This photo was from the Queens Head Hotel in Berwick-on-Tweed which was our last overnighter before we headed back to Newcastle. When I read it I am afraid my imagination went a bit wild:
Monday 30 June 2014
Photos - Northumberland Coastal Path walk (4)
A cope of miscellaneous pictures from the walk. The first one was taken at The Old Vicarage which was the B & B we stayed in at Belford. The owner and his wife restored the building and had kept it as original as possible consistent with modern ides of comfort. In the guest bathroom they had kept the old cast-iron bath complete with its fittings and I couldn't resist capturing it on digital film. I especially like the plug mechanism:
This photo was from the Queens Head Hotel in Berwick-on-Tweed which was our last overnighter before we headed back to Newcastle. When I read it I am afraid my imagination went a bit wild:
This photo was from the Queens Head Hotel in Berwick-on-Tweed which was our last overnighter before we headed back to Newcastle. When I read it I am afraid my imagination went a bit wild:
Sunday 29 June 2014
Photos - Northumberland Coastal Path walk (3)
After Seahouses our route took us to Belford via Bamburgh but on this occasion it was a cold, miserable, wet day so we had a day off and took a bus to Bamburgh. Bamburgh Castle would have made a great shot on a better day but not on this day. After a coffee and a look at the Grace Darling Museum we hopped onto another bus to Belford.
The next photo opportunity of any merit was near the end of our last day's walk into Berwick-on-Tweed when I took a couple of shots across the Tweed estuary towards the town:
In this one the well-preserved town wall is visible along the river bank. After checking into our hotel we took a walk along a significant part of it.
This one is looking upriver over the bridges, of which there are three visible:
The next photo opportunity of any merit was near the end of our last day's walk into Berwick-on-Tweed when I took a couple of shots across the Tweed estuary towards the town:
In this one the well-preserved town wall is visible along the river bank. After checking into our hotel we took a walk along a significant part of it.
This one is looking upriver over the bridges, of which there are three visible:
- The old road bridge, closest, which leads directly into the old part of the town.
- The railway bridge
- The new(er) road bridge into the top of the town
Saturday 28 June 2014
Photos - Northumberland Coastal Path walk (2)
On the second day, walking from Walkworth to Craster, the weather was much the same as the first - fine but lots of sea mist. I only took one photo:
A picture of a 'bird' - cunningly made of scrap metal by some enterprising artist. The photo also shows why I didn't take more pics - the sea mist which hung around all day.
After Craster we walked to Seahouses further up the coast. On the way we passed (the ruins of) Dunstanburgh Castle which looked magnificent on its clifftop position:
The right-hand side of the castle, as shown in this photograph, runs along the top of quite a steep cliff. Our path took us nearly to the castle and down around the left-hand side.
After Craster we walked to Seahouses further up the coast. On the way we passed (the ruins of) Dunstanburgh Castle which looked magnificent on its clifftop position:
Renovator's Delight!
Friday 27 June 2014
Photos - Northumberland Coastal Path walk (1)
At the start of the walk we overnighted firstly at 'The Plough Inn' at Ellington, having got there from Newcastle by bus and taxi. As we were setting out on the first leg of the first day, from Ellington to Cresswell, I took this photo of the pub:
Being Northumberland and late Spring, the trees are still not 'leafed up'.
The end of our first day's walk was Warkworth. I didn't take any more pictures along the way because it was a fairly overcast day with lots of light sea mist so not much in the way of sights until we got near Warkworth. This picture is looking over the river estuary towards the town and the castle:
After checking into our B & B and cleaning up we went down into the town for a walk. One of the things we saw was the old town bridge and gate at the Northern end of the town:
The bridge is no longer used for road traffic but you can walk over it.
The end of our first day's walk was Warkworth. I didn't take any more pictures along the way because it was a fairly overcast day with lots of light sea mist so not much in the way of sights until we got near Warkworth. This picture is looking over the river estuary towards the town and the castle:
After checking into our B & B and cleaning up we went down into the town for a walk. One of the things we saw was the old town bridge and gate at the Northern end of the town:
The bridge is no longer used for road traffic but you can walk over it.
Thursday 26 June 2014
Photos - UK(1)
When we got to Newcastle we stayed in a hotel near the Newcastle United Football Club Stadium. A lot of development work is going on in the area and mos of it seems to be large apartment buildings as student accommodation. Here are a couple of pictures taken from our hotel window:
Here is a picture of our hotel - well not really, this is a gateway in the old town wall not far from our hotel. The town wall protected the city for quite a long time:
We walked across the Millenium Bridge and then stayed to watch it open. They open it to let boats pass underneath at certain times of day.
This is a sculpture made from blacksmith type detritus which is down on the river bank not far from the Millenium Bridge.
Here is a picture of our hotel - well not really, this is a gateway in the old town wall not far from our hotel. The town wall protected the city for quite a long time:
This is a sculpture made from blacksmith type detritus which is down on the river bank not far from the Millenium Bridge.
Wednesday 11 June 2014
Last leg(s)
I forgot to mention that last night I had Gnocchi with a meat and truffles sauce. That was a Primi Piatti and I followed it up with a cheesecake Dolce. Couldn't finish the Dolce though - too much.
Today I had a lateish breakfast and then just hung around the room after making sure everything was packed and ready to go. Watched an episode of Smallville on the box - dubbed into Italian of course. For some reason the Italians have never gotten the idea of subtitling to preserve the original sounds and emotions and prefer to dub everything. It's probably some deal that was done because Uncle so-and-so had a son who was taking acting lessons and needed a job, or some such. (Nepotism? Italy? never!)
The procedure at Florence airport is like lots of others: get on a bus, wait in the sun, get taken to the plane, get on the plane, wait while the rest of the passengers arrive on the bus. The travellers don't seem to have woken up to the idea that, rushing to be first on the bus is the worst possible strategy. Even if there is only one bus load, by waiting until last you minimize the time you spend waiting in the heat - simples, Tchk!
Anyway, straightforward flight to Amsterdam and then a looong walk to my departure gate. This time, I decided to play the 'I am stupid' card and went to the early queue as soon as premium boarders were called. The hostess didn't bat an eyelid and I was through and on along with the other people who had no right to be boarding early.
Unfortunately, at Heathrow, I had to 'enter' the UK as my baggage was only checked as far as London. Fortunately there were no hassles. Then through the usual hassles of checkin, security, etc.
Since it was fairly early and my flight wasn't due to depart until 9:30pm I decided to have a light meal at the Bridge bar. Getting through a couple or three glasses of red* I was able to make that last until about 8:40pm when I headed for the gate lounge. There wasn't much time to wait enforce the flight was called and also not a full 'load' of people, probably due to the fact that it is winter down under.
*i was also playing the 'I have claimed this table' game. Places like the Bridge bar depend on getting a lot of throughput and most people are in for a meal, eat it quickly, and then out again. So someone who lingers at a table is, potentially, doing them out of some business. I figured that if I could just spend enough over the 2 and 3/4 hours I was there then I was justifying my claim to the table.
On the Airbus A380 the seat next to mine was vacant but the seat between us was empty. The 'window' guy was a Pakastani born in Karachi whose family live in Dubai. He is going back for a few days holiday and to attend a family wedding. Apparently there are even more empty seats further back as he has taken his things and moved. All the more room for me ;-)
Choice of meal on the flight was either a chicken curry or a lamb stew of some sort so I code the chicken. Managed to get perhaps 3 - 3.5 hours sleep before Dubai.
