senseless action of the police.

In St. Tropez we found straight an Mc Donalds. We was a bit hungry and they have mostly good toilets. After we checked that, I remembered the Internet in Mc Donalds. And yes, there was Internet and even free. Not fast, but better then nothing.
Just the Chicken Burger was a bit spicy. Not really as I like it.

After Mc Donalds we went finally in the city. We used the first parking at the harbor. So, the first we saw, on our way in the city center, was the huge yachts. In the main harbor we saw the big sailer and heard that we just missed a regatta, which was this weekend. (Later I was reading that the regatta went on still the whole week.) Great… we missed it. The crew was just cleaning the boats.
We went on, walking a bit through the city. I needed cigarettes. France is a good country to stop smoking. You can buy cigarettes just at tobacco shops… and they are hard to find.

It seems like that St. Tropez is, beside the harbor, an artist city. On every corner you can find an atelier of an artist. I mean I can understand it well. This area is so inspiring (beautiful). The mountains before St. Tropez was, till now, the most beautiful ones I saw. And we passed a lot of great landscapes already.

After our round trip through the city, we walked back to the car. Finally we found even a tobacco shop (finally). Till now the most expensive cigarettes I bought on our trip. A normal package for 6,10 Euro. And I smoke already cheap ones.

Our thermometer in the car told us “HH.h”… which probably means something like “Hot like hell!”. Ok, the car was the whole day in the sun. We could just open the doors and wait. And then we went of to the last target today: Marseille.

Marseille is again around 130km away from St. Tropez. It was already late afternoon and I didn’t had hope anymore that we will arrive that day in Marseille.
Inge was leading us again over country roads, passing huge wine fields and trough hills (with even more wine), till we reached Hyeres. Hyeres is also a bigger city, through which we had to drive.
Julia took somewhere in the city a wrong exit in a roundabout and we ended up in front of a toll house of a highway. Turning around wasn’t possible. Great… well, we had to use the highway now.
We had no idea how to use it and stopped at the biggest house, in hope that someone is sitting there. But it was also just a machine, which was ‘asking’ for 1,30 Euro.  We gave it the money and it gave the way free. We was on the highway now.

From now on we could drive faster. The way just passed. Inge and Uschi told us always to leave the highway, because we told them not to use the toll streets. But we went on… till the next toll house. This one was asking for 2,30 Euro. Not always the same amount… ok. We paid and could go. It is always important to have coins in the pocket, if you want to use the highway ;)

We drove the whole rest of the way on the highway. It was nice fast. We arrived in Marseille after just 2,5 hours.
I was programming Inge to the yacht harbor. She said there are 2. I was choosing the north one. And she was leaving us in Marseille to the position of the harbor. But as we saw an parking place, we ignored her and just stopped.
It was a beach. Very nice. With restaurants, a big wheel and beach plus sea ;)
It was almost sunset and I wanted to drive with the big wheel… which we did. Marseille at sunset. But we missed it. We went to early to the big wheel. Anyway was it great. My first ride with a big wheel and then at (almost) sunset in Marseille. Amazing! :)
After the big wheel we just walked around a bit to locate some internet network. And we found it.

After a bit dinner with cheese sausages from Lidl, we was getting ready for the night. I’ve checked on the map where we really are. And I found out that we are in the south. Kilometers away from the city center. But it was fine for me, in the north of the city is the highest crime rate in Marseille… which is not low here. I felt better in the south.

17.06.2013

It seems like it was a good decision. Nobody robbed us in the night. We all woke up in one piece in the morning. Julia, Hugo, the kangaroo and me.
I wanted to use that we have internet and publishing another article in my blog. It cost the whole morning. From 9 till 12 I was just typing, translating, selecting pictures and reformatting. But then it was ready. And I was ready to go. It should go on… but to where… we didn’t know really. Andorra, that was clear.
Before we had to find a post again. We had again postcards with French stamps (from St. Tropez). So we needed a French post, before we enter Spain.

But Julia wasn’t ready yet. She still needed time. Some when around 4 we was back on the street. Highway in direction to Spain, with stop at the last French post office… or at least post box :)

And we found another specialty. There are 2 different toll systems on the highway. At the first one you pay first at the machine and you can drive. At the second one you get a ticket first and you pay when you arrive at the next toll stop or when you leave the highway.

We left finally the highway, for the last post box… and got some trouble with Inge and Uschi. They didn’t know the streets there and we got lost in an industrial aria. But luckily they had a Mc Donalds there. Our new favorite fast food restaurant. :) In France with WiFi inclusive. :)

We spent a while here. Checking this and this. Then the question, driving further or sleeping right here… on the parking of Mc Donalds with WiFi. It was also dark already. But Julia said that she still can drive.

So, we drove on, in the dark to Andorra. We also decided to stop at another post, to drop our post cards into a post box. And so we drove through the night, to the city with the post box. Around 11 we reached this city and the post box. No one was left on the street. We left this ghost town quickly again, in direction to the village Lliva.
The way was leading us in the Pyrenees. In the dark is it really scary to drive there… especially with strong fog. But Julia drove carefully. I am looking forward to see the movie. :)

Around half past 12 we reached finally the village Llivia, which is around 1500 meter above NN. We found quick a place to sleep. One street was ending in a dead end, with a turning loop. Here, behind the last houses, we stopped. Direct next to a cliff.
We just was building up our bed and went to sleep.

