Category Archives: Accommodation

Accommodation, Architecture, Art, Germany, Mushrooms, Sightseeing

Bamberg – A World Heritage Site in Germany

October 8, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

My Australian friend Jane first told me about Bamberg a couple of years ago but although it’s still in Bavaria, it’s a lot further north than the Danube. However, my iPhone says that the shortest route from Melk to Blois is via Nuremberg and Bamberg is only 40 minutes further north which makes it a good stopover on our way home. The weather forecast is also reasonable for visiting although it is not warm enough for cycling especially now that Jean Michel has a sinus infection.

The Altes Rathaus, Bamberg's most well-known building — The Altes Rathaus, Bamberg’s most well-known building

I find an apartment through booking.com that’s close to the historical centre and appears to be spacious. We haven’t been doing so well with out accommodation recently so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. As soon as we arrive in Bamsberg, we know we’re going to love it. The check-in for the apartment is at the Weierich Hotel. We can park in front of the apartment which is just opposite the hotel to drop off our luggage then park in a public car park about 10 minutes on foot for 8 euro per 24 hours which is very reasonable, especially after Hungary.

Our living room in Bamberg Apartments on the second floor, Lugbank 5

Jean Michel loves the apartment which is in a building constructed in 1510 (even older than our house in Blois) and has a bedroom, a large living room with 5 windows and a properly equipped kitchen at one end, a sort of sitting room and a bathroom, not to mention a small terrace with two gnomes. I’m relieved since I’m the one who chose it!

The frescoes on the wall of the Altes Rathaus. Have a close look on the right bottom.

The historical centre of Bamberg was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 1993 because of its beautifully preserved mediaeval architectural ensemble. The first thing we see is the Altes Rathaus, or old town hall, Bamberg’s most emblematic construction built in the 14th century and rebuilt by the people of Bamburg after a fire in 1440. It is just a stone’s throw from our apartment. It was given a Baroque and Rococco conversion in the mid-18th century and frescoes were added on both sides. We photograph it from every possible angle.

The Cathedral, showing two of its four steeples

We then walk up to the Imperial Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint George on one of Bamberg’s seven hills. The second and present-day building was completed in 1237 and combines both late Romanesque and Gothic elements.

It fronts onto a large square with the turn of the 18th century New Residence on one side and the Old Court on the other.

The lovely inner courtyard of the Old Court

We walk through to the splendid inner courtyard of the Old Court with its half-timbered buildings decorated with red geraniums. Now why can’t I grow geraniums like that?

The fishermens' quarter with its quaint houses — The fishermens’ quarter with its quaint houses

We walk back down to Bamberg’s Little Venice with its quaint fishermen’s houses along the towpath of the Regnitz River.

From there, we go back to the Altes Rathaus and walk through the arch and over the bridge from which we can see the frescoes on the other side.

Wild mushrooms in the green market – the ones we don’t know are on the bottom right in the top corner of the box

The Green Market is next with its many fruit and vegetable stalls, including wild mushrooms we’ve never seen before.

From there we go to Maximiliansplatz, the largest square in the town centre, dominated by the present-day town hall with its Baroque façade built from 1732 to 1737.

We work our way back to the apartment via Harmony Garden where we stop for a drink. My feet are starting to burn – we’ve walked 10 kilometers in about 2 ½ hours, mostly on paving stones, but every corner reveals another beautiful or quaint building and we want to make the most of the sun. We know that it’s going to be partly overcast next day.

Back in our apartment, we have dinner (it’s an intermittent fast day) and I discover there is no hot water to wash up. Jean Michel checks the radiators and tells me two of them are not working, including the one in the bedroom. We go across to the hotel and explain the problem to the night watchman who only has very basic English but is very helpful. He finds the solution to the hot water (it has to be turned on under the sink) but it’s too late to do anything about the heating. He offers us a room in the hotel instead so at bedtime, we take what we need for the night across the street to the hotel.

Breakfast at Hotel Weierich - best yet! — Breakfast at Hotel Weierich – best yet!

Next morning the girl at the desk tells us someone will look after our heating during the day. She asks if we’d like to have breakfast in the hotel (no extra charge). We accept and have the best breakfast we’ve had since we left home nearly a month ago! The brioche loaf is exceptionally delicious.

Back in the apartment we find the heating is working again and wonder whether the renovation work next door has anything to do with the problem. As we leave the apartment, the sun comes out and we cross a different bridge over the river and get another superb view of the very photogenic Altes Rathaus.

The broom and brush vendor on Maximilienplatz

We head for Maximiliansplatz to find a bookshop to buy a guidebook in French as our tourist brochure isn’t very adequate. On the way, we come across a brush and broom vendor, very similar to the one we found in Dresden last year. We buy a new broom for our hearth in Blois and put it in Jean Michel’s backpack.

The building we used to find the gardens

The sky clouds over and we decide to head for Bamberg’s market garden district owned by a dozen or so families on the other side of the river and which was responsible for Bamberg’s considerable commercial development in the middle ages. However, we have trouble finding it because of the poor indications but by studying one of the photos in the guide book, we are finally able to locate it. We climb up a leaning metal platform to get a bird’s eye view.

The view of Saint Otto's and the surrounding gardens from the viewing platform — The view of Saint Otto’s and the surrounding gardens from the viewing platform

Unfortunately the little market gardeners’ museum is not open on Tuesdays so we eventually work our way back to the island in the middle of the city, having a cappuccino on the way to give my feet a rest.

The market garden museum closed on Tuesdays

We follow the suggested itinerary in the guide book which includes several of the places we visited yesterday, but only from the outside. Near a lock and an old watermill, we come across a little ferry and cross the river . We are reminded of all the little ferries along the Danube and Rhine. Throughout the day we see lots of local cyclists and regret that the weather is not warmer.

The ferry crossing the river from the old watermill

Our path takes us to the Imperial Cathedral and this time we go inside. Jean Michel starts reading the guidebook out loud but it is so detailed that I can’t take in any more. I gather there are three main things to see : a statue of an unknown horseman, circa 1250, the tomb of the imperial couple, Heinrich II and Kunigunde (1513), and the Marienaltar (1523).