Dubai airport was, as usual, glittering and gleaming. I went looking through all of the shops to see if I could find a pharmacy to buy some paracetamol for the stinking headache I had developed but nothing so useful to be found. Just lots of shops catering to the ADHD culture of our times (ooh - bright, shiny). That and the people with HLC (headless chook) syndrome who wander around aimlessly and don't give a sh*t about getting in anyone's way.
I thought that I had figured out that if I bought a bottle of water in the airport then I would be able to take it to the gate lounge. Yeah, right! Sorry sir, you cannot take water through. And once in the gate lounge there is nowhere to get a drink of water. This is just like Bangkok airport and just as stupid. I am sure that would be terrorists could figure out 99 ways to take chemical mixtures through security so that they just need to add water later. It makes a mockery out of security/anti-terrorism risk management. Oh, and they were also taking water off people coming off the plane. Mutter, mutter.
Back on board the plane I settled in for the next exciting 13+hours on the way to Sydney. Along the way there was another meal offering of either Chicken curry, or Macaroni cheese. I had decided to have the curry again but, of course, they had run out by the time they got to me so it was Macaroni cheese. Well the salad was ok, and the dessert mousse was ok but I could only eat one forkful of the Mac cheese. I said to the steward afterwards that, after having Italian food twice a day for a month, the Mac cheese didn't live up to expectations, and he saw the point. Managed to get some sleep in 1-hour or so bursts but I was very glad when they served breakfast, signifying that we were not too far away.
On arrival I had to go through the quarantine check for my carvings but got through with no issues as they did not have any bark attached. With bark attached would have been either pay a $100 processing fee or they go into the bin.
Dominic was waiting as I walked out into the arrivals area so we quickly got to the car and started home. Dominic was going to the company office at St Leonard's so he drove there and I took over to drive myself home. Reminder to Dominic: heading back down to Brook Street does not give you access to the freeway, except to the city. I had to do some seat-of-pants navigation, in the dark, to eventually end up in Chatswood's main street from where it is a easy navigate to home. I should probably have stuck to my original plan to head for the Pacific Highway.
Anyway, home now and mostly unpacked. Still have to sort out all of my maps and paperwork etc, and knock up Air France for a refund of bus ticket and train fare to get from Bologna to Florence.
Today I had a lateish breakfast and then just hung around the room after making sure everything was packed and ready to go. Watched an episode of Smallville on the box - dubbed into Italian of course. For some reason the Italians have never gotten the idea of subtitling to preserve the original sounds and emotions and prefer to dub everything. It's probably some deal that was done because Uncle so-and-so had a son who was taking acting lessons and needed a job, or some such. (Nepotism? Italy? never!)
The procedure at Florence airport is like lots of others: get on a bus, wait in the sun, get taken to the plane, get on the plane, wait while the rest of the passengers arrive on the bus. The travellers don't seem to have woken up to the idea that, rushing to be first on the bus is the worst possible strategy. Even if there is only one bus load, by waiting until last you minimize the time you spend waiting in the heat - simples, Tchk!
Anyway, straightforward flight to Amsterdam and then a looong walk to my departure gate. This time, I decided to play the 'I am stupid' card and went to the early queue as soon as premium boarders were called. The hostess didn't bat an eyelid and I was through and on along with the other people who had no right to be boarding early.
Unfortunately, at Heathrow, I had to 'enter' the UK as my baggage was only checked as far as London. Fortunately there were no hassles. Then through the usual hassles of checkin, security, etc.
Since it was fairly early and my flight wasn't due to depart until 9:30pm I decided to have a light meal at the Bridge bar. Getting through a couple or three glasses of red* I was able to make that last until about 8:40pm when I headed for the gate lounge. There wasn't much time to wait enforce the flight was called and also not a full 'load' of people, probably due to the fact that it is winter down under.
*i was also playing the 'I have claimed this table' game. Places like the Bridge bar depend on getting a lot of throughput and most people are in for a meal, eat it quickly, and then out again. So someone who lingers at a table is, potentially, doing them out of some business. I figured that if I could just spend enough over the 2 and 3/4 hours I was there then I was justifying my claim to the table.
On the Airbus A380 the seat next to mine was vacant but the seat between us was empty. The 'window' guy was a Pakastani born in Karachi whose family live in Dubai. He is going back for a few days holiday and to attend a family wedding. Apparently there are even more empty seats further back as he has taken his things and moved. All the more room for me ;-)
Choice of meal on the flight was either a chicken curry or a lamb stew of some sort so I code the chicken. Managed to get perhaps 3 - 3.5 hours sleep before Dubai.
Dubai airport was, as usual, glittering and gleaming. I went looking through all of the shops to see if I could find a pharmacy to buy some paracetamol for the stinking headache I had developed but nothing so useful to be found. Just lots of shops catering to the ADHD culture of our times (ooh - bright, shiny). That and the people with HLC (headless chook) syndrome who wander around aimlessly and don't give a sh*t about getting in anyone's way.
I thought that I had figured out that if I bought a bottle of water in the airport then I would be able to take it to the gate lounge. Yeah, right! Sorry sir, you cannot take water through. And once in the gate lounge there is nowhere to get a drink of water. This is just like Bangkok airport and just as stupid. I am sure that would be terrorists could figure out 99 ways to take chemical mixtures through security so that they just need to add water later. It makes a mockery out of security/anti-terrorism risk management. Oh, and they were also taking water off people coming off the plane. Mutter, mutter.
Back on board the plane I settled in for the next exciting 13+hours on the way to Sydney. Along the way there was another meal offering of either Chicken curry, or Macaroni cheese. I had decided to have the curry again but, of course, they had run out by the time they got to me so it was Macaroni cheese. Well the salad was ok, and the dessert mousse was ok but I could only eat one forkful of the Mac cheese. I said to the steward afterwards that, after having Italian food twice a day for a month, the Mac cheese didn't live up to expectations, and he saw the point. Managed to get some sleep in 1-hour or so bursts but I was very glad when they served breakfast, signifying that we were not too far away.
On arrival I had to go through the quarantine check for my carvings but got through with no issues as they did not have any bark attached. With bark attached would have been either pay a $100 processing fee or they go into the bin.
Dominic was waiting as I walked out into the arrivals area so we quickly got to the car and started home. Dominic was going to the company office at St Leonard's so he drove there and I took over to drive myself home. Reminder to Dominic: heading back down to Brook Street does not give you access to the freeway, except to the city. I had to do some seat-of-pants navigation, in the dark, to eventually end up in Chatswood's main street from where it is a easy navigate to home. I should probably have stuck to my original plan to head for the Pacific Highway.
Anyway, home now and mostly unpacked. Still have to sort out all of my maps and paperwork etc, and knock up Air France for a refund of bus ticket and train fare to get from Bologna to Florence.
Sunday 8 June 2014
Florence, end phase, day 2
Last night Garth and I started out at about 6:30pm to go to Caffe Amerini on Via Della Vigna Nuova for aperetivo before dinner. We each had a Spritz and a couple of the provided nibbles before carrying on over the Ponte Santa Trinita to our chosen restaurant.
We had already decided on a main course of Bistecca alla Fiorentina shared, as it is a humongous T-bone steak and certainly too big for me on my own. It was delicious and lived up to expectations (is that a correct expression for dead meat?). Afterwards Garth had the biscotti and sweet wine dessert which made his eyes light up.
This morning we had a slightly later breakfast as the only place that we needed to be was at Enrica's place to pick up my wood carvings from her daughter, Angelica, at 10am. Leaving the hotel at 9am we had an easy stroll and reached the place by 9:20am so just sat and relaxed for a while. I checked out the nearby Conad store to see if I could get more Soothers but couldn't find any. Fashionably early at 9:45am I rang the apartment doorbell and we were let in and able to collect the wood carvings.