18.06.2013

Yet another good night’s sleep. I set the alarm at 10 for today assuming Julia not to be up and kicking before that time. Nonetheless I woke up at 8, but decided to snooze for a while. Finally, we both got up and prepared the car to be ready for the ride.

We headed for Andorra, that wasn’t too far anymore. We had roundabout 60m to go for Andorra la Vella, the capital of the micro-state called Andorra. We drove through the curvy Pyrenees. Today, at daylight, we finally could see and enjoy that magnificent landscape… well, what can I say… I probably shouldn’t say a word. :) (It was just wonderful.)

You probably whouldn’t believe it, but there is still snow lying around here. Besides of that the landscape it greenish, but poorly vegetated. Andorra consists of lots of rocks, mountains and valleys. Things are somewhat extreme here: the mountains are a little higher and the valleys a little deeper than elsewhere.

After a couple of kilometers we passed the border. They seriously have a real border here, with border patrol and whatever belongs to a real border. But we did not have to stop, they just let us go. Yet another „tiny country“ to check out! But this one is the largest of the tiny countries we had visited so far.

After a few kilometers we had to pass a long tunnel, probably something around 3km long. Straight behind that tunnel we were guided to some toll station… surprise surprise… we were asked to pay 6,60 Euros toll fee to contunue our trip. And it wasn’t even for a decent highway. It was just the same road we’ve been on for the last hour – so I quite didn’t get the point of paying the fee. But what else should one do? Well then, we paid and went on.

We literally curved through the landscape until we found some houses. The first village. They had a petrol station here (1,25 Euros for one liter of 95 Super gasoline!!!… yuck… we’ve been just filling up in france for 1,66 per liter…. damned!), and a supermarket. So we hit the brakes and checked out that supermarket. What a strange place!

Right behind the entrance whole legs of some unspecific animals were hanging around as ham – next to extra large bottles of vodka and other liquors as well as wine from the wood. There were „extra large“ portions of just everything. The „supermarket“ consists of 3 floors. First, we went to see the upper floor. The 2nd. floor contained odds and ends for home decoration. There were clocks hanging next to destillators (no joke, they had functioning destillators standing around), steam-powered flat irons as well as piles of other junk goods. What a cool crap! If I could, I would have bought some of the stuff straight away! But considering the limited space of our Kangoo camper… :(

Then we went up to see the 3rd floor. Here, I finally noticed the price differences to the rest of Europe: A bigbox of Pall Mall cigarettes for only 25 Euros. Seriously! As if there was no VAT to pay at all.

Compared to a regular duty free shop there virtually is no tax… smokers know that I mean. At a regular airport duty free shop you can also get the bogbox for 25, but the till girl will surely ask you where you’re going to „import“ there cigarettes. „Ah, Berlin… so the bigbox costs you 39 Euros, tax included, now..“. Here things are different, here you pay only 25 Euros for the carton of cigarettes.

The basement was reserved for the food. Not much food was offered there. Some wild pig sausages here, some sweets in giant packages there… and souvenirs next to the pay desk.

After our shopping trip we went further to the main target: Andorra la Velle. It wasn’t far anymore. 10 Minutes later we’ve been in the middle of the city. A parking house opposite Mc Donalds (…) was housing our Kangaroo well and Mc Donalds itself was spending us internet… like always :)

The city is very compact and the houses high. Partly it looks like they are build in the rocks. A house with 5 floors who has on the one side the entrance in the 1^st floor and on the other side on the 4st floor. Very strange, but interesting :)

The city center is, like almost every city center, full with shops. The difference is that the shops are strange here. You can find a lot of small shops who offer all the same range of products. Basically: Softair weapons, knifes, laptop/tablets/mobiles and accessories. Beside a few perfumeries, clothes shops and from time to time also normal shops. But especially this all-around shops attract the attention, because they are so many and unusual.

I found an ‘all-around photo store’ and was asking spontaneously for a travel zoom lens, which I was wishing for this trip (Zuiko 18-180mm). Surprisingly they had this lens, which is not easy to find new. But the price of 500 Euro killed quickly the hope to buy it. (Even lenses are not cheap at all… but at ebay I could buy it for 350 Euro).

We walked a bit around the city center of Andorra la Velle. Had a look into some other shops, but didn’t bought anything because of lack of money and space.

Back to the car was it 5 pm already. How to pay our parking ticket was the next question. There are no machines to pay, but signs that we have to (obviously). We asked another person, who was there with his car, and he told us to go in an office and there we have to pay. Strange… But we really found an office (not really close to the cars) and had to pay our parking ticket there.  8,80 Euro for 4 Hours approx.

Next question: Where to sleep tonight.?

On the way to the city we passed a good place to sleep. A parking space on a mountain with great view. That would be a great place to sleep. The direction was also the right one, for the next day trip to Barcelona. So, we decided to go there.

Uschi wasn’t cooperating with us and lost always the satellites. And Inge don’t have maps of Andorra. Good that this country isn’t very large and doesn’t have much streets. We could follow the signs.