The incredibly detailed and finely sculptured bas reliefs depicting Kunegonde

The Bamberg horseman is a little high up to appreciate the details but the Kunigunde carvings are quite fascinating. I consult the guidebook to find out more.

We’re now ready for lunch so walk down a flight of steps to the centre and find ourselves in a street with several possibilities. We choose Scheiner’s Gaststuben with its typical wooden benches and find ourselves a seat next to a German couple. We have a mixed sausage grill (gemischter bratwurstteller), sauerkraut and fried potatoes for 8.90 euro, very good value for money, and have a glass of local white wine to go with it.

Back up the stairs to the cathedral square after lunch to visit the New Residence whose Baroque wings were built under Prince Lothar Franz von Schönborn at the end of the 17th century. Unfortunately, we have to follow a guided tour in German and it is not until the second half that our tour guide realises that we need the brief guides in French!

The white room with its white enamel stove — The white room with its beautiful stucco work and white enamel stove

We are able to admire the beautiful painted ceilings and ceramic stoves though – there isn’t much furniture.

The rose garden behind the New Residence offers a wonderful view of the city but, more especially, takes us down a tree-lined path that gives us a superb view of the cathedral. with its four spires.

You can see the four spires on the cathedral

We follow our guidebook itinerary until we reach the 12th century Carmelite monastery converted, like everything else it seems, to the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. Its late Romanesque cloisters from the 13th century remain unchanged.

The cloisters of the Carmelite Monastery with their finely carved capitals and painted sundial

The Upper Parish church (Obere Pfarre) with its Tintoretti painting and white Baroque interior is the only purely Gothic church in Bamberg. The high chancel is supported with flying buttresses which make it very impressive from the outside.

We debate about whether to climb another hill to see Saint Michael’s Monastery founded in 1015. The photos in the guidebook showing the painted ceiling with its 578 flowers and medicinal herbs convince us and we make a final effort. It’s closed for renovation. Sigh.

The view as we go down the hill along a small pathway to the historical centre makes up for the disappointment.

The view pf Saint Michael's Monastry and vineyard from the path — The view pf Saint Michael’s Monastry and vineyard from the path

An ice-cream in front of the Altes Rathaus gives us enough stamina to call in at Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas decoration store where we buy a little set of bells for the Christmas tree. We usually buy something for the tree in each new country we visit but we totally forgot to do so when we were in Serbia and Romania.What a pity!

An inviting cafe along the canal in Bamberg

Back at our apartment, after having walked 15 kilometers (according to the health app on my iPhone), we check the weather and the map for a last one-night stopover on the way hope. We decide on Colmar, another Little Venice with its pretty canals and Alsatian decor. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to find some vin nouveau and harvest bread like we did last time !

Accommodation, Austria, Cycling, Sightseeing

Cycling along the Danube – from Ybbs to Grein in Austria

October 3, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

We know we’re in Austria because the host at our Radlerpension (radler = cyclist) greets us with Grüss Gott which literally means “may God greet you”. The first time we heard it was in Bavaria as we climbed the hill to the stunning Baroque church of Wies. Every person we passed said Grüss Got to us. When we got back to the hotel, I asked what it meant and was told “it’s just a thing they say here”. Hmm.

It’s already October and the days are getting shorter and cooler. We’re having trouble finding places along the Danube to cycle but the Eurovelo 6 bike route to the west of Melk, famous for its Benedictine Abbey built in the early 18th century and affording a stunning view of Wachau Valley and the Danube, seems promising.

Our Radlerpension Leebs is right on the Eurovelo 6 path and well situated. The only problem is that the wifi cuts out at about 8 pm and doesn’t return until midnight by which it’s too late of course. I mention it next morning to our hostess and she is surprised. We hope it won’t happen again. This evening, it’s working perfectly so everything seems in order.

By 10 am, it’s warm enough (15°C and promising to be sunny) to set out on our bikes. We are happy to be on a real bike path such as those we have always experienced in Germany and Austria, usually right on the edge of the Danube.

The view from the bridge between Persenbeug and Ybbs

However, the signs are not that clear and we cross the bridge at Persenbeug on the road instead of the bike path! After that, we follow a small sealed road along the Danube for about 10 kilometers. It’s not a bike path but the occasional car is not a problem.

We go past a number of fishermen evenly spaced along the riverside and Jean Michel says that with such sophisticated equipment, it has to be a competition.

When we get to Willersbach we’re ready for a cappuccino and Gasthof Zur Ruine Freyenstein has a terrace overlooking the Danube.

The scenery is not as stunning as it is on the S-bend and the Wachau but it’s still very pleasant and the temperature is gradually getting warmer.

We reach the bike ferry that goes to Grein after about 20 K but unfortunately, it stopped running at the end of September so we continue for a couple more kilometres to the bridge.

The little town of Grein has a very attractive historical centre, including Austria’s oldest theatre.

Austria's oldest theatre, built in 1791 in the former granary of the town hall built in 1563 — Austria’s oldest theatre, built in 1791 in the former granary of the town hall built in 1563

We find an excellent place to eat with a terrace overlooking the main square. We order the schnitzel of the day – breaded with almonds – and have a buffet salad and a glass of wine for less than 30 euro. More expensive than Hungary of course, but less expensive than France.

We decide to go back along the way we came rather than stay on the Grein side and do a loop because although there is a bike path, it is mostly along the main road. The light has changed and gives us another view of the Danube.

On the way back, we see that the Radlerstation we noticed earlier also has a bar – an imbiss. I think it’s great that so much is done for cyclists here.

The fishermen are still fishing and we still don’t see any fish but friends have joined them in some places and there are a lot of barbecues and beer around.

We cycle into Ybbs but are somewhat disappointed. It’s not nearly as pretty as Grein and everything is closed. We were hoping for an ice-cream. On the edge of the Danube, however, we see some older buildings, including what appears to be a mediaeval construction (the tourist office is closed and we seem to have forgotten our guide book to Austria) – but still no ice-creams.