We chose a different way back going by way of The Duomo and then through back streets to Piazza Santa Maria Novella. On reaching there we found a place for a coffee before heading back to the hotel.
We wandered down near to the Ponte Santa Trinita for lunch which was a shared pizza. Neither of us wanted much as it was so hot and also Garth was also due to fly to Paris in the arvo. At 2ish Garth was on his way. I just vegged out for the rest of the afternoon before dressing for dinner and heading for the Trattoria Dante just over the Ponte Alle Carraia. Dressing for dinner sounds formal but it was just a matter of changing out of shorts and into slacks and a clean(ish) shirt.
I was seated at a table next to a young guy on his own and we got talking. He turned out to be from San Diego and had just graduated his MBA and was having a 60 day visit taking in 11 countries before starting his working life. Matt's graduation ceremony had been postponed due to bush fires so he had missed its reschedule due to having to fly out to Europe. He was an interesting young guy (23) with a mother of Irish descent and father of Guyanan descent. Apparently a lot of people think that because of his skin colour that he has some Spanish ancestry and start talking to him in Spanish which he does not understand. Anyway, it was a pleasant conversation and helped to pass the time.
I think that I have everything in order to leave tomorrow and now the wifi in the room has decided to work so I can post this blog entry.
We had already decided on a main course of Bistecca alla Fiorentina shared, as it is a humongous T-bone steak and certainly too big for me on my own. It was delicious and lived up to expectations (is that a correct expression for dead meat?). Afterwards Garth had the biscotti and sweet wine dessert which made his eyes light up.
This morning we had a slightly later breakfast as the only place that we needed to be was at Enrica's place to pick up my wood carvings from her daughter, Angelica, at 10am. Leaving the hotel at 9am we had an easy stroll and reached the place by 9:20am so just sat and relaxed for a while. I checked out the nearby Conad store to see if I could get more Soothers but couldn't find any. Fashionably early at 9:45am I rang the apartment doorbell and we were let in and able to collect the wood carvings.
We chose a different way back going by way of The Duomo and then through back streets to Piazza Santa Maria Novella. On reaching there we found a place for a coffee before heading back to the hotel.
We wandered down near to the Ponte Santa Trinita for lunch which was a shared pizza. Neither of us wanted much as it was so hot and also Garth was also due to fly to Paris in the arvo. At 2ish Garth was on his way. I just vegged out for the rest of the afternoon before dressing for dinner and heading for the Trattoria Dante just over the Ponte Alle Carraia. Dressing for dinner sounds formal but it was just a matter of changing out of shorts and into slacks and a clean(ish) shirt.
I was seated at a table next to a young guy on his own and we got talking. He turned out to be from San Diego and had just graduated his MBA and was having a 60 day visit taking in 11 countries before starting his working life. Matt's graduation ceremony had been postponed due to bush fires so he had missed its reschedule due to having to fly out to Europe. He was an interesting young guy (23) with a mother of Irish descent and father of Guyanan descent. Apparently a lot of people think that because of his skin colour that he has some Spanish ancestry and start talking to him in Spanish which he does not understand. Anyway, it was a pleasant conversation and helped to pass the time.
I think that I have everything in order to leave tomorrow and now the wifi in the room has decided to work so I can post this blog entry.
Saturday 7 June 2014
In Florence
Last night from the Hotel Grifone we had a walk around to see if there were any other restaurants that we had missed on our earlier survey. Since we didn't find any however, we ended up at the restaurant promoted at the hotel, which was it was just around the. Order from. Since the hotel is in a mainly residential (apartments) area it is not surprising that there are not any other restaurants.
The menu was divided between seafood and meat dishes, plus pizzas. For entree we chose a seafood antipasti plate for a change and it turned or to be a good choice. There were two different cheeses, several different fish/seafood varieties sliced very thinly, and a couple of different ham types. One of the seafood offerings was like a brawn but made with seafood instead of meat.
For main course, Garth had chosen Escalopine con Funghi, while I had Spindieri (grilled kebabs) which had two different kinds of sausage, beef, and chicken, as well as capsicum and tomato. The picture in the menu showed just two of these but three quite large ones arrived. I could only eat two and Garth valiantly tackled the other one. A bottle of Chianti was a perfect accompaniment.
After breakfast this morning we checked out a bike shop around the corner as Garth wanted a tube of grease. They didn't have the grease but they had some lovely bikes - drool, drool. Then Garth wanted a hair/beard trim so we went to a place we had seen last night and he got that done before we headed back to the hotel to check out.
When we arrived at our next hotel, in the west/central part of the city we could not get the room as it was still quite early so we checked in, left our bags, and went awalking. Firstly, I called in at a pharmacy to get an expectorant to try to rid of some this rubbish I keep coughing up. Strangely, I have not problems breathing while cycling - even when breathing hard going uphill.
After that we just mosied through the streets and alleyways towards the Ponte Vecchia, and having a stand up coffee on the way. I showed Garth the Conad store as he wanted some stuff, and then the Pitti Palace. Also showed a restaurant we could use tonight to have the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Before crossing back over the Ponte Santa Trinita we had a gelato from one of the shops I used when I was in Florence before.
Walking back into the city we were looking for the Via Della Vigna Nuova which is where I had found a small Aperetivo place. At the Strozzi Palace Piazza we stopped and had a light lunch, Garth having a club sandwich and me a Caesar Salad. While there we realized, through the magic of iPhone, that the street we were looking for was just of the end of an alley running off the top of the Piazza. Walking down there verified this but I didn't see the Aperetivo place, possibly it only opens in the evenings. We will try again later.
When we got back to the hotel the front door was closed so we found somewhere shady to sit at the bottom of Piazza del Santa Maria Novella until 2pm when we reckoned they would be opened up again. The door was still closed at 2pm so we rang the bell and the door opened by remote control. Our room was still not ready so we had to wait awhile but eventually got in and our luggage was taken up the stairs by a porter.
Now all I need to do is get the wifi to work and we will be in business.
The menu was divided between seafood and meat dishes, plus pizzas. For entree we chose a seafood antipasti plate for a change and it turned or to be a good choice. There were two different cheeses, several different fish/seafood varieties sliced very thinly, and a couple of different ham types. One of the seafood offerings was like a brawn but made with seafood instead of meat.
For main course, Garth had chosen Escalopine con Funghi, while I had Spindieri (grilled kebabs) which had two different kinds of sausage, beef, and chicken, as well as capsicum and tomato. The picture in the menu showed just two of these but three quite large ones arrived. I could only eat two and Garth valiantly tackled the other one. A bottle of Chianti was a perfect accompaniment.
After breakfast this morning we checked out a bike shop around the corner as Garth wanted a tube of grease. They didn't have the grease but they had some lovely bikes - drool, drool. Then Garth wanted a hair/beard trim so we went to a place we had seen last night and he got that done before we headed back to the hotel to check out.
When we arrived at our next hotel, in the west/central part of the city we could not get the room as it was still quite early so we checked in, left our bags, and went awalking. Firstly, I called in at a pharmacy to get an expectorant to try to rid of some this rubbish I keep coughing up. Strangely, I have not problems breathing while cycling - even when breathing hard going uphill.
After that we just mosied through the streets and alleyways towards the Ponte Vecchia, and having a stand up coffee on the way. I showed Garth the Conad store as he wanted some stuff, and then the Pitti Palace. Also showed a restaurant we could use tonight to have the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Before crossing back over the Ponte Santa Trinita we had a gelato from one of the shops I used when I was in Florence before.