Suddenly we saw a red van on a mountain crest and got curious. I thought ‘If this is a parking space, then it will be great.’. And it was a parking space. We turned around and had a closer look on it. A really nice parking place with a great view from a 2400 meter mountain.
Here we will sleep.

Just the weather wasn’t the best. It was raining partly and stormy. The Kanguroo was shaking partly a lot. I was a bit afraid that it will blow us down the hill… but the wind will be not sooo strong… was my hope.

After an hour, we just wanted to convert the car, came the police for a visit. We was already afraid that they will shoo us away. But they just asked if we are ok. We said that we are fine, and asked also if we can stay there over night. They said ‘Yes, we have no problem with it.’. Then they drove off again. Very kind and friendly.

And now we go to bed. :)

19.06.2013

What a night. How to describe that. Imagine you park on a mountain crest. Ok, shortly before. Just a approx 30 meter higher hill approx. 20 meter behind you is the real crest. Behind it and in front of you is a valley. You park with your car on a plateau… the parking place. It is dark and late. Maybe around 12. You went almost to sleep in your car, just watching the car lights crawling up the hills. Outside you can hear the wind whistle around your car. Sometimes quite, sometimes in real squalls, that your car starts shaking. You need to go out of the car (for smoking or whatever) and the wind is almost blowing you away. You get in your mind that it was maybe not a good idea to stay there.
You go back in your car, you remove the gear (I let always a gear in, when I park the car) and you release the hand break… to see if the car is moving forward at the next squall… towards the cliff, which is 5 Meter in front of you. The squall comes, the car is shaking… but nothing is moving. Seems to be ok. Has to be…

You move in your bed and you close your eyes. 10 minutes later you’re asleep. The day was tiring.

Some when later you wake up. You don’t know how late it is. The voice next to you is asking ‘Could you feel that as well?’… you don’t even know in the first moment where you are and what happen. You can hear rain… heavily pushed against the car. The wind is like a storm now and is dragging on the car. You can feel it well.
Then you remember the cliff in front of you. You don’t even move a millimeter, to feel if the car is moving. But it doesn’t. It is just shaking in the storm. But does the wind have to power now to move the car?

Exactly that happen last night. I was seriously thinking to move the car backwards to the hill. Further away from the cliff. Ok, it wasn’t a deep cliff, but around 7 meter to the meadow below. It would have been enough to kill the car… at least.
But we converted the car already. In this stage isn’t it possible anymore to drive the car. We had to go out to reconvert it again… in the storm and heavy rain.
We was waiting… After around one hour became the storm more calm. The rain stopped and we went finally back to sleep.

The morning was totally opposite. There was nothing left from the storm in the night. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the temperature went up to 6 already… in the night was it maybe 1-2 degrees.

We reconverted the car slowly and went off to our next target. Barcelona was it today. Inge was leading us back trough the Pyrenees, the same way we went in to Andorra yesterday. We spotted between all the mountains and valleys a lake. One of the 80 lakes in Andorra. Of course we had to have a visit.
We parked our car and walked a bit through Andorra. It wasn’t really far. Maybe 1 kilometer from the parking. At the moment is still the snow melting. Here is really still snow. Not much, but a bit. And the melting of it feeds a lot of small rivers, which are also crossing the ways. We had to be careful not to get wet feet. :) But we reached the lake with dry feet. I was seriously a bit thinking of jumping in the lake. But after I put some fingers in, to feel the temperature, I forgot about this plan quickly. :) We just enjoyed the landscape, took some pictures and went back to the car. It became also cloudy again.

Through the south of the Pyrenees we went in direction to Barcelona. We crossed France again, till we reached Spain. The Pyrenees are a really beautiful mountains. A very unique mountain and valley formation. Great also for biker ;)
As we left the mountains, we ended up straight away on a Spanish motorway. A highway without toll. Made for poor people like us. :)

The first Mc Donalds was ours. What else? :) We needed again a place to sleep. Julia wanted to go straight in the city of Barcelona. I wasn’t very happy about this plan. When I see the size of Barcelona on the map… So we checked out the camping places in this area. There are a few. But no one direct in Barcelona. Just in the area around. I choose finally the camping place Camping Barcelona in Mataro. Also almost 30 Euro per night. But therefore with shower, wasching machine, WiFi and shuttle service to Barcelona for free. That sounds good. Then we also don’t have the stress to drive in the city of Barcelona.
Julia was not very happy about 30 Euro per night… but finally we anyway ended up there.

And here we are now. Fresh after the shower, laundry is done and tomorrow we go with the shuttle bus to Barcelona and have a look there.

I’ll write about it :)

Best wishes
Gordon

PS:I just saw that I published a few picture of St. Tropez already in the last article. I get confused with writing and publishing already. :)

Our route (please hold the right mouse button to move the map until it fits):

Larger map

13.06.2013

Hi together,

yes, we stayed for one more day. The internet, the shower, toilets and a bit relaxing was a good argument. We did nothing the whole day… except of swimming in the sea in the afternoon.

The camping place Campo dei Fiori was not direct on the sea, but just a few hundred meters away. We drove to a closer parking place and went to the beach. Of course I had my mask and my snorkel with me. :) And then we went straight in the water. It was warm already. We had to walk a while till we reached deeper water, which was straight cooler. And there was nothing to see. A few mussels, crabs and little fishes.
After the swim we took a sun bath and relaxed again.