We manage to find the bike path to cross the river this time and cycle down into the centre of Persenbeug. I immediately see a café with Italian ice-cream so we are rewarded for our 59 K in 4 hours. At least this time we weren’t stressed about nightfall. We got back to our Radlerpension in Hagsdorf at an unprecedented 4.30 pm.

The view from the bike path into Hagsdorf

The weather forecast for tomorrow was supposed to be sunny and 19°C but all those Grüss Gotts don’t seem to be working. It’s now going to be overcast and 15°C. We may have to move on instead of staying another night. Sigh.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Sightseeing, Travelling

Baja and Pecs – a few surprises

October 1, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 8 Comments

After our wonderful visit to Szeged with its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, we arrive in Baja, our Danube destination for the next three nights. We follow the Tom-Tom and arrive at Hotel Kaiser Panzio (pension) where we’ve booked an apartment as we would like a bit more space and the possiblity of doing a little microwave cooking for a couple of days. We are barely greeted by a sulky-looking woman at reception. She finds our booking and takes us to our ground-floor apartment. It looks like the photos on booking.com (including the strange bed) so we tell her it’s fine.

Before unpacking, I check the kitchen cupboards to see what we need to bring in from the car. They are completely empty. No crockery, no cutlery, no saucepans. Yet there is a stove, a sink, a refrigerator and an electric jug (no micro-wave). How very odd. We go back to reception and I explain in clear basic English that we won’t be able to cook. The woman brings us two plates, two cups and one set of cutlery. She disappears again and brings back a greasy frying pan, two large flat saucepans and a soup ladle.

Still mystified, we unpack quickly and go shopping because it’s nearly 5 pm. We arrive at a bus station and are totally disconcerted. This is NOT what we were expecting. We manage to buy some white bread and yoghurt but can’t find anything resembling a supermarket. Then I spy an information panel. “Ah”, says Jean Michel, after examining it, “we went the wrong way.”

We head in the other direction and find the centre of the town which is much more reassuring. We catch a fruit and vegetable store just as they’re closing and a bakery that has wholemeal bread. I ask where we’ll find cheese. The lady says CBA as though it’s given and points the way. It turns out to be a supermarket where we find some Danish and Dutch cheese and a few other things to sustain us until tomorrow.

Back in our apartment, we find a few other annoying things such as the lack of space (there is furniture everywhere and you have to pull out the table to sit down). There are only three chairs although the apartment can sleep four. You have to have gorilla arms to reach the toilet paper and be over 2 metres not to drown in the shower. The dark red frayed towels are non-absorbent and there is nowhere close to the shower to hang them.

Because we carry out own wine glasses, corkscrew, plates, kitchen knives, bread knife, cutting board, salt & pepper, oil & vinegar, tea towels and washing up liquid we are able to have our aperitif and dinner and wash up afterwards. On the positive side, the bed is comfortable (not the pillow, but I always bring my own) and the apartment is clean and quiet.

The Eurovelo 6 bike route along the main square of Baja

Next morning, we go back into the centre of the town and are able to appreciate it more. It’s only 11°C but it’s not rainy and should be 15°C and sunny in the afternoon. It’s 10 am and I am amazed to hear the chimes of the local church playing the Seekers’ Pierrot and Columbine song . I check it out later.

Tom Springfield wrote it for the Seekers in 1953 based the melody on the Russian folk song Stenka Razin (or Stenka Rasin). Stenka Razin was a Cossack rebel leader who led a major Cossack and peasant rebellion on Russia’s southeastern frontier in 1670-71. You can listen to the Seekers singing it here if you’re not familiar with the tune.

Our first destination is the tourist office as the Hotel Kaiser Panzio does not provide any maps or brochures. A sign indicates it’s the main square. We can’t find it. I ask at the Wellness Hotel and am sent to the other side of the square. After a long search we find a door that says “closed” and indicates that the Tour nform is on the other side of the bridge, 500 metres away.

This calls for a cappuccino. Jean Michel takes me back to the street on the other side of the square where he has a seen a likely-looking café with local ladies eating cakes. I have a mille feuilles that isn’t bad while he has a rocher. The cappuccino isn’t exactly Italian but it’s better that what you usually get in France and we pay a total of 4 euro.

View of the Danube from the bridge – you can see we’re off season

We set off over the bridge to the tourist office. The girl is very friendly and helpful and gives me a brochure and map that she explains in English although she has a little difficulty in explaining anything I say. I think she might be more used to foreign English!

As we are walking back to the main square to buy more fruit and vegetables I see a man with parsnips sticking out of his shopping bag which makes me suspect a fresh produce market. Sure enough, over to the left, we find a large market with a lot of local producers. We do the rounds and finally buy tomatoes, capsicum, coleslaw eggs and grapes.

Fruit and vegetable stalls at the market

We also find a cheese stall. The vendor helpfully says “sheep” in English, which I don’t understand at first because I think she’s saying cheese. She tells me the other cheeses are cow.

Our communication is a little rudimentary but all the prices are displayed and I demonstrate how much I want. Everyone gives us a little bit extra produce after telling us the total amount. We smile a lot and try and manage to get our tongues around thank you (koszonom) and goodbye (isten veled). Unlike all the other European languages, Hungarian, along with Finnish and Basque, is not an Indo-European language which means it’s out on its own and doesn’t ressemble anything else.

We also buy a white lace doily for the chest of drawers in our guest room. I’m sure that 4000 florint (13 euro) is far too much but the lady and her husband look as though they need a bit of extra money so I don’t mind. She throws in a small doily as well.

A sculpteur seen from the road on the way to Pecs

Delighted with our purchases we walk back to our hotel to put them away before driving to Pecs, about an hour away from Baja. But first, I need an external hard drive because my excessive number of photos (past and present) is clogging up my laptop. We go into a little out-of-the-way computer shop and are offered a hard case for the equivalent of 10 euro into which we are to insert a 70 euro hard drive. I can’t believe the prices and the fact that he doesn’t have one that’s already mounted. We decide to try somewhere else.

