Ciao miei amici

Our return to Sardinia has been everything we hoped for and more!

We arrived soooooo tired after nearly 38 travel time with layovers in HK and Paris.
So getting to the Hotel Grand MaMa was exciting. We met Phoebe ( our young friend from when she was at Kindy with Pete) who had traveled from London with Chris and Yves and was well rested compared to us.
We had a big freshen up and headed to the hotel bar for my first Aperol Spritz. Oh they do taste different in Italy.

Dinner was in the hotel dining room a rather swish room with lots of sparkly lights. ( Not always in good taste but so very Italian!) We had lots of catch up with Francesco our guide from last year, Chris our very generous host and chief organizer for this year, Chris’ brother Ben who arrived from
the US with his friend Dan ( a very funny guy who makes sets and toys in the US). Also Phoebe, Francesco the guide, Vittoria the assistant guide and Yves who is a swim trek guide and will swim the channel with them. He is the most experienced one, as he has swum the English Channel!

It’s going to be a blast! The laughs are coming quick and fast and “not so straight Chris” has not arrived from London yet.

Off to bed for a well deserved rest!

Well it’s happening. We’re going back. Sardinia here we come.

After booking, considering cancelling, changing dates, discussing, replanning – its back on. This time two weeks.

The trip is the mastermind of Chris Masek – form London. He is celebrating his 50th this year and part of his celebration is to swim Corsica to Sardinia.  He asked us along last year. and Steve is more than keen to do it. Despite the setbacks we are off. His new knee is behaving and he has been training hard.

Lovely Phoebe Rouse is meeting us there – travelling over with the two Chris’. We asked her to come along, to keep me company and provide some female companionship. She started swimming in london and no doubt will be faster than me already! But what does it matter. It will be great fun.

Chris has organised all the details – from the coast, guides, coast guard, licence, medical support and has booked the hotel (which he tells us know he has paid for!)

We leave on Saturday and fly Cathay to HongKong. Then Air France to Paris – then Air Italia to Olbia, bus to the port, then ferry to La Maddalena. Quite a trip (made easier with business class!) but it will be great to get there and relax. Its been a tough 6 months for everyone. Just wish Rob and Jordan were with us.

I am having to learn Italian!

I keep going back!

This time to watch Rob play in the Australian Under 20’s World Junior Men’s.
What a champion!

We flew to Roma and then onto Naples. I was nervous about the apartment I had booked. Also about sharing it with peter and Elizabeth McGregor. They are Sam’s parents and we met them once at a game and decided to share!

As it turned out it was magnificent.
They were such fun and we had a great week.

The apartment was on Corso Vittorio Emmanuale. Top floor – so about 90 steps, so we could stay in shape! It was a short walk to the train station – then about 4 tops and a short walk to the pool. ALl this worked well as we went to the pool  every second day.
Other days we spent exploring.

Highlights of the trip:

* amazing views from the apartment towards Mt Versuvius
* big rooms in the apartment
* heat, heat and more heat
* Showering outdoors on the roof terrace
* watching rob play so well
* meeting the other parents. Especially “My fleshy little peach – Janet Flazon.
* Taking the fast ferry to Positano and our great lunch at Chez Black
* going up on the vernicular
* finding a beautiful restaurant
* dinner with the other parents
* last night party on our roof top

Last day train back to Roma and having our last dinner with Peter and Elizabeth.

My lovely sister Catherine was planning a visit to her beautiful daughter Clare and asked if I’d like to come along. Well I didn’t need to e asked twice!

We started planning! Agreed on a week in rome and a week at Positano on the Amalfi coast.

About two weeks before we left we decided we couldn’t go without Helen so Catherine booked another ticket. SURPRISE!

So we flew out on sept 19th – the same day as last year!

Arrived in Rome in the early morning and made our way to Via G.
Apartment wasn’t great so arranged another one and it was good. Though Catherine and I had to share a bed. Clare had a bed and Helen had a fold out! But it was cute and convenient .

Had the best week in Rome. Memories include:
* seeing Clare arrive in Rome. Striding down the street backpack strapped to her back
* catching the bus to Trastevere.
* exploring St Peter’s
* the Catacombs!
* eating at the strega cafe
* shopping and buying great shoes
* amazing food
* throwing coins in the fountain Left arm over right shoulder
* wandering the Borghese gardens

Then off to Positano by train, circumsurviano then the local bus. Quite and expedition.
The apartment was great. two bedrooms, where again Catherine and I shared a bed.
beautiful sea green tiles on the floors, magnificent views across the blue waters, pink bouganvillia, and Chez Black where we had coffee each morning.