In the evening we had disco again in front of us. :(

14.06.2013

Today we planed to drive further finally. Next target: Monaco.
We wasted the time like always. A bit more internet usage and there a bit playing around. And I tried this strange squat toilet… well, unusual. But it has also advantages. No disgusting toilet seat, where who know who was on it before. You don’t spend, unavoidably, hours on toilet. :) It’s not so possible to make a ‚mess‘. And still it is not that uncomfortable as I thought.

It was almost 11 when we finally left the place. Quickly payed our charges. 38 Euro for 2 days. That was ok. And Inge told us then where to go. First of all to the last post office in Italy. Because Julia needed to send postcards and she had still stamps from Italy. That wouldn’t work in France anymore.
And then the surprise, Inge told us that it would be still over 400 km to the French border and the estimated arrival time would be 20:30. It was clear that we wouldn’t arrive in Monaco today anymore.

It became even worse as the streets was crowded and the estimated arrival time was calculated later and later.
Genova was really stress. Inge was leading us always through the middle of the cities… always. Through every town we had to go. But on the other hand we saw often also the sea and I think I don’t need to mention: The landscape was very beautiful.
But especially on the upper west coast is one town to another town. It’s basically just one big town there. Which also means always a speed limit of 50 km/h. Now it was clear why the estimated arrival time was so late.

In Genova we had to refill our Kangaroo again. I stopped at the first available petrol station. 1,81 Euro per Liter was written on the sign. Expensive… but I saw it a few times already in the last days. The owner came and was filling our car with 40 Euro, as told. I payed with credit card and back in the car we realized that he charged us 1,86 Euro per liter. I thought already that he was cheating us. But we got told later that in Italy they charge 5 cent extra per liter when you use service. Great.

Around 9 we started to watch out for a sleeping place. As we didn’t found anything till 10, we just drove up a hill, in the hope to find a pleasant place with view. It was ascent sharply and with sharp curves. Finally we found a small cemetery. In front was already a car parking. A small camping car … from Germany. Surprise. :)
3 guys from Garmisch had the same idea as we had. They wanted to stay here over night. We started a chat and found out that we almost have the same routing. Strange where you find people from your country which have the same idea as you have :)
We will stay here tonight and hope that nobody will shoo us.Tomorrow we will head forward to Monaco. We will see how long we will need for the last 30km and how it will be in Monaco…. at the pretty folk. :)

Best regards
Gordon

15.06.2013

Hi all together,

and I can straight continue. :)

We had a good night between our new friends and the cemetery. And nobody came to shoo us. We came good out of the bed. I think short after 8 was it. We drove before the guys, but which was already half past 10. First of all we needed a cafe, that Julia can write her postcards, to send them with the Italy stamps.

We went to the last cafe before the French border. Close to it was also a Post office. To write the cards needed also till 12. Then quickly to the post office. I could get finally some money again (again is good…) and Julia could send the postcards.
Just a kilometer further was the French border. But except of the customs office is nothing left from it. We just passed it and that’s it, we was in France now. But our target was another country, which is just a few more kilometer behind the French border: Monaco.

Here was just a small sign on the street: Monaco. That’s it. We crossed the border to this small country. I almost didn’t realized it, with this stress on the street. But it is easy to realize that you are in Monaco. The first building which I saw was a pompous casino. A curve further we was in the middle of Monaco. It is hard to describe how it looks there. I would say all is more beautiful, bigger and pompous. … And more expensive.
We drove first just through the streets. Inge had no maps and Uschi (Julias navigation system) doesn’t have POI’s and does not know parking places or anything else.

Finally we ended up in a parking house. There was even maps of the city for free. We ended up at the wrong end of the city. Well, wrong is maybe not the correct word, in a country which you can cross by walking in a few hours. Just at the end where nothing goes on. So, we walked in the right direction. It was just 2-3km to the interesting part. We passed on the way another pompous casino, several (fuckn) expensive shops, passing the harbor, in which are the yachts of the rich folk. After a cappuccino for 3,50 Euro (small one of course :) ) and an ice cream, we went back to the car.

It was around 5pm. The parking ticket was 10,40 Euro (was ok) and then back on the street in direction to St. Tropez. We found a cheap petrol station on the way and filled up the Kangaroo for 1,56 Euro per liter. In compare to the last Italy petrol station for 1,85 Euro was it really cheap.

We was following the coast – more or less – and came through Nice, Canne and some other cities on the coast. Again stress on the streets (especially Nice and Canne).
Also the technique was not working as expected. The GPS tracker on my mobile told me that it is working, but it wasn’t. Now are many points missing on the route. Also Inge was not working well today. She lost always the GPS signal.

But finally we arrived somewhere. We are now on a beach somewhere before St. Tropez. The beach is direct on the main street and the parking is during the day fee-based. But now is nobody there to charge us.
But here are still people running around. It looks like a varied mixture. Young couples looking for privacy, fathers which looks after their daughters and families with children. Plus a few bored teenagers. I am looking forward to the night.