Walking back into the city we were looking for the Via Della Vigna Nuova which is where I had found a small Aperetivo place. At the Strozzi Palace Piazza we stopped and had a light lunch, Garth having a club sandwich and me a Caesar Salad. While there we realized, through the magic of iPhone, that the street we were looking for was just of the end of an alley running off the top of the Piazza. Walking down there verified this but I didn't see the Aperetivo place, possibly it only opens in the evenings. We will try again later.
When we got back to the hotel the front door was closed so we found somewhere shady to sit at the bottom of Piazza del Santa Maria Novella until 2pm when we reckoned they would be opened up again. The door was still closed at 2pm so we rang the bell and the door opened by remote control. Our room was still not ready so we had to wait awhile but eventually got in and our luggage was taken up the stairs by a porter.
Now all I need to do is get the wifi to work and we will be in business.
Friday 6 June 2014
Brisighella to Florence
Last night we decided to check out the Restaurant at the next-door hotel but when we walked by there we couldn't see any welcoming signs so carried on back up. To Brisighella Centro. As we walked up past the public park we saw a caffe on the corner which we had seen earlier but, what we had not seen earlier was a restaurant tucked away at the side of it. We went in to the restaurant and asked to see that menu to see if it was the sort of place we were looking for. Usually they have the menu displayed out front but this one didn't. Since the menu looked good we decided to eat there and were glad that we did.
For starters we decided to share an antipasti platter - the 'Speciale' version which we could see two girls tucking into. What a platter! It had Bruschetta, cheese, pickled artichokes and a selection of thinly sliced meats and salami. Also served with it was a basket full of small puffed bread pieces and a bowl containing creme fraiche and a jam like conserve. Had we known how big this was going to be we would probably have had just that and a dessert. As it was we shared a salsiccia pizza which was also well presented. To wash it down, a bottle of Nebbiolo for a change.
This morning we had to be on the move a little earlier as we had to have our baggage out by 8:15am and had to catch the train from Brisghella to Borgo San Lorenzo at 8:31. After breakfast we were there in plenty of time waiting with the others in our group. We actually had a choice between trains at 7:30am, 8:31am, or 12:30pm. The 7:30 one was a bit too early, and if we had taken the 12:30pm we may just as well have taken it all the way to Florence as it would have us riding in the real heat of the day. There were at least 8 bikes to load from our group, and there were already some bikes on the train so it was a bit of a crush but eventually we were all on board. This particular train is a bit of a 'milk run' and stops at seven other stations before reaching Borgo San Lorenzo. The whole purpose of the train section is to cut out some very grueling stuff through the top of the Apennines. Garth and I had driven something like this on our way from Siena to Rimini but we had not ambition to cycle it and certainly not on these bikes.
Arriving in Borgo San Lorenzo we lost no time in getting on the road and found our way too the route without any problems. After departing the village of Poggiolo Saliole we got to the first of the day's two real climbs. This one was 1.5km in length and very steep. We rode probably the first 200 metres before having to get off and walk. And walk, and stop for breath, and walk, and stop for breath - you get the picture. Along the way we were passed first by the Belgian couple, although they walked in several places too, and then the Swiss couple on their electric-assist bikes.
After a lot of sweat and toil we reached the top and there was a lovely downhill for a while where passed the electric bike couple. Hooray for gravity!
A couple of kilometres after reaching the bottom we were into the second climb of the day. However, this one was quite a gentle gradient by comparison and we were able to ride the whole 3km without any problems.
After getting to the top of this second climb we had quite a lot of mostly downhill heading through Fiesole and San Domenica into Florence. Onthe way down we were treated to some splendid high-altitude views over Florence. We missed a turn at one stage but were able to figure out where we were and how to get back to our proper route. Of course modern technology came to the rescue here as Garth used his iPhone to pinpoint our actual location and then we were able to plot a course on to where we should be. A little while after that we found that we were the first of our group to arrive at the hotel. After checking in we had to prepare the bikes for pick up. For us this was removing our pedals, removing our bottle cages, and Garth removing his saddle.
After cooling off in the room for a little while we showered and went out to find a light lunch. After a quick look around the area (actually not too quick as it was quite warm), we just went to a Pasticcheria right across the road from the end of the street that the hotel is on. After that we had a look to see what else might be of interest in the area, as the hotel is way down in the eastern end of Florence and quite a walk from most of the places of interest. We found a Self-serve Lavanderia (Laundromat) so went back to the hotel to take in some clothes to wash and dry. What a pleasant? way to spend 90 minutes.
We are hoping to dine locally tonight but will have to see what is on offer.
For starters we decided to share an antipasti platter - the 'Speciale' version which we could see two girls tucking into. What a platter! It had Bruschetta, cheese, pickled artichokes and a selection of thinly sliced meats and salami. Also served with it was a basket full of small puffed bread pieces and a bowl containing creme fraiche and a jam like conserve. Had we known how big this was going to be we would probably have had just that and a dessert. As it was we shared a salsiccia pizza which was also well presented. To wash it down, a bottle of Nebbiolo for a change.
This morning we had to be on the move a little earlier as we had to have our baggage out by 8:15am and had to catch the train from Brisghella to Borgo San Lorenzo at 8:31. After breakfast we were there in plenty of time waiting with the others in our group. We actually had a choice between trains at 7:30am, 8:31am, or 12:30pm. The 7:30 one was a bit too early, and if we had taken the 12:30pm we may just as well have taken it all the way to Florence as it would have us riding in the real heat of the day. There were at least 8 bikes to load from our group, and there were already some bikes on the train so it was a bit of a crush but eventually we were all on board. This particular train is a bit of a 'milk run' and stops at seven other stations before reaching Borgo San Lorenzo. The whole purpose of the train section is to cut out some very grueling stuff through the top of the Apennines. Garth and I had driven something like this on our way from Siena to Rimini but we had not ambition to cycle it and certainly not on these bikes.
Arriving in Borgo San Lorenzo we lost no time in getting on the road and found our way too the route without any problems. After departing the village of Poggiolo Saliole we got to the first of the day's two real climbs. This one was 1.5km in length and very steep. We rode probably the first 200 metres before having to get off and walk. And walk, and stop for breath, and walk, and stop for breath - you get the picture. Along the way we were passed first by the Belgian couple, although they walked in several places too, and then the Swiss couple on their electric-assist bikes.
After a lot of sweat and toil we reached the top and there was a lovely downhill for a while where passed the electric bike couple. Hooray for gravity!
A couple of kilometres after reaching the bottom we were into the second climb of the day. However, this one was quite a gentle gradient by comparison and we were able to ride the whole 3km without any problems.
After getting to the top of this second climb we had quite a lot of mostly downhill heading through Fiesole and San Domenica into Florence. Onthe way down we were treated to some splendid high-altitude views over Florence. We missed a turn at one stage but were able to figure out where we were and how to get back to our proper route. Of course modern technology came to the rescue here as Garth used his iPhone to pinpoint our actual location and then we were able to plot a course on to where we should be. A little while after that we found that we were the first of our group to arrive at the hotel. After checking in we had to prepare the bikes for pick up. For us this was removing our pedals, removing our bottle cages, and Garth removing his saddle.
After cooling off in the room for a little while we showered and went out to find a light lunch. After a quick look around the area (actually not too quick as it was quite warm), we just went to a Pasticcheria right across the road from the end of the street that the hotel is on. After that we had a look to see what else might be of interest in the area, as the hotel is way down in the eastern end of Florence and quite a walk from most of the places of interest. We found a Self-serve Lavanderia (Laundromat) so went back to the hotel to take in some clothes to wash and dry. What a pleasant? way to spend 90 minutes.