According to the Routard, Pecs is a “little jewel of a city”. We are rather disappointed after Szeged although we there are lots of Austro-Hungarian buildings and the sun comes out which helps.

We start with lunch at Matyas Kiraly Vendeglo, which offers a set daily menu at 990 florints (3.30 euro). We have a very palatable egg soup and pork schnitzel with coleslaw and a sort of fried rice.

Tourinform in Pecs - hidden in an arcade as usual — Tourinform in Pecs – hidden in an arcade as usual

We eventually find the Tourinform, which is just as difficult to locate as anywhere else! A young girl rattles off the list of things to do in English but doesn’t really understand what I say to her.

Pecs’ main claim to fame is the Cella Septichora, which contains the remains of a 4th century early Christian burial ground. Apart from Pompei and Herculaneum I’m afraid I find it difficult to relate to ruins, especially when you can’t get an idea of the building as a whole.

There is also Hungary’s first university founded by Louis the Great in 1367.

The history of the cathedral, of impressive size, also dates back to the 4th century. Its present form is a Neo-Romanesque reconstruction that took place at the end of the 19th century.

The statue of Liszt commemorating a concert he gave in Pecs in 1846

By the time our parking metre runs out, my feet are killing me so we decide to forego a visit to Zsolnay Museum’s porcelain collection which I later learn is definitely worth a visit.

Before taking the motorway (we didn’t take it on the way to Pecs), we stop to buy our obligatory vignette in a Shell service station. A Gestapo-like lady gets quite annoyed with our dithering, especially when we don’t know our car registration number . I dash out and take a photo. The 10-day vignette costs 10 euro and allows us to go on all of Hungary’s motorways.

The only Art Nouveau building we saw in Pecs

We also stop off at the Tesco hypermarket in the hope of finding a hard drive. We come across the same problem as before although they do have an all-in-one hard drive for 80 euro. I buy a 10 euro memory stick instead. We kill two birds with one stone and stock up on yoghurt and local wine as we’ve come to the end of our Italian stock.

Tomorrow, we’re cycling on the Danube at last because the temperature will be 18°C in the afternoon.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Romania, Sightseeing, Travelling

Timisoara in Romania – A great R&R stop

September 28, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

We leave Serbia without regret and pass the border into Romania on the other side of Derdap dam. It’s raining and we thank our lucky stars for yesterday’s perfect weather for visiting the Iron Gate gorges.

There is an immediate change in the built environment. Although many of the constructions are still delapidated, the impression as a whole is much brighter, particularly the gaily decorated houses. Each village also has a sparkling white church in the middle.

Our lunch stop is Lugoj, a pretty little town built on a river with the usual contrast of old and new. We eat our picnic in the car because the temperature is only 12°C then have coffee in a café where we use our Romanian lei for the first time. A cappuccino costs the equivalent of 80 eurocents.

View from the river during our lunch stop in Lugoj

We arrive at the Savoy Hotel, a 4-star in the Mariott group where we have a large bright room which also has a small table and chairs. Sheer luxury after our recent accommodation. We book for a second night which costs a bit more (65 euro as opposed to 52) because it’s no longer last minute.

We leave again almost immediately to discover the town centre which is just across a bridge over the canal only a few minutes from the hotel. It is no longer raining, just overcast and a bit warmer. We start with the Orthodox Cathedral, where a wedding is just finishing and a baptism starting. Built between 1936 and 1946, this impressive building can hold 5,000 people.

We wander down to Piata Victorei which is full of Sunday crowds. At the Opera House end there are eight brass bands performing to loud applause. The whole place has a nice feel to it.

Piata Libiritii - my first attempt at a panoramic photo — Piata Liberitii – my first attempt at a panoramic photo

A little further on we come to Piata Liberatii, currently being renovated. I’m very impressed with the efforts being made to give the town a facelift. It’s a European Capital of Culture candidate city for 2021. I hope that it is chosen.

Piata Unirii is the heart of the old town with more lovely buildings under reconstruction. After a glass of wine and Black Forest cake (Jean Michel found a cake menu but only one type was available) we go down to the edge of the canal to look for a restaurant.

We regret that it’s not warm enough to cycle. Timisoara has a very impressive network of cycle paths. There are also many green spaces and parks which we discover the next day.

We have a mixed grill and vegetables with a glass of house red at the Rivière restaurant for 100 lei (about 23 euro). The chips are luke warm and the meat – chicken, chicken and pork – is a bit tough. Although a lot of words in Romanian are recognisable because it is a Romance language (it originated from Latin, along with French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese), we couldn’t recognise much on the menu and my phone app dictionary didn’t contain most of them, as usual. Next time we might have better luck.

A wayside cross in the city on the way to Trajan Square

After a good night’s sleep, we set off for coffee (it’s an intermittent fast day) and walk for some time through numerous university buildings, finally ending up in a café which is obviously the local haunt for well-heeled students.

We’re heading for the Trajan quarter but none of the streets seems to be on the map. Jean Michel asks an elderly man standing on the pavement for help. We’re surprised when he is able to converse in French. He points us in the right direction and we eventually find our way. It is very sad to see what must once have been beautiful buildings in a sad state of decay but maybe once day, the city will be able to finance their renovation.

The unrenovated side of Trajan Square — An unrenovated building near Trajan Square

We manage to buy tomatoes , yoghurt and grapes from a little “mixt market” and ham from a stall on the square.

As we walk back along the canal, we come to a large outside entertainment area, a rose garden and a small botanic garden. There are also lots of areas set up for children.

After a well-deserved nap, we set off again, this time to the tourist office for a brochure to illustrate the travel diary and to find a barber for Jean Michel. The tourist office is easy but the barber is a different story. There are pharmacies everywhere but no hairdressers’. We didn’t see any this morning either despite our very long walk.

We leave the old town to try the area on the other side of the hotel. It’s raining. All we see are a large number of second hand clothes shops, mini-markets and cafés. Not a single hairdresser.