Best wishes
Gordon

Our route (please move the map with pressed left mouse button till it fits)::

Larger map

I am sorry, but the translation takes always a lot of time. This text is mostly translated by the Google Translator. I know the translation will be not the best, but I need to save time. I hope you’ll understand it.
Cheers
Gordon

09.06.2013

Hi there,

sometime in the morning we came out of the bed. By 13 clock we had to be gone from the campsite. I once again enjoyed the beautiful shower. Then packed stuff and just looked again over the internet. To item 13 clock we went off and paid our bill. Almost 90 euros for 4 nights. With us one night when our car just stood there, was also adopted.
But we stayed for a while in the visitor parking area and have set ourselves again to the restaurant. Julia has not seen what the internet and I’ve been drinking a cappuccino.

Then we was on the road to the south. Along the Adriatic Sea. The goal was Gatteo a Mare. A small coastal town that Julia knew from before and wanted to visit again. In the meantime, however, the place has developed over the last 10 years into a tourist site. A hotel at the other. And where no hotel has space, there is a gift shop or other business with junk. We went short down to the beach. Julia was brave and is with her feet in the water. I once touched it with the hand. Is quite enjoyable. But we had no time for swimming. The water had not a good visibility. It wouldn’t be great to snorkel in it. Then we turned a lap time in the village, eaten an ice cream and left the village quickly again. The aim of the day was finally San Marino .

San Marino, a fly s*** on the map. Approx. 30km from Rimini and in the middle of Italy. It did not take long until we were there. And like it has pushed us to the mountain titanium. Here is a Giant fortress on the mountain. In this even today people live and of course also many souvenir shops, restaurants and other tourism industry is based. But authorities are also located here.

We have reached the place shortly after 7pm. It was still a little light, and so we had a quick look around. Then the search for a nice place to stay over night. We found a car park nearby (P8). Which we liked. Front view of the country and right behind us the huge city walls. Totally awesome, again :) At night also no parking fees, so we left it to chance. If nobody is telling us to go away then we were lucky again and a great place to sleep.

10.06.2013

Hi there,

we was lucky. No policeman shooed us away at the night. Julia am still concerned with regulations a parking ticket at 8 … and then we have continued to sleep. :) At 10 was the parking ticket expired and we needed a new one. Then I also got up and we started to explore the fortress / city.

First, we was in the souvenir shops. Buying Postcards of course. :) Then again run through the streets. Look here, look there, uphill, downhill. In a cathedral, we looked inside and then came a short rain shower.
At the end of the tour we visited the Museum of Torture. Real sick shit …

In between times we talked about anything and there came somehow this „Your mother“ jokes in my mind. It then came to me, „Your country is so small …“ come to mind are … this time we were constantly busy to invent „Your country is so small …“ jokes. Such as
„Your country is so small, that the tourists have to stand on the border in a waiting line.“ (San Marino has an area of ​​60 km ² and 32,000 inhabitants.)
Or
„Your country is so small, that the neighboring countries have to donate the view“ (60 km ² … from the mountain you can see more Italy than San Marino ;))

Sorry Love San Marino citizens :) But there are still more small countries (by which we are also still get through). Lichtenstein we already had, San Marino now. Come Monaco, Andorra and Gibraltar (although I’m not sure yet if that is a separate country).

After the city tour we went on towards Florence. Inge again refused the service. But it was because she had no maps of San Marino. Later she took over the leadership again and led us along country roads towards Florence. And through beautiful countryside, again. First through a valley and then back again into the mountains. I made videos of it, but I can edit only after the trip, as I have no equipment for it at the moment. Anyway, we drove on a small road through the mountains.

After a little eternity we left the mountains and came to Florence. It was now almost dark. Our goal was in the middle of downtown. Actually, even in the pedestrian zone. The museum Ufizi. Where the famous painting „The Birth of Venus „ by Sandro Botticelli is. This is a highlight of the trip, which Julia wanted to see.
I’ve just drove as Inge told me. An mistake. She led me directly to the city center of Florence. Not a good idea! Traffic-calmed zones, small mini lanes, pedestrian, darkness and no plan where to go. Pure stress factor.
And then we couldn’t find any parking space. Back again and still found no parking outside. Taken a wrong turn and we’re back in the middle. All one-way streets. No chance to escape.

After a Perceived eternity, then we have found a place in front of a hotel and get hold of a car park there. We decided to go to visit the city center by night. If we’re here already, after all the stress.
So we were still quite a large round through the city, down to the river. We passed also already the museum and knew where to go next day.
On the way back we got ourselves a pizza to go, just before the restaurant closed. Back at the car we then eat the pizza and talked a bit. After that we wanted to build and stay in the same place too actually, even if the place was in the middle of downtown – more or less.

But then Suddenly a police car came. Shortly thereafter, another team transporter. The police was just standing around. Somehow they did not seem to really know what to do. We were a little confused now, waiting and see what happens. To park there is not forbidden.
Then 2 police cars came and stopped right in front of us. And suddenly there was a squad of about 25 police officers in front of our car … and ran over and behind us into the next street side. :o … We are waiting. And Julia fall asleep in the passenger seat.
After about 20 minutes they came back and said goodbye to each other and one by one car drove off … until all were gone. What they have done we don’t know. We then built on, however, and finally went to bed around 1:30.