We are hoping to dine locally tonight but will have to see what is on offer.
Thursday 5 June 2014
Ravenna to Brisighella
In Ravenna, we conducted our search for a suitable dining place in the usual diligent way and eventually ended up at 'Antica Trattoria al Gallo 1909' on Via Maggiore. This was not on our guide notes recommendations but was in the Michelin Guide recs online. We gather that the 1909 references the year the Trattoria was established but under a different name. The name was changed to the current one in 1944. Walking in there was a strange experience. From the street the only indication that there is a Trattoria is the large sign on the frontage. The main entrance door gives nothing away. Walking in is like stepping back in time (Let's do the Time Warp Again). The decor is very much 'Arts and Crafts' with many figurines of females with animals. I'm not sure if they were supposed to be portraying Diana the Huntress or Diana the Temptress. The lighting fixtures inside have obviously been converted from gas lamps too.
We had an excellent meal. For entree we again shared a pasta course of Capellini Ravenna al Ragu. Then Garth had sliced fillet of beef with herbs while I had Polpettine (meat balls) of beef in a tomato sauce. A very pleasant Montefalco Rosso washed it down and then Garth had a Ricotta Torte for dessert. Ah - another successful foray into Italian cuisine.
This morning was goodbye to Ravenna to head for our last stopping place before Florence - Brisighella. While the first part of the course was across flat farmland, this time we were heading west away from the coast and towards the Apennines. Until today we have had light winds from the south and east as we rode. Today, for a change, the wind was coming mostly from the west, and it was quite fresh at times too. Ho hum! We alternated being in front so as to share the load and still managed to spin along at a good pace. We were passed a couple of times by one of the couples doing the same tour. We had thought that they were German but they are actually Belgian.
Heading out of Ravenna on some reasonably busy roads we came across a bike shop so stopped and bought and fitted a bottle cage each. This was one of the major things missing from the bikes that were supplied (apart from front suspension forks that is). This means that we can now make sure to keep up our hydration which is very important as it is quite warm and we are losing a lot of moisture.
There have been many 'No Hunting' signs along the routes we have ridden and today was just the same. We wondered what there would be to hunt here when a pheasant ran across the road. Unfortunately, not close enough to catch with the front wheel - bugger!
Apart from Brisighella, the largest place along today's route was Faenza. We reached there just before midday and stopped for a coffee. We had to cycle through two Piazzas and there were a lot of market stalls and people around so it must have been a regular market day. I have been getting a lot of stress in my shoulders, arms and back due to the different configuration of the bike to my own bike. The handlebars were considerably higher than my usual position so, counterintuitively, while we were in Faenza I decided to drop the stem a couple of centimetres to see if that would help. My reasoning was that, in my normal riding position, the load is shared between the butt, back, and arms/shoulders, so dropping the handlebar stem should achieve a similar balance. Although my arms and shoulders were aching from the morning's riding, it did seem to help during the rest of the day's ride - tomorrow will tell.
From Faenza we headed away from the main highway to take a quieter back road for the 13km to Brisighella. Since we are now heading up into the foothills of the Apennines we encountered our first small uphills on this stretch. These were not big but not helped by the headwind either. On approaching Brisighella we were instructed in our guide notes to take the first road to the left and there was our hotel only 50 metres away.
Since it was about 1:30pm we cooled off for a while, had a shower, and then headed up into the town for some light refreshment. We had a bit of a wander around the interesting town, which is overlooked by three historic monuments, before going down to check out the railway station where our journey starts tomorrow. Also checking out restaurants along the way for tonight's repast. One of the things we looked at was "The Street of the Donkeys" which was used in the transportation of chalk in medieval times.
After that, as it was quite warm, we headed back to the hotel and working out our easiest route to get from the hotel to the railway station.
We had an excellent meal. For entree we again shared a pasta course of Capellini Ravenna al Ragu. Then Garth had sliced fillet of beef with herbs while I had Polpettine (meat balls) of beef in a tomato sauce. A very pleasant Montefalco Rosso washed it down and then Garth had a Ricotta Torte for dessert. Ah - another successful foray into Italian cuisine.
This morning was goodbye to Ravenna to head for our last stopping place before Florence - Brisighella. While the first part of the course was across flat farmland, this time we were heading west away from the coast and towards the Apennines. Until today we have had light winds from the south and east as we rode. Today, for a change, the wind was coming mostly from the west, and it was quite fresh at times too. Ho hum! We alternated being in front so as to share the load and still managed to spin along at a good pace. We were passed a couple of times by one of the couples doing the same tour. We had thought that they were German but they are actually Belgian.
Heading out of Ravenna on some reasonably busy roads we came across a bike shop so stopped and bought and fitted a bottle cage each. This was one of the major things missing from the bikes that were supplied (apart from front suspension forks that is). This means that we can now make sure to keep up our hydration which is very important as it is quite warm and we are losing a lot of moisture.
There have been many 'No Hunting' signs along the routes we have ridden and today was just the same. We wondered what there would be to hunt here when a pheasant ran across the road. Unfortunately, not close enough to catch with the front wheel - bugger!
Apart from Brisighella, the largest place along today's route was Faenza. We reached there just before midday and stopped for a coffee. We had to cycle through two Piazzas and there were a lot of market stalls and people around so it must have been a regular market day. I have been getting a lot of stress in my shoulders, arms and back due to the different configuration of the bike to my own bike. The handlebars were considerably higher than my usual position so, counterintuitively, while we were in Faenza I decided to drop the stem a couple of centimetres to see if that would help. My reasoning was that, in my normal riding position, the load is shared between the butt, back, and arms/shoulders, so dropping the handlebar stem should achieve a similar balance. Although my arms and shoulders were aching from the morning's riding, it did seem to help during the rest of the day's ride - tomorrow will tell.
From Faenza we headed away from the main highway to take a quieter back road for the 13km to Brisighella. Since we are now heading up into the foothills of the Apennines we encountered our first small uphills on this stretch. These were not big but not helped by the headwind either. On approaching Brisighella we were instructed in our guide notes to take the first road to the left and there was our hotel only 50 metres away.
Since it was about 1:30pm we cooled off for a while, had a shower, and then headed up into the town for some light refreshment. We had a bit of a wander around the interesting town, which is overlooked by three historic monuments, before going down to check out the railway station where our journey starts tomorrow. Also checking out restaurants along the way for tonight's repast. One of the things we looked at was "The Street of the Donkeys" which was used in the transportation of chalk in medieval times.
After that, as it was quite warm, we headed back to the hotel and working out our easiest route to get from the hotel to the railway station.
Wednesday 4 June 2014
Comacchio to Ravenna
Last night we dined in at our hotel which was one of the recommendations in our guide notes. We shared a Spaghetti with lobsters and seafood for entree and the spaghetti was home made, very delicious. Before that course arrived however, we were each brought a little dish containing three deep fried fish balls, each about 2.5 cm in diameter and they were quite a nice intro. For main course Garth had grilled Turbot with some steamed veg, and I had a grilled Sole. All washed down with a litre of Vino Rosso di Casa between us. Cheap plonk but good, and served chilled. Afterwards Garth had a Pistachio Semi-Freddo and I had a Liquorice Parfait with a soft Lime centre - delicioso!