The church opposite the café that we can't identify — The church opposite the café that we can’t identify

We stop for tea at a café opposite another impressive-looking church, but there is only green tea and herbal tea so we settle for a Coca Zero. I ask the waitress about a hairdresser for Jean Michel. She tells us there is one three streets away with a sign outside and another in the street next to the café, but she doesn’t know exactly where it is, which seems a little strange. I elect to go to the other one. “I’m not sure of the programme”, she adds, “but it should be open”. It’s 5.30 pm and I’ve noticed that opening hours here are often 8 to 3 pm.

The very non-descript hairdressers from the outside

The only indication of the presence of a hairdresser is the word frizzerie on the bottom left-hand side of the window. We walk in and see two hairdressers, one of whom is sitting dispondently next to her barber’s chair. Jean Michel asks if she can cut his hair. “Yes”, she says, and sits him down.

She doesn’t smile once the whole time but gives him a very professional-looking cut. She is a whizz with the razor. It is only when Jean Michel hands over the 20 lei (4.50 euro) that she finally smiles. “Thank you. Have a good day”, she says as we leave.

Our next task is to find an immersion heater to boil eggs and water in our hotel rooms which very rarely have an electric jug. I have seen a store that sells electric goods. We go in and I describe with ample gestures what I am looking for. “Yes”, says the lady, and goes to get one. She then hears me speak to Jean Michel in French and says “bonjour.” She tells us she learnt French at school. She speaks well enough for us to make our purchase – we even buy two.

There is work going on next door to our hotel. The house on the right is obviously being renovated to rival the one on the left

Back in our hotel room, we’re feeling rested after our easy day and start checking the weather forecast again for the next part of our trip. We finally decide to go to Baja, on the Danube in Hungary, about 190 K south of Budapest and 250 K from Timisoara. It’s going to be sunny with temperatures rising from a maximum of 15 to 19°C during the three days we intend to stay there. We’ll be able to cycle again!

We haven’t spent much time in Romania, and only in one small area, but we know we will come back though not with our bikes. We’ll come by plane and hire a car so we can visit the northern part of the country, particularly Transylvania.

Accommodation, Cycling, Eastern Europe, Serbia, Sightseeing, Travelling

The Iron Gates on the Danube in Serbia – Why we didn’t cycle!

September 27, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

We finally leave Zemun near Belgrade around 11 am. The weather is better than we expected but still only 15°C and somewhat overcast. We’re heading for Donji Milanovac in the middle of the Iron Gate gorges (Djerdap) which are the deepest and narrowest on the Danube and the largest and longest in Europe.

After leaving the Belgrade-Nis motorway, the Tom-Tom takes us on a small road to the Danube at Golubac and its famous fortress at the entrance to the gorges. At one stage we cross a rather dicey bridge. “Take a photo”, says Jean Michel, “so that if it collapses, there is something for posterity.”

One of the many 1950s Massy Ferguson tractors

We pass numerous 1950-model Massy Ferguson tractors, to Jean Michel’s amusement – he learnt to drive on one when he was about 10 years old.

We park in Golubac and look for a restaurant. At the only one with any sign of life the owner tells us the kitchen is closed because it’s Saturday. I ask where we’ll find something to eat and he sends us to the castle 3 k away. I assume he means the fortress.

Golubac Fortress, at the entrance to the Iron Gates

Sure enough, after the fortress which is being restored with EU funding, we do indeed find a small restaurant where I have a mixed pork grill and Jean Michel grilled cat fish. My grill is served practically cold with very warm French fries and is so copious that I only eat half of it. I’m looking forward to tomato , cucumber and grapes in our room tonight!

The view of the Danube opposite our restaurant

After lunch, the sun comes out and we begin driving through the series of 16 tunnels along the gorges and we are glad that we decided NOT to cycle today despite the increasing amount of sun. There is no way I would feel comfortable going through one of these tunnels at the same time as a car, let alone a truck. There is no separate cycling path and no cyclists, what’s more.

The scenary, however, is quite stunning and there are lots of places you can stop the car (all on the Danube side of the road) to take photos.

We arrive in Donji Milanovac where we would thought we would take a cruise down the Danube through the gorges but there is not a boat or a soul in sight. I guess we are out of season.

We drive up the hill to the Lepenski Vir Hotel to see if they have a room. It reminds me of a place where we once stayed in Saint Petersbourg, only a little more upmarket – very eastern European and quite lugubrious. We check out the room and discover there is no wifi. I don’t have the reflex to take a photo of the wonderful view from the balcony though. We hand back our keys and leave.

The view coming down the hill from the Lepenski Vir hotel

Our only possibility is to continue to Kladovo, 10 K after the enormous dam built across the Danube in 1972, a joint project between Romania and Serbia.

On the way, we see the narrowest part of the gorges.

We also see the Orthodox church built on the Romanian side of the Danube.

The church on the edge of the Danube below, on the Romanian side

However, the very bright sun means we can hardly make out the portrait of Decebalus sculpted into the rock face and certainly can’t photograph it.

You can vaguely see the scupture of Decebalus on the left side

There is a hotel called Aquastar Danube that seems to have good reviews on booking.com so we give it a try. The room is spacious, with a small table and chairs as well as a large bed and is quite recent. We’re also paying for an outdoor spa we won’t be using. We have a panoramic view of the industrial harbour in Romania on the other bank of the river.

The panoramic view from the Aquastar Danube Hotel

We walk into the centre which is a series of cafés with comfortable chairs. We choose one and have a glass of wine. As usual there are no nibbles to go with it.

The main street in Kalovo with the casino on the left and cafes on the right

After a picnic dinner in our room, we spend the next three hours trying to decide where to go next because rain and low temperatures are forecast for most of the region for the next week. In the end we opt for Timisoara in Romania, not because it’s on the Danube, but because it’s midway to Gyor in Hungary which might possibly offer cycling possibilities if the weather improves just a little bit.

Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, Serbia, Sightseeing, Travelling

Cycling around Belgrade

September 26, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

We leave Zagreb with overcast skies and slight rain. We have lunch in a rest stop on the motorway in the car because it’s not warm enough to sit outside – not to mention there are no picnic tables.

Trucks on the Croatian side of the border

We’re a bit worried about the border between Croatia and Serbia because Croatia is stopping lorries from entering the country in order to put pressure on the Serbian government to take more migrants (mostly from Syria). Apart from an accident between a car and a lorry in the queue, there is no problem about cars entering Serbia. However, at border control, three cars enter Serbia for every car that enters Croatia.

Trucks on the Serbian side of the border, banked up for 11 kilometers

After we leave the border, we see lorries waiting in line for 11 kilometers on the Serbian side. The rest of the journey to Belgrade is uneventful.

We’ve reserved a hotel just outside the centre of Belgrade along the Danube in Zemun. We are able to park just in front (the hotel looks after the parking). It’s a bit spartan and the room is minute, but what can you expect for 33 euros a night including breakfast?

View of the Danube in front of the hotel

We drop our things and take off on our bikes to explore Belgrade. However, it’s already nearly 4 pm and we know it will be dark by 6.30 pm. We don’t have a lot of time. The centre is 7 k away.

Belgrade from the bike path along the Danube with its many restaurant boats

The ride along the Danube is pleasant. As usual in the former Eastern block countries, there is a constant contrast between old and new which a lot of very dilapidated buildings.

We go past numerous house boats, many of which are restaurants or cafés. There are very few cyclists on the Eurovelo 6 route which then takes us through a park along the river.

Belgrade is built on a hill overlooking the Danube on the other side so we have to cross a busy bridge.

Three-quarters of the way across the bridge, we see there is a special bike lift to take us down to the bank below. Pedestrians are not allowed to use the lift and there is a lift man at the bottom keeping an eye on things.

The Danube from the bike path on the Belgrade centre side

The Eurovelo 6 route continues along the edge of the Danube. After a couple of kilometers, we see an arrow pointing right to Belgrade centrar. And that is the end of any concession whatsoever to bikes. In fact we only ever see one other bike …

We go through an underpass then have to go up a hill on a road iwith trams. The pavement is very narrow and Jean Michel has already warned me about the danger of getting my wheel stuck in a tram line. We decide to wheel our bikes up the hill.

The first impression when we reach the centre of Belgrade is the number of people and general animation. There are people and cafés everywhere but very few buildings of any architectural interest except a few throwbacks to the Austro-Hungarian era.

One of the buildings of Austro-Hungarian influence

We realise we’ve forgotten our Petit Futé guide book to Serbia so we look for the tourist office. Jean Michel minds the bikes while I go in. I ask for a brochure in French, but they only have one in English. I then ask if there is a cycling itinerary but my request is not understood. I am given a brochure on guided tours to Belgrade instead.

We check out the main attractions but there are very few except for museums and we don’t have either the time or inclination. There are a lot of buskers around and a large group of people in front of the national museum n Republic Square. A woman is speaking. I go closer and it seems that she is interpreting a man using sign language. I wish I could understand more.

The museum in the fortress park — The Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion in the fortress park

It’s getting late and I don’t want to ride home along the Danube in the dark so we decide to go and quickly visit the 14th century fortress reconstructed in the 18th century on the way back. We meet a lot of other visitors all going to the Torture Museum and to see the old army tanks, it seems.

Belgrade Fortress, built in the14th century and reconstructed in the 18th century

We get back to the hotel just as night is falling to Jean Michel’s surprise by which time we are also a little cold. The temperature is about 14 or 15°C and we’re in three-quarter pants and sandals.

A thatched roof house boat on the Danube

It’s an intermittent fast day so we have dinner in our little room. I manage to stub my toe very badly on the leg of the bed but at least it isn’t broken. We spend over two hours trying to find a place to stay next day so that we can cycle along the Danube in the area called the Iron Gates. We would like an apartment for 3 nights but I can’t find anything that looks even halfway decent. There seem to be few hotels either. In the end, we go to bed. Whenever I wake up, my toe hurts which is very worrying if we are going to cycle tomorrow.

However, next morning, I am able to walk in my sandals without pain. Breakfast is surprising. Everything is cold – the sausages, fried eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, French toast. They have some tasty brioche though.

After checking out from the hotel, we go looking for a bancomat and see a local market which is great fun. We buy tomatoes for less than 50 euro cents a kilo, cucumbers and purple grapes called Hamburg which is a relief because we’ve been eating the strangest grapes since Lake Garda. Everyone is very friendly and helpful despite our lack of Serbian. The only things I know how to say is Hvala (thank you) and zdravo (hello). I forgot to mention that they use the Cyrillic alphabet here which is highly confusing.

We leave Belgrade without regret. We both find it quite depressing. The people are friendly, but nothing really works properly and there is a lot of poverty. Next stop, the Iron Gates which are the narrowest and deepest gorges in Europe.

Accommodation, Architecture, Croatia, Cycling, Sightseeing, Travelling

Zagreb – a City of Contrasts

September 24, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 9 Comments

We’ve been to Croatia before – in 2011 – but didn’t get as far as Zagreb so it’s been on my list for a while. We mainly visited the coast: Split, Dubrovnik (with an excursion into Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina), Zadar, Sibenik and Plitvice Lakes (which is one of my top sites in the world) and Pula and Porec in Istria. We then went to Ljubljana, which I loved so it’s a bit frustrating to be whizzing through Slovenia on the motorway without stopping especially as the sun’s come out.

Whizzing past typical Slovenian countryside on the motorway

We’re staying two nights in an apartment in Zagreb because there are practically no hotels in the centre. Parking also seems to be a problem but there is a cheap covered parking lot less than 10 minutes walk from the apartment which is another 10 minute walk in the other direction from the historical centre.