11/06/2013

Hi.

Unexpectedly quiet we slept in the middle of Florence. In the morning, the place was, as expected, filled with life. The bus had a stop directly in front of us and many people (most probably tourists) ran through the streets.

We joined them soon. Again through the streets we was walking yesterday night already. Today, however, in the light and with a lot more people in it.
I realized much again from the time when I was here on completion of the classroom before. Also raises a few old memories that were long disappearance.

We reached the Uffizi Gallery very quickly and had to quickly find here a huge queue in front of the the entrance. …. Like in front of almost every attraction in Italy But since we really wanted to come in here, we presented to us. The display told us that we will queue for about 2 hours. Great!
So I quickly ran again through the streets in search of a restroom and found it finally in a restaurant. Back Julia was still in the same place in line. Nothing had moved. Only every 15 minutes they let purely a few visitors in.

Then I sent Julia going on, so she could see a little of the city and I waited in line. It could still take some time.
In the end we got away with just over an hour wait. Then we went – after a security check like in the airport – finally into the Uffizi. Who does not know this … it is a huge and famous collection of paintings and statues. Photographing strictly prohibited. Each room was guarded by 1-3 guards.
Within the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. The work for which we, especially, were here. In addition, many famous paintings of Italian and International painters and all kinds of statues.
We spent in the art exhibition around 2 hours, before we were through and had seen everything.

Then we went on – more or less – a direct way back to the kangaroo. It was still there and in one piece. Good! :)
After another sweaty journey from Florence out we went on to Siena. Here is a cathedral which Julia had also visited many years ago. It is completely striped black and white.

About 18 clock we reached the small town on the west side of Italy. Again, these mini lanes, but not so crowded as in Florence … fortunately. We found a parking space right at a roundabout in the city center. But there was nothing going on. We went for a walk, to find the Cathedral already and visiting it in the evening. After 10 minutes of walking through the city, we then found it. Is indeed difficult to see such a huge cathedral. Moreover, a black and white striped. :)
Of course it was closed. From 10:30 to 19:00 it is open (for 6.50 euros). Unfortunately, we were there only 19:30. But even if we had previously been there yet, we want also still have to watch a bit of time.

So we are back through the city back to the car. We went in a supermarket (Conad) shop that was near the roundabout. It was now about 20:30, but it was still open. So we are pure and have looked here and there which added to the cart. Until eventually the man ran out of the information by the market and told everyone that she has yet ready to close the market now. We were almost through already. Just quickly wrap up drinks.
At the checkout, the cashier asked me in Italian if I want a bag (which are there not around, the cashier has it). I have not understood the same and he asked me again in English. I told him yes, two please.
Then he whispered something to the other cashier and finally came the type from the information to the conversation and chimed in with a. They were all grinning and the whispering. Julia told me later, when we were outside, they have blasphemed through us. He had to make us several times pointed out that the market does close and we still continue shopping. The cashier said that we are a little handicapped. This kind of rudeness … I have repeatedly noticed in the last few days in Italy, even without understanding what people are talking about. Sometimes it’s just rudeness, sometimes it borders on racism and sometimes both. Of course, not everyone is so, but some here.

We are then back to the car. In the parking lot we could not stay overnight. So new car park for the night. Although we had seen on the way a nice one. However, it was something outside of the city and without any Wi-Fi. We tried our luck at a McDonalds parking lot. Of which we had heard that they always have Wi-Fi for their guests. In Italy, unfortunately, not really. There was free Wi-Fi, but that was with a login. To get the data, you have to register with an Italian SIM card (mobile phone). We have not. And so there was no internet for us at McDonalds. So we then drove to the parking lot which we had previously seen.

A nice big parking lot just outside the gates of the city, coming from Florence.
There were already two campers there (from Greece). We simply placed behind it, about in the middle of the parking lot. Building up our car and Julia fall pretty soon asleep. I had to write a few lines finally about the trip. I haven’t done it for days already.
Just before I was about to go to sleep, I’ve smoked one. And just in time, the police came and placed himself under the nearest lamppost. What now? Since they do not come over, I just got back in the car, lights off and waited a few minutes. Maybe they just did just break. Eventually, I just closed my eyes and fall asleep as well.

12.06.2013

The night was not good. Because of the police I slept in full gear. Eventually I woke up because I was sweating. Back asleep and later woke up because I was freezing. I felt in the morning like a piece of…
Julia had already come rather out of bed and came back from somewhere and said „Overnight, they have set up the signs ‚campers 20 Euro‘ in the night ‚, ticket booth, and WC“. Of course they have not. Last night was it all already there. We have not seen it on the huge parking lot. Especially since it was on the other end.
I then booted again to the newly discovered outhouse. Then we have Mined and went. There are fortunately still 2 other exits without ticket booth (otherwise we would have seen it in the evening). Moreover, we are anyway not a camper, but a van. :)

Then we went back into the town center, on a parking space. And that was a cramp. Worse than in Florence. A small town with a few parking places  for to much tourists. We finally found a place in a private car park. 1.80 Euro for the hour the price was still good. When I remember of the EUR 7 per hour in Munich …

From there was it again about 15 minutes walk to the cathedral. This time, the ticket office was open and we set off immediately. The cathedral is very impressive. As I said very black and white striped. All walls. Hard to believe when you can not see (see photos below ;)). We spent about 2 hours in the cathedral. Of course, many photos. Some I’ve attached below.