Today didn't start off so good. Garth had complained yesterday that he must have done one of his cycling shoes up too tight. On waking this morning he found that it was very painful to rotate his foot in a particular direction due to an inflamed tendon. We made the decision that he should rest it for a day, as well as him taking painkillers and Voltaren, so sent a message to Jozef to arrange transport in the sag wagon. Something must have got lost in the translation as, when the taxi arrived for the baggage etc, the driver said he didn't have room for two people and two bikes. (Aside: apparently the way that our baggage is transported is to send a taxi back from the next night's stopping place.).
While we were waiting for the taxi to arrive I rang Pat using my Nokia with the UK Virgin sim in it. We spoke for a few minutes and afterwards I check to see how much of my £20 initial spend is left. It turns out I still have £14+ left so it should last me until I am back in Aus.
A few phone calls ensued and Garth even said he was willing to fund a second taxi if need be. It turned out to be a storm in a teacup, however, as the taxi driver eventually said that he could fit us both and our bikes with the luggage. So goodbye to Comacchio and greetings to Ravenna.
The drive down to Ravenna, about 30+kms, was uneventful and took us down a busy road that we would not have been cycling along. Along the way in the canals and rivulets were arrangements of poles stuck out over the water with nets strung between the poles. Apparently this is a common fishing method around here. You lower the net into the water, probably by pushing a button these days, wait a few minutes and then raise the net up again (button B). Hopefully you will have caught something, eels, crabs, other fish, etc so you scoop out what you want and lower the rest back down into the water to live for another day.
Our hotel, Hotel Centrale Byron, is practically in the centre of Ravenna. We helped the taxi driver unload and then the concierge told us where to take our bikes for safety (through the laundry and behind the kitchen into a little courtyard) and then we checked in and took our stuff up to the room.
After settling in, we had a wander around for a while and then found a place for a coffee and sandwich (mine) for lunch - Garth had a brioche. After that we had a bit more of a wander and tried to spot some of the restaurants on the recommended list for tonight. We found the streets ok but could not see the particular restaurants. We might have better luck later.
Ravenna is the usual Italian combination of old and new. Old churches and towers (they have a leaning one here too - must be an Italian specialty) are mixed up with more modern buildings. In some places where we walked we came across sections of the old town walls. It was quite warm and perspiration inducing as we walked around so it was pleasant to get back to the cool of our hotel room.
Hopefully it will be a bit cooler when we got out later for dinner.
Today didn't start off so good. Garth had complained yesterday that he must have done one of his cycling shoes up too tight. On waking this morning he found that it was very painful to rotate his foot in a particular direction due to an inflamed tendon. We made the decision that he should rest it for a day, as well as him taking painkillers and Voltaren, so sent a message to Jozef to arrange transport in the sag wagon. Something must have got lost in the translation as, when the taxi arrived for the baggage etc, the driver said he didn't have room for two people and two bikes. (Aside: apparently the way that our baggage is transported is to send a taxi back from the next night's stopping place.).
While we were waiting for the taxi to arrive I rang Pat using my Nokia with the UK Virgin sim in it. We spoke for a few minutes and afterwards I check to see how much of my £20 initial spend is left. It turns out I still have £14+ left so it should last me until I am back in Aus.
A few phone calls ensued and Garth even said he was willing to fund a second taxi if need be. It turned out to be a storm in a teacup, however, as the taxi driver eventually said that he could fit us both and our bikes with the luggage. So goodbye to Comacchio and greetings to Ravenna.
The drive down to Ravenna, about 30+kms, was uneventful and took us down a busy road that we would not have been cycling along. Along the way in the canals and rivulets were arrangements of poles stuck out over the water with nets strung between the poles. Apparently this is a common fishing method around here. You lower the net into the water, probably by pushing a button these days, wait a few minutes and then raise the net up again (button B). Hopefully you will have caught something, eels, crabs, other fish, etc so you scoop out what you want and lower the rest back down into the water to live for another day.
Our hotel, Hotel Centrale Byron, is practically in the centre of Ravenna. We helped the taxi driver unload and then the concierge told us where to take our bikes for safety (through the laundry and behind the kitchen into a little courtyard) and then we checked in and took our stuff up to the room.
After settling in, we had a wander around for a while and then found a place for a coffee and sandwich (mine) for lunch - Garth had a brioche. After that we had a bit more of a wander and tried to spot some of the restaurants on the recommended list for tonight. We found the streets ok but could not see the particular restaurants. We might have better luck later.
Ravenna is the usual Italian combination of old and new. Old churches and towers (they have a leaning one here too - must be an Italian specialty) are mixed up with more modern buildings. In some places where we walked we came across sections of the old town walls. It was quite warm and perspiration inducing as we walked around so it was pleasant to get back to the cool of our hotel room.
Hopefully it will be a bit cooler when we got out later for dinner.
Tuesday 3 June 2014
Adria to Comacchio - crossing the Po
In Adria last night we walked through town looking for one restaurant that I had seen recommended and didn't find it. The next on the list was closed - it being a Monday - so we ended up by the one recommended by Jozef, the Eurobike guide. It turned out to be very good. Two of the couples doing the same trip as us were dining outside but we went inside because smoking is not allowed inside so you don't have to put up with it from other people.
We ordered a carpaccio of roast Black Angus to share for starters and then Garth had a duck carpaccio while I had grilled pork fillet with roast potatoes. And we washed the whole lot down with a bottle of Cab Sauvignon. Afterwards the waiter brought us out a small plate with two different kinds of small biscuits, and when we had eaten those he refilled the plate. After I had paid the bill the boss handed us a small bag containing more of the biscuits - gratis.
We again rose fairly early and packed up our luggage before lugging it down to the collect point on our way to breakfast. I hadn't had a good night with the cold or whatever it is but felt Ok to face the day. We got started on the road at about 8:15am and the first part was, of course navigating out of Adria. Our course today took across many kilometres of the Po flood plains so again we spent a lot of time riding alongside either a canal, or the the River Po itself and well worked farm land n the other side. Again because it was flood plain area we rode a lot of the time on roads along he top of levees.
Along the way we heard a cuckoo at one point, the second of the trip so far, and saw several herons. There was also a bit of road kill which we could not identify except to say that it's configuration was like t hat of a rat but the size of a small dog.
We stopped at Ariane nel Polesine for a coffee, which we got at a bar, and then got some buns and salami from the bakery which we intended to have for lunch further along the way. As we were drinking our coffee there were a group of Austrian cyclists, middle aged, who were obviously enjoying their tour.
The only minor navigational error we made was on a straight stretch of road where the instruction was to turn left at the electricity sub station. We failed to recognize the building as a substation so sailed right past it but realized from the distance registered that we had mad a mistake so we backtracked a few hundred meters and corrected the fault. One of the problems with the guide directions that we have is that it says things like "16.4 Turn left onto Via such-and-such". When you make diversions into towns as you are encouraged to do as you want to see things of interest, stop for coffee, lunch, etc, the odometer on the bike computer keeps ticking over. What we find ourselves having to do is get to the next recognizable decision point, note what km reading it should be, and subtract that from our actual km reading to get the difference. Then we can just mentally add that to each of the distances quoted in the guide notes after that.
As we were approaching Bosco Mesola we experienced a light sprinkling of rain but nothing to cause us to don wet weather gear and we soon rode out of it. There were thunderstorms hanging around to the west and we were just catching the edge if it from time to time.
After Lido di Volano we stopped in a driveway/layby area to have our lunch. Again the thunderstorm threatened with a bit of noise and a few drops but it didn't come to anything. Also heard another cuckoo and saw a pheasant. By this time we were only about 13kms from our final destination - Comacchio. We found our hotel without problems and our baggage was already waiting in our room.