Highlights of the week:
* Meeting John and Bernie on the bus to Pompei.
* meeting up with them other days and having lots of fun.
* going to capri. Helen being hung over after too many cocktails – namely “sex on the beach”
* rain!
* no ferries out of Positano
* bus to Amalfi and up to Ravenna. Gorgeous views
* exploring Sorrento
* dinner out and more amazing dinner in cooked by Clare.

Then off to London where once again Catherine and I shared a fold out lounge! Now that was close. even had to turn over at the same time! We stayed with Clare and Shaun in a little flat in Bayswater.

highlights of the week:
* Opera at Albert Hall
* lovely long walks
* exploring the markets, Notting Hill and other antique markets
* sharing time with Clare
* art galleries
* walking the streets

2001 – Italy with Ginetta, Wendy, Lynne, Maria Mark and myself.

We started our trip in Rome. Ginetta, Wendy and myself flew out through Singapore and arrived in Rome in the early morning. We met Maria and Mark at the hotel, quite near the station.

Discovered Rome – the main sites and I even threw a coin over my right shoulder into the Trevi fountain – hoping to come back!
We had a super dinner and Wendy went to sleep!

Next day left for our first stop..Chuisi.
We had a great house with 4 bedrooms. I shared with Lynne. Wendy, Ginetta and Maria and Mark had the other three. We explore the area over the next 7 days.
Montelcino, Montelpulicano, Florence, Sienna, and lots of little villages.

Then off to Venice for three nights. Bellissimo.

We took the train to Milan and changed for Largo di Como. we stayed at the Hotel Victoria at Varenna. Very lovely too. Great walks, food , drinks (including the pink gin!)

From there we travelled back to Milano and onto the Cinque Terre. we actually missed the stop at Monterosso! Then we climbed to our hotel – the Convento di Cappicino. A really special place. Lots of italian speaking and great food. Explored the 5 villages. we walked some, boated along the coast, caught the train and generally had a great time.

At the end of a great week it was back to Milan, where Steve arrived to start the next part of our journey. Wend and Ginetta headed off to France to her sisters place in Vaison La Romaine. Maria and Mark headed to America.

Steve and I flew to Berlin via London! After nearly 24hrs in Milan airport due to a plane crash , which they thought at first was a bomb.

We had 4 nights in Berlin and did a wonderful walking tour, explored checkpoint Charlie, went to Potsdamm, did lots of walking and enjoyed the area.

Then it a train to Dresdan for the day, then Vienna. Oh sigh what a place.

Then the train to Prague and Chesky Kromlov.

Back to Prague before flying to Istanbul. Amazing city.

Altogether a great holiday.

Moustiers – note the star suspended above the town

We decided to head off to the Gorges of Verdon and in two cars with 3 bikes on board set off to Moustiers our first village stop about 45 mins drive away. It’s a beautiful little village with an enormous 12 point star suspended above the village.

After a wander around the village we started the climb up a winding road to look down into the gorge and it was spectacular. We reached Palud and the cyclists took off on their ride along the high road 
along the gorge and we started to drive it, stopping frequently to gasp at the view.

We met John, Lin and Andy for a picnic lunch, before they finished the downhill part of the ride and we drove back via the lake. Quite spectacular .

Steve once again stripped off his shirt to wave the riders in! Lin pretended to be a Tour rider and waved him away.

Back home for a last wander through the streets of Cotignac.

John and Steve debriefing outside the Modern Bar

The McNaughts, Brannocks and Maitlands relaxing on the Terrace

I’ve swam in  the Mediterranean, now I’ve cycled the Tour de France route! Well part of it.

We drove to Carces about half an hour away (John, Lin and Andy cycled all the way there!) Then we hired bikes and headed for the lake. We rode along beside the lake on a part of the road the Tour followed! So officially I have ridden the route for about 2 km.It was a gorgeous day and the lake was reflective green and still and it was so peaceful once we got onto the bike track.

We finished as all cyclists do with a cafe latte and headed back to Cotignac for lunch before a big afternoon storm hit. It rained and thundered and lightening struck and it was so good to be safe in this
beautiful house.

By 4 it was fine enough to head off to The Modern Bar (its not very modern at all but has a TV) to watch the Tour; and with John and Andy our resident cycling experts giving us guidance we were able to follow the race tactics and tried to understand what was going on. I miss the SBS coverage.