After the visit to the Cathedral, it went for a coffee (and a good toilet) in a cafe and then back to the car. We wanted to continue to Castiglioncello, close to Pisa. Another place to Julia would like to attend. On the way there we drove through the beautiful Tuscany. Really (and again) a very beautiful landscape. And I wondered how hilly / mountainous Europe. Until now, anyway. Almost every day we drive up and down mountains. And usually with a beautiful landscape.

We then arrived right early in Castiglioncello. We went to first parking lot and went straight to the beach. He looked a little … concreted over and over. Hardly you can find beach, lots of concrete. But not so much hotels as in Gatteo a Mare. It is also only a small village by the sea. To sleep we found nothing and unfortunately reminded us that we didn’t had a shower since Venice. So I asked Inge for nearby campsites. (As an Inge is worth real gold!) 7 km away she was showing me in an area equal to 4 at one place. So we went off.

  The first ran. 8 EUR per person and a car for 6 euros. Would then 24 together. But first we had a look at the campsite. Situated on the seafront. Once we have looked at the place. Looked good. Directly behind the beach. WiFi was also available. So back and booked directly … until the lady said the price of 32 euros. Why this now? Since we would sleep in the car, the car would count as caravans. Hmm … that was not the plan and not in our budget. So we are to the next, here’s the same game. Then, the 3rd. A bit into the country side, not directly on the beach. This effectively. Here we have really paid together only 18 euros. And except beach was also all there. Toilets, showers and free Wi-Fi. This, however, only near the bar. But just what was free.

We liked the campsite also very much. A bit in the trees (even squirrels jumping around here). We have the feeling to have landed here a bit at a hippie place. But totally cool. When we asked when we need to be off the next day and the long-haired young man at the reception said ‚actually at 10, but there is just nothing going on … does matter. And if you leave in the afternoon, it does not matter. ‚… Take it easy :)

The only thing that bothers us here is the bar. In the evening is apparently disco doing here … and we are right next to it … But otherwise great visit here :) Our next campsite. Tomorrow we may continue to Genova or we stay here. We’ll see.

Greetings
Gordon

Our route (hold the left mouse button to move the map a bit to the right):

Größere Kartenansicht

03.06.2013

Hi together,

as expected was the view in the morning great. :) Like every morning, till now, when we slept in the car.
The sun was already above the mountains and was shining in the valley. Anyway we was early this morning, as long sleeper. It was still before 9, when we left our bed. After a short washing, we packed our stuff and went back on the street. It wasn’t far anymore till Bassano del Grappa, our target.

Inge (our navigation system) wasn’t in mood to work this morning. She wasn’t able to find satellites (I shouldn’t have said so many nice words to her). So I had to drive by signs. Luckily was Bassano already on it.
And the landscape was even more beautiful then the day before. The last end, before the Alps end, you drive through gorges… just amazing. If you ever drive from Austria to Italy… take the Brenner street, not the highway. It takes more time, but is much more beautiful.

A few kilometers later was Inge ready to work again and was leading us to Semonzo. A small town near Bassano del Grappa. This is the place where all the paraglider come to. Julia wanted to stay here for a few days, to see the place and the surrounding. She wanted to make a part of her paragliding course as well here, but unfortunately she didn’t managed to get all flights together, to make the course. So, she had to stay on the ground.

But she wanted to have a look anyway. So we went, after a small stop at the tourist information and a small supermarket, direct on the mountain. From 0 to a height of 900 meters in 15 curves. And this curves are nothing for softies :) Partly 180 degrees. I think that is even to much for biker to have fun. The Kangoo also didn’t liked the 3rd gear anymore. We drove up the hill with 30hm/h in the 2nd gear. Slowly slowly. :)
But the view up there made us forget everything. On half of the hill (the Mt. Grappa itself is around 1700 meter high) is a small restaurant with a bigger parking space. We stopped and enjoyed the view from there. I am sure you can see half of north Italy on a day with clear air. Today was it not soo clear, but still great. Even Venice is visible from here, and it is around 70km further.

Direct at the restaurant parking space is a ramp for hang-glider. The meadows for the paragliding was a bit more down and up the hill. On this mountain are several places for both sports. Seems like it is very popular for para- and hang-gliding.

The search for Julias people was a bit complicated. On the place where we was, they wasn’t. An other participant said that they are just down for lunch and they will come back later. So, we was waiting there and watched the other guys and enjoyed more the landscape. But as they wasn’t back at 3, we guessed that they are maybe on another place. So, we checked another place further up the hill, which is for beginner. And there they was. Julia started to chat with them and I used the time to make some pictures of the landscape and the nature.

We’ve decided to stay on the mountain over night. On the restaurant was a parking space and in the night is there nobody. So we went back to the parking. Julia was building again on the car and became mad from the short term rains in between. I wasn’t feeling very well that afternoon and I took a nap. My hayfever is here also back… great! :( After the nap I felt better again.