We put in about 68 kilometers today and have a similar distance to Ravenna tomorrow. We also made a point of stopping roughly every half an hour to have a drink of water. The hotel we are staying in tonight has a restaurant which is recommended by the guide notes so we may just 'eat in' tonight.
Garth and I went for a walk to have a look at a bit of Comacchio and had a coffee and soft drink along the way. Later I saw a barber shop so popped in to have a good trim as it has been nearly seven weeks since my last one. The barber was a nice guy who runs the place with his son. He (Dad) has just turned 72 in May and asked me how old I am. We managed to communicate reasonably well - enough to get the job done anyway.
We ordered a carpaccio of roast Black Angus to share for starters and then Garth had a duck carpaccio while I had grilled pork fillet with roast potatoes. And we washed the whole lot down with a bottle of Cab Sauvignon. Afterwards the waiter brought us out a small plate with two different kinds of small biscuits, and when we had eaten those he refilled the plate. After I had paid the bill the boss handed us a small bag containing more of the biscuits - gratis.
We again rose fairly early and packed up our luggage before lugging it down to the collect point on our way to breakfast. I hadn't had a good night with the cold or whatever it is but felt Ok to face the day. We got started on the road at about 8:15am and the first part was, of course navigating out of Adria. Our course today took across many kilometres of the Po flood plains so again we spent a lot of time riding alongside either a canal, or the the River Po itself and well worked farm land n the other side. Again because it was flood plain area we rode a lot of the time on roads along he top of levees.
Along the way we heard a cuckoo at one point, the second of the trip so far, and saw several herons. There was also a bit of road kill which we could not identify except to say that it's configuration was like t hat of a rat but the size of a small dog.
We stopped at Ariane nel Polesine for a coffee, which we got at a bar, and then got some buns and salami from the bakery which we intended to have for lunch further along the way. As we were drinking our coffee there were a group of Austrian cyclists, middle aged, who were obviously enjoying their tour.
The only minor navigational error we made was on a straight stretch of road where the instruction was to turn left at the electricity sub station. We failed to recognize the building as a substation so sailed right past it but realized from the distance registered that we had mad a mistake so we backtracked a few hundred meters and corrected the fault. One of the problems with the guide directions that we have is that it says things like "16.4 Turn left onto Via such-and-such". When you make diversions into towns as you are encouraged to do as you want to see things of interest, stop for coffee, lunch, etc, the odometer on the bike computer keeps ticking over. What we find ourselves having to do is get to the next recognizable decision point, note what km reading it should be, and subtract that from our actual km reading to get the difference. Then we can just mentally add that to each of the distances quoted in the guide notes after that.
As we were approaching Bosco Mesola we experienced a light sprinkling of rain but nothing to cause us to don wet weather gear and we soon rode out of it. There were thunderstorms hanging around to the west and we were just catching the edge if it from time to time.
After Lido di Volano we stopped in a driveway/layby area to have our lunch. Again the thunderstorm threatened with a bit of noise and a few drops but it didn't come to anything. Also heard another cuckoo and saw a pheasant. By this time we were only about 13kms from our final destination - Comacchio. We found our hotel without problems and our baggage was already waiting in our room.
We put in about 68 kilometers today and have a similar distance to Ravenna tomorrow. We also made a point of stopping roughly every half an hour to have a drink of water. The hotel we are staying in tonight has a restaurant which is recommended by the guide notes so we may just 'eat in' tonight.
Garth and I went for a walk to have a look at a bit of Comacchio and had a coffee and soft drink along the way. Later I saw a barber shop so popped in to have a good trim as it has been nearly seven weeks since my last one. The barber was a nice guy who runs the place with his son. He (Dad) has just turned 72 in May and asked me how old I am. We managed to communicate reasonably well - enough to get the job done anyway.
Monday 2 June 2014
Cycling day 2 - Chioggia to Adria
Last night in Chioggia we walked down the main drag looking for the street/alley containing Ristorante Belle Venezia, one of those recommended in the guide notes. We found it and their menu looked appetising offering both seafood and meat varieties. Since we were in a fishing port we opted for the seafood. We ordered (we thought) a first course of Spaghetti Marinara to be shared. We actually got one each, a bit more than we wanted but heh! My main was Frittura Misti (mixed fried seafood) and Garth had fried Calamari and Prawns. These were delicious but both substantial meals on their own so after the Spaghetti we had to work hard to do them justice. All this washed down with a bottle of Chianti Classico between us - what else?
This morning we woke early and were the first ones in the breakfast room at 7:30am. Breakfast was served in a room overlooking the dock/marina area and we were able to snaffle a table beside the open window overlooking the Piazza. After checking out we read up the guide notes and headed south out of Chioggia, aiming eventually for Adria.
Once out of Chioggia we cycled reasonably quiet roads alongside canals, which brought us to the Adige River which originates in the South Tyrol to the North of Trento. Again the roads alongside the Adige were easy and quiet and it was a beautifully sunny day with little breeze. The roads alongside the canals and the river actually go along the top of levees. The farmland on the opposite side of the road to the canal/river appear to be at about the same elevation as the surface of the water. I guess these are all ancient flood plains and there are certainly a lot of crops grown in the fertile soil.
There were not many stopping places along the route today but one of these was Cavarzere where we hoped to get a cup of coffee. When we arrived in Cavarzere we found it to be the focus of a classic car and motorbike rally with the main street chocka with revheads. We walked through and found a bar where we could get a coffee and imbibed that before continuing on our way.
As we traversed again along the top of levees, some of them gravel surfaced, we came across other large drainage ditches which are obviously used for flood control. All of the farm land was of pretty much the same character with lots of cropping both large and small.
Arriving in the outskirts of Adria we followed the guide notes assiduously and also made sure we saw the Eurobike sign labels wherever there was a decision point. We were supposed to navigate to the Piazza F. Bocchi and we did actually find it but we could not see a nameplace sign that said we were in the right place so we carried on down the road for a bit. Eventually, after consulting a more detailed map, we realized our error and did some correctional navigation to a place mentioned in the guide notes from where we easily found our hotel.
Since we arrived at the hotel quite early - 12:30pm - we were able to check in but our luggage had not yet arrived so, after depositing our panniers and handlebar bags in the room we jumped on the bikes again to go and find somewhere to have a light lunch. A toasted sandwich (prosciutto and cheese) each and a caffe latte each and we were good to go. At the hotel at about 1:30pm as we arrived back they told us our luggage should be there by 2pm so we vegged out and watched the Tv until 3pm when we found our luggage just outside the lift downstairs.
A hot shower and change of clothes were just what we needed. As we had been watching Tv it started to rain outside and there were some very violent thunderclaps nearby. Hopefully it will be all gone by tomorrow, or even by tonight when we have to go out for dinner.
Today our route kilometres were supposed to be about 45 but we ended up doing about 51 and then another 3 or so when we went out for lunch. Tomorrow we have 65km plus so hope it is fine and not overly windy or sunny.
This morning we woke early and were the first ones in the breakfast room at 7:30am. Breakfast was served in a room overlooking the dock/marina area and we were able to snaffle a table beside the open window overlooking the Piazza. After checking out we read up the guide notes and headed south out of Chioggia, aiming eventually for Adria.
Once out of Chioggia we cycled reasonably quiet roads alongside canals, which brought us to the Adige River which originates in the South Tyrol to the North of Trento. Again the roads alongside the Adige were easy and quiet and it was a beautifully sunny day with little breeze. The roads alongside the canals and the river actually go along the top of levees. The farmland on the opposite side of the road to the canal/river appear to be at about the same elevation as the surface of the water. I guess these are all ancient flood plains and there are certainly a lot of crops grown in the fertile soil.