Our view from the little balcony of our apartment

This is not Italy as far as apartments go, but it’s not the same price either. In Arqua Petrarca, we paid 100 euro a night against 66 euro here. Our Aba Zagreb apartment is spacious and clean (except for the windows), the bed is comfortable, the shower head needs soaking in vinegar to unplug the clogged holes, the floor between the bedroom and bathroom is warped and cracks at night when you walk on it and there is only two or three of everything (cups, plates, etc.) but otherwise it’s fine because we have our own vegetable peeler, kitchen knives and bread knife. I’m not quite sure how the apartment got it’s 9+ rating on booking.com!

By the time we get settled, it’s dusk so we make for the old town. I always find that a bit of an adjustment is needed when we enter a former eastern block country because of the many contrasts between old and new, delapidated and renovated. Zagreb is no exception The historical centre is appealing though and we have a glass of wine near the market. – the glasses are 0.10 l and there are no nibbles to go with them. Next to us, a dozen or so young women are obviously celebrating something and have a photographer with them.

Maybe a hens' party? — Maybe a hens’ party?

We make a mistake about dinner and end up paying 60 euro in a restaurant recommended by Le Routard (Balthazar) as being “medium priced” and serving local dishes. My entrée is frankly awful but Jean Michel has delicious pasta and freshly picked boletus mushrooms. We then have a small entrecôte with grilled vegetables accompanied by a house wine.

It’s next morning and we start with a cappuccino in the “café” street , Tklaciceva, which was once a river separating the Kaptol and Gradec quarters.

The first female journalist in Croatia, Marija Juric Zagorka, 1887-1957

I love this little café which seems to have grown out of the wall

A house and chapel just next to the cathedral hidden behind an iron fence

We go back to Zagreb Cathedral to visit the inside. It has led a chequered existence and was once at the mercy of the Ottaman invaders, which explains the towers on each side which are part of a fortified wall , the front part of which has been demolished.

The buildings on the other side of the cathedral square

Comparison of renovation and non-renovation

We return to Dolac market and are surprised to see so many local producers selling their own fruit and vegetables, We buy some figs, grapes and green beans from three different vendors.

We find a place for lunch called Nokturno that costs a quarter of last night’s meal and is just as satisfactory. It’s certainly “local” in any case.

We walk up the hill to Saint Mark’s with Parliament House on one side and Ban Palace on the other. Something is going on. There is a TV reporter and a small group of demonstrators. I hear the word “discrimination”. We go in search of a wrought-iron gate mentioned in our guide book and designed by Herman Bollé. Just then a downpour begins and we duck under a porch. The weather forecast said overcast but no rain so we don’t have an umbrella. Sigh.

The wrought iron gate designed by Herman Bollé

Sweet corn sellers at the end of Tkalciceva street

We make a dash for a café and have an espresso while waiting for the rain to stop. We talk about our next destination. This morning we had decided to drive to Split on the Adriatic and take the ferry across to Ancona in Italy, because of the current immigrant problems and the large number of border controls being restored in this part of the world but we now think we should go to Serbia anyway and resume our cycling itinerary along the Danube.

We go home and check the weather forecast. We learn that the temperatures are going down in most places along the Danube in this area over the next few days, then going up again next week. So we book a hotel for a night on the Danube in Belgrade for an astonishing 31.50 euro. The Serbian capital is only about 3 hours away so we’ll be able to cycle along the river and visit Belgrade by bike in the afternoon then move on further the next day, perhaps to Vidin where it’s supposed to be warm and sunny. Keep tuned!

Accommodation, Architecture, Art, Cycling, Italy, Sightseeing

Cycling in the Veneto – Walled Cities and the Euganei Hills

September 23, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

After a rest day at our flat in Arqua Petrarca, the town where the famous Italian poet, Petrach, chose to spend his last five years (he died in 1374), we are back on our bikes.

The view of hte Euganei Hills from the bike path leaving Monselice

We’ve driven the 6 or 7 kilometers to Monselice and are following the official cycling itinerary that links up the walled cities of Monselice, Este and Montagnana and should total about 30 k. We set off on a sealed road along the Bisatto Canal which looks promising.

The easy gravel path along the Bisatto Canal

It lasts for 3 kilometers and then we are on a gravel road which soon becomes somewhat worse for wear. We come to a fork and see a big sign announcing the Colli Euganei route but nothing to indicate our road. We eventually find it after crossing a bridge over the Frassine river.

The narrow bike path with the Euganei Hills in the background

The bike road gets worse and it’s slow going but we have the Colli Euganei in the background to inspire us.

As we approach the mediaeval town of Este, about 10 K from Monselice, the road improves and despite the lack of sun, we appreciate the little town with its castle on one side and vast Piazza Maggiore with its municipal clock tower on the other.

We buy some food for lunch (it’s an intermittent fast day) and set off again.

After a couple of kilometers of sealed road, we find ourselves on another gravel road along the river which slows us down again. We come across two churches side by side, one little and old and the other big and new. We have our picnic on a low wall. There is not a soul in sight.

We continue the path along the river and it gets so bad that even Jean Michel, a truly seasoned cyclist, has to get off and walk part of the way because the stones are so big. We see a wild rabbit on the track that doesn’t run away until we’re practically on top of it. We eventually find a very steep stony road leading down to a sealed road and head for what we think is Montagnana.

On the way, we stop and ask a farmer what his crop is. Jean Michel, a true country boy, has been intrigued for some time about the local crops. Soy, we are told. Ah, that’s it. However, we later realise that the crop Jean Michel actually meant is tobacco. We keep going until we finally come to a town called Saletto that is not on our map. Hmm.

We ride around the town until we see a sign saying 6 k to Montagnana. We ride along a busy road with large trucks whizzing past us at 90 kph, cursing the people who dreamt up the itinerary. They were obviously not cyclists !

The cathedral in the main piazza in Montagnana

Montagnana turns out to be a 14th century walled city whose 24 x 17 metres high towers are still in perfect condition. We ride through one of the four gates and into the main square with its impressive cathedral and historical houses. There is obviously an important funeral going on so we don’t visit.