After the night came and it became dark on the mountain, we could enjoy again the view. But a different this time. Everything was dark up there and in front of us we could see a star sky on the ground, below us. The lights of the houses and streets look from up there like a second star sky. If you ever come to this place to camp. Go up on the mountain and sleep one night there. It is amazing.

After we went to bed. Early this day… around 10. But it was good to relax a bit.

Best regards from Italy:)
Gordon

04.06.2013

Hi again.

Sleeping long was good :) I woke up sweating around 9. On the evening before the temperature went down to 13 degrees. But as soon as the sun was shining on the car it went up straight to 24 degrees in it. I guess I was never so quick out of my bed in the last days. Julia did got got disturbed by it so quickly.

But it was good, because a bit later the first pilots arrived and was parking next to us. The first morning chats started (Julia from the bed).
Then also hang-glider came this morning to fly. It was interesting also to see this kind. But it looks very complicated with all the stuff and building the glider.Paragliding is much easier. You just need your parashoot and the backpack and that’s it. But even there a beginner equipment cost around 3000 Euro. Also an expensive hobby. But I think it is fun anyway :)

Today I had finally the chance to try the solar panel.The solar panel on the big tank and then in the great morning sun. After approx. 2,5 hours was the battery tank full (from 50%). That looked good. That the solar panel does not charge the battery (88Wh) in one hour is clear. But 2,5 hours for half a charge, is ok.

The rest of the day we was just relaxing. One day doing nothing. The restaurant was open from the noon and I had the chance to finally get a coffee… sorry, Cappuccino. And we got the WLAN key from the restaurant WIFI :) I need it to go online from time to time… for example to write here in my blog ;) or to check Couchsurfing or to check the weather forecast or to check my bank account or or or… :)

In the evening we relocated the car direct on the restaurant parking. As we are customers now :) From here we had a direct view, from the front window, from the cliff on the plain in front of us. That was even more great… to lie in the bed and look straight on the lights in the plain.

05.06.2013

Also this day was very quite today. We got up somewhen very slowly. The first pilots came also slowly on the mountain. The weather wasn’t that great this morning. Cloudy and a bit raining partly.
For us it didn’t matter. We was in use to shit weather already and we didn’t wanted to fly. Luckily it became better at the end of the morning and the pilots could start.

We was checking in the internet where we could park in Venice, talked a bit with the people and I made pictures. :)

We decided finally to stay on a camping place in Venice (mainland) and then having a look what we can do from there. There is really a camping place in Venice. That was our target. But before we passed by the hotel ‚Garden Relais‘, where all the pilots stay. We hoped to get some warm food, a shower and toilet there.

So we went straight there. Direct next to the hotel was the landing field for the paragliding. That’s why it was the favorite hotel for the pilots. The food was tasty, even we couldn’t order half of the menu. The kitchen was already half closed (at 2pm.). I’ve ordered noodles and got Gnocchi. Was very jummy, but for 8,50 Euro was it a very small portion. I didn’t got full at all, but at least the first hunger was gone.
And after I enjoyed the nice and clean toilet (sounds strange maybe, but in Italy they have usually the squat toilets… and public toilets are usually not really clean… then you’re happy about a usual and clean toilet). :)

And then, after a quick chat with Julias fly-school people, we went back on the street… direction Venice.

Inge has the option to give the drive a selection of several routes. She was showing me 3 different options. I was choosing this time another then the preselected one.It was an interesting decision. Because with this route Inge was leading us just a few kilometers later on field roads. I was thinking already that Inge is going mad. But I followed her instructions (couldn’t do anything else). At least we saw the nowhere of Italy. More in the middle of nowhere was not possible anymore :) We even had to drive through a (small) river. (I have it partly on video.)
But the Kangaroo managed everything very well.
Some when we came back on a normal road. We just ended up in the rush hour traffic. It was very busy and we needed again more time then Inge estimated.We also had to stop for the 5. petrol refill. It seems like in Italy is every petrol station doing their own prices. Even they belong to the same company. The best is to check a few petrol station to get a price range and then choosing a cheap on. We saw a range from 1,60 to 1,80 Euro in a circle of around 20 km. We got a petrol station with 1,70 (the 1,60 we saw first later).

And then we drove in direction to Venice… sometimes faster, sometimes slower. But Inge told us the way. And then we arrived in Venice.
Very strange to drive there. For most of the people (incl. me till a few days ago) is Venice just the island, with all the canals and no cars. But this is just a part of it. Venice is also on the main land. And this most of the people don’t know.
A few minutes later we was standing on the camping place. I almost missed it. It is in a dead end road, which starts in a roundabout and just a sign is mention it. But we saw it and found the camping place ‚Venezia‘.

And we was lucky. The check in is closing at 8 pm. We arrived 5 minutes before 8. Lucky us. 28 Euro per night for 2 people and a car (good that we sleep in the car). Wlan for 2 Euro per 24 hours. The washing rooms are clean and new (shower, toilet (normal ones ;) ) and sinks). There is even a washing machine and a room to wash the dishes.
After a short visit at LIDL (800 meter around the corner), we prepared our bed and got straight in.

It was Julias first night on a camping place ;)

See you
Gordon :)

Our current route:

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