There were not many stopping places along the route today but one of these was Cavarzere where we hoped to get a cup of coffee. When we arrived in Cavarzere we found it to be the focus of a classic car and motorbike rally with the main street chocka with revheads. We walked through and found a bar where we could get a coffee and imbibed that before continuing on our way.
As we traversed again along the top of levees, some of them gravel surfaced, we came across other large drainage ditches which are obviously used for flood control. All of the farm land was of pretty much the same character with lots of cropping both large and small.
Arriving in the outskirts of Adria we followed the guide notes assiduously and also made sure we saw the Eurobike sign labels wherever there was a decision point. We were supposed to navigate to the Piazza F. Bocchi and we did actually find it but we could not see a nameplace sign that said we were in the right place so we carried on down the road for a bit. Eventually, after consulting a more detailed map, we realized our error and did some correctional navigation to a place mentioned in the guide notes from where we easily found our hotel.
Since we arrived at the hotel quite early - 12:30pm - we were able to check in but our luggage had not yet arrived so, after depositing our panniers and handlebar bags in the room we jumped on the bikes again to go and find somewhere to have a light lunch. A toasted sandwich (prosciutto and cheese) each and a caffe latte each and we were good to go. At the hotel at about 1:30pm as we arrived back they told us our luggage should be there by 2pm so we vegged out and watched the Tv until 3pm when we found our luggage just outside the lift downstairs.
A hot shower and change of clothes were just what we needed. As we had been watching Tv it started to rain outside and there were some very violent thunderclaps nearby. Hopefully it will be all gone by tomorrow, or even by tonight when we have to go out for dinner.
Today our route kilometres were supposed to be about 45 but we ended up doing about 51 and then another 3 or so when we went out for lunch. Tomorrow we have 65km plus so hope it is fine and not overly windy or sunny.
Sunday 1 June 2014
Mestre to Chioggia via Venice and Lido
Last night we walked the short distance into Mestre Centro to find somewhere for dinner. The experience turned out to be something like we had in Trento. Plenty of cafes but no restaurants. We had noticed a Japanese restaurant on the way in and it was starting to look good. We decided on one more circuit in a different direction and got lucky. We found a newish place that looked, on the outside, just like the cafes we had been seeing. However, the menu looked ok so we went in and got a table. By this time it was after 8pm and there weren't many people in there. As we were waiting, and more while we were eating, the place filled up and there were people waiting at the door. The good thing was that these were all Italian family groups - no tourist apart from us.
We shared a Parma Ham and Focaccia for entree and a 'Aphrodisiac' Pizza for main and both were good. So another serendipitous restaurant find. Oh, and the staff were great too.
Just as an aside, the centre of Mestre is all modern buildings and quite soulless. Probably most Mestrians head for the suburbs for their dining experiences, the centre being only populated during business hours.
This morning after breakfast we had to wait for Josef, our Eurobike rep who was to give us a briefing and also our bikes. While waiting I made a short call home and it is just as well that I did. As I write this I have all but lost my voice. Garth had a similar problem a couple of days ago so no doubt he has shared it with me. It was good to have a short talk to both Patricia and Dominic who seem to be doing Ok.
After the briefing we got allocated our bikes out in the car park and the first thing that Garth and I had to do was change the pedals for our own. Garth also changed the saddle for his own one. After that it was navigating out of Mestre over to Venice to catch the ferry over to Lido. The ride to Venice took us over the Liberty Bridge on a cycle path and was quite pleasant except for the last half kilometer or so where the path narrowed to about 600mm with bridge wall on the ride side and crash barrier on the other. I had visions of someone losing heir balance and toppling over the crash guard in front of a car or bus. However, we negotiated it ok and found the ferry terminal easily enough. The ferry trip to Lido is quite a nice ride and allowed us to get a different view of Venice from the lagoon along the way.
On disembarking on Lido we basically just had to follow directions to cycle down to the southern end of the island to catch another ferry to Palestrina. We probably didn't follow the advised route exactly but it is hard to go wrong as Lido is long and narrow and oriented North/South. We got there in plenty of time to catch the 12:55 ferry to Palestrina and once there do a similar ride to the southern end of Palestrina to catch the Vaporetto to Chioggia. The riding was quite pleasant with not too much traffic and nice and sunny. Sometimes we were riding alongside the beach or boat docks and sometimes just through suburbs. There were lots of cyclists about too and most of them looked like locals although we kept seeing two other couples doing the same as us. One couple is German and the other are Australians from Perth, WA.
Arriving at Chioggia we found our hotel right beside the docks/marina area and decided to cycle down through the town to have a bit of a look see. We also wanted to find somewhere to have a light lunch as it was after 2:30pm by then. We found a place where we got a Panino each, a coffee, and a soft drink before heading back to the hotel to check in. Our luggage was already at the hotel so we were able to check in and relax for a while.
Our cycling today was only 35km and that was broken up with the three ferry rides. The going was pretty flat all the way too. From the briefing, we know that our last day starts with some climbing followed by some good downhill into Florence via Fiesole. Something to look forward to?
We shared a Parma Ham and Focaccia for entree and a 'Aphrodisiac' Pizza for main and both were good. So another serendipitous restaurant find. Oh, and the staff were great too.
Just as an aside, the centre of Mestre is all modern buildings and quite soulless. Probably most Mestrians head for the suburbs for their dining experiences, the centre being only populated during business hours.
This morning after breakfast we had to wait for Josef, our Eurobike rep who was to give us a briefing and also our bikes. While waiting I made a short call home and it is just as well that I did. As I write this I have all but lost my voice. Garth had a similar problem a couple of days ago so no doubt he has shared it with me. It was good to have a short talk to both Patricia and Dominic who seem to be doing Ok.
After the briefing we got allocated our bikes out in the car park and the first thing that Garth and I had to do was change the pedals for our own. Garth also changed the saddle for his own one. After that it was navigating out of Mestre over to Venice to catch the ferry over to Lido. The ride to Venice took us over the Liberty Bridge on a cycle path and was quite pleasant except for the last half kilometer or so where the path narrowed to about 600mm with bridge wall on the ride side and crash barrier on the other. I had visions of someone losing heir balance and toppling over the crash guard in front of a car or bus. However, we negotiated it ok and found the ferry terminal easily enough. The ferry trip to Lido is quite a nice ride and allowed us to get a different view of Venice from the lagoon along the way.
On disembarking on Lido we basically just had to follow directions to cycle down to the southern end of the island to catch another ferry to Palestrina. We probably didn't follow the advised route exactly but it is hard to go wrong as Lido is long and narrow and oriented North/South. We got there in plenty of time to catch the 12:55 ferry to Palestrina and once there do a similar ride to the southern end of Palestrina to catch the Vaporetto to Chioggia. The riding was quite pleasant with not too much traffic and nice and sunny. Sometimes we were riding alongside the beach or boat docks and sometimes just through suburbs. There were lots of cyclists about too and most of them looked like locals although we kept seeing two other couples doing the same as us. One couple is German and the other are Australians from Perth, WA.
Arriving at Chioggia we found our hotel right beside the docks/marina area and decided to cycle down through the town to have a bit of a look see. We also wanted to find somewhere to have a light lunch as it was after 2:30pm by then. We found a place where we got a Panino each, a coffee, and a soft drink before heading back to the hotel to check in. Our luggage was already at the hotel so we were able to check in and relax for a while.
Our cycling today was only 35km and that was broken up with the three ferry rides. The going was pretty flat all the way too. From the briefing, we know that our last day starts with some climbing followed by some good downhill into Florence via Fiesole. Something to look forward to?
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