Hugh and Sue McKay with us in Cassis

After listening to the end of the movie last night- lots of music echoing throughout the town from the outdoor theatre movie night, followed by children’s voices and parents chattering on their way home – I got to sleep very late. Then this morning it was all soft light and birds.

After breakfast and coffee we headed off to meet Hugh and Sue McKay in Cassis. It took about an hour and a bit………. and is a beautiful little seaside town. We overshot the exit from the freeway but it turned out just great because we were able to enter Cassis by the coast road with spectacular views. 

A quick look in the markets (similar to Cotignac) and we met on time in front of the port. A lovely lunch later and a glass or two of Rosé and all was good! Had a lovely chat and catch up and back to Cotignac as the rain storm started.

Having tea and a little bit of nougat (John’s special ) – yum!







Sent from my iPad

Sent from my iPad

Early morning stirrings from the Marie woke us – gently. Sweeping, chatting, a dog barking, kids playing. Lovely village sounds. Steve’s job was to go for the fresh bread and we had an early breakfast before setting off for the markets. It’s so different in the village in summer compared to last November when I was last here. Then it was cold and quiet and though the markets were on then they were fairly small. This time they were all action. Bright colourful, full of stalls selling everything from delicious food to bright straw hats, beads, belts, scarves, clothes, flowers, tableware…… and so it went. I had my shopping bag and Margaret and I quickly went to the linen clothes stall. Some lovely things – and I bought a pair of linen pants and a white dress. Could have gone mad but held back. We got our coffee and watched the world go by while John and Margaret visited the local doctor to check on John’s injured leg. He pulled something in his leg the night of the Bastille Day pasta party – jumping up a step! This of course has made him a little crazy!

We returned to the house with provisions and packed up a picnic and headed to Tour Tour to meet up with Andy and Lin who had ridden off in 32′ heat . It’s a lovely drive there and once again quite different in summer. The villages we passed through were lively and decorated with posters advertising fairs and balls, feasts, movies, theatre and of course markets.

Tour Tour is a lovely town we visited last November and well worth visiting for a picnic under the trees at the top of the hill. We arrived just before our cyclist friends and Steve greeted them in true Tour de France fashion by taking off his shirt waving it the air and running alongside them as they came up the final hill.

We chilled out for a while before heading back to Cotignac to watch the final stages of theTour – in time to see Costa lead and manage to take the yellow jersey for the day.

Home again for rests and listening to the sounds from the Marie before enjoying a dinner out at La Clos de Van – where the chef Stefan is married to a lovely girl from Warchope near Port Macquarie! We met her the other night at the town’s pasta party. The restaurant is a few km out of the village set in a vineyard and serves the most delicious meals. We had lots of laughs concluding with a limoncello and a visit from Stefan who despite being French has a lovely Australian accent.

Home to bed but not before one more limoncello!

Hotel de Ville – our house is to the left.

Runners at the end of the race: note wine bottles!

 We left Lerici around 8.30 and made it to Cotignac in Provence around 3pm just before the village roads closed for the Bastille Day fun run and then evening celebrations. The Brannock’s house is just as lovely as I remember and we have the big guest bedroom and its fantastic. Overlooks the Place de Marie and  Hotel de Ville.
 We went straight to one of the bars to watch the Tour de France.

Around 7 we went back to the village to watch the fun runners come in and they were very sweaty looking. It was a little different to our fun runs. It ended through a narrow passage so they had to pass the wine table where every runner received a bottle of red wine. Then it was off to the food table. No oranges and water for these runners! They had coke, wine, juice, watermelon, gingerbread slices, butter cake, cherries – and of course a second glass of wine if needed. They stood around after the race patting each other on the back and toasting their success.

We then moved onto the town pasta party. We had bought our tickets to the feast and were placed on the P&F table by Suzanna who manages the Brannock’s house. On either side if us were Christina and Bents from Norway, and Maria and Arturo and their 13 year old son fom Marseilles. Both couples were delightful and we had a great night

Fun on Bastille night

The singing if the French National Anthem was stirring and the fireworks stupendous! There were no obvious safety precautions or barriers between the crowd and the fireworks .
They were just slightly out of alignment and the ones shooting left were hitting the eaves of the nearby house and it nearly caught alight!
It was all very French and we loved it.
John sprinted off the greet some others fiends arriving to stay and then we arrived home after midnight (the party was really only just starting) to find poor John on the bed with an icepack. He had strained something in his leg and was in quite a lot of pain.

Off to bed in a very comfortable bed but not before Steve had broken 3 glasses and a plate! It was an accident but don’t ask how. Hope we get invited back.