We then ride halfway around the walls to have a more complete view of the town. By now, we have clocked up 39 k which is our usualy daily average. We still have to ride back again and it’s already 4 pm. We’ve identified an alternative route and are hoping it will be better than the official itinerary we have just taken.

Our alternative route home with sealed roads and no gravel

As we ride past farms and tobacco fields on a quiet sealed road running roughly parallel to the gravelly river path, we wonder why on earth anyone would even suggest using the other one. Our road starts getting busier as it approaches the motorway and we debate whether or not to rejoin the gravel road (we’re about level with our picnic spot) or cross the bridge over the river and try the road on the other side.

The hill on which Monselice castle is built

We vote for the alternative route and congratulate ourselves on our choice. We eventually have to leave the sealed road when it veers off to the left. We take another gravel road but this time it’s acceptable. When we reach the Bisatto Canal again, we have a sealed road once more. It’s then plain sailing until we reach the car.

The Euganei Hills just before Monselic on the way home at dusk

All in all, it took us 3 hours to cover the 39 kilometers to Montagnana and 2 hours to cover the 31 kilometers back – a total of 5 hours’ cycling and 70 k, the most I’ve ever ridden in one day! I can’t wait to get back to our flat but we have food shopping to do first.

It’s next day and we’re feeling a little sluggish after our long ride yesterday so decide to drive down to Monselice which we didn’t have time to visit yesterday.

After a cappuccino and a pastry in what looks to be a favourite caffè with the local ladies, we explore the town. We walk up a side street to the Castello, a fortress dating from the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the 13th century.

The dwarfs on Villa Nani-Mocengo — The dwarfs on Villa Nani-Mocengio

A little further up the hill is the Villa Nani-Mocengio, whose statues of dwarfs on the outer wall are most intriguing. They are an illusion to the noble family that commissioned its construction (nani means dwarfs).

We have studied the bike route carefully this time and are avoiding any paths that are not sealed so we drive to Battaglia Terme 6 k away to leave the car. We take the incredibly comfortable sealed road along the canal to Montegrotto Terme past numerous vineyards and soy and tobacco fields not to mention to occasional castello.

Jean Michel and the bootmaker discussing Vespas

At the entrance to the town I spy a shoe repair shop and we stop to have the leather covering on my orthopaedic soles restuck – all in Italian, including a discussion about Vespa scooters between Jean Michel who speaks about 10 words of Italian and the shoemaker who is a self-proclaimed Vespa passionato.

Lunch at Osteria dei Fradei in Montegrosso Terme

We continue into the town which is of absolutely no interest but we find a small osteria for lunch. The prices are the lowest we’ve seen yet – 6 euro for primi piatti and 8 to 12 euro for secondi. I ask what braciole is and am told it comes from the animal’s rib. Jean Michel immediately swaps from his mixed fish grill, thinking it’s rib steak. It turns out to be a small pork chop served with excellent chip potatoes.

After also eating a side salad, we’re still hungry so order fusilli with basil and datterini, another new word for me. It means cherry tomatoes. Very tasty.

Building of Austrian influence in Abano Terme — Building of Austrian influence at Piazza del Sole e Pace in Abano Terme

We then continue on to Abano Terme which I thought was just down the road. By the time we get there, once again on an easy sealed road, we’ve clocked up 20 kilometers. So much for an easy day! It turns out to be a spa resort with absolutely nothing to redeem it. I ask a policeman to direct us to the Piazza del Sole et Pace which the tourist office brochure indicates is of interest. He gives us directions and tells us we shouldn’t be riding our bikes in the centre. Hmm.

We decide to take the quickest route back to Battaglia for an ice-cream, then home. The ride along the canal is fast so we only take 2 ½ hours to cover a total of 49 kilometers, much better than yesterday’s slow going.

The ice-cream is delicious (chocolate, fiori di latte and fig in a very good cone) and according to the newspaper clippings in the window, has won many prizes. What a lucky find!

Ice-cream at the prize-wining ice-cream parlour in Battaglia Terme

Meanwhile, my bike speedometer is no longer working because the sensor has fallen off. I think I know when it happened yesterday, just as we arrived back in Monselice, but there is little chance of finding it so I ask in the ice-cream shop for a bike shop. The lady looks at me with astonishment. In Battaglia, she says, I don’t think so, then asks her husband who’s chatting with a customer. Of course, he says, and the customer starts explaining how to get there.

I ask him to come outside an point the way, lentamente per piacere I understand it’s on the other side of the canal. Bingo! We are able to buy a new speedometer and a second tyre because Jean Michel says the other one on my bike is pretty worn as well and we need to be prepared for another puncture.

The 51-bike shop on the main road in Battaglia Terme

We arrive back at Zorzi apartments in Arqua Petrarca at 6 pm, practically a record these days and are able to spend some time in our little garden. We’ve decided on the next stage of our trip – two nights in Zagreb, which is 5 hours away, then onto to the Danube, starting at Nova Sad if the weather is fine, or further along if it’s not! The current immigrant events may also force us to take another route.

Accommodation, Architecture, Art, Cycling, Italy, Sightseeing

Cycling along the Brenta Riviera from Stra to Fusina with a visit to Villa Pisani

September 20, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 7 Comments

As promised, Paola, our lovely hostess at La Casa di Paola e Marco, the B&B where we are staying in Noventa Padovana near Padua, gives us scrambled eggs, ham and cheese for breakfast so we are ready to start a hard day’s cycling. We are off to the Brenta Riviera, with its Palladian villas between Padua and Venise. We park the car at Stra in front of the first Palladian villa on our list, Villa Pisani, which looks more like a palace than a villa.

Built in the first half of the 18th century, it has 114 rooms. We begin the visit at 11.15 and considering the size of the second villa that I can see at the bottom of the grounds, I make my way through the rooms quite quickly.

The second villa at Villa Pisani which turns out to be the stables

Some are richly furnished but the frescoes on the walls and ceilings are what really take the eye. They are quite sumptuous.

It’s not until we get to the end of the visit that I discover that the second villa is not a villa at all but the stables, and designed soley to provide a harmonious view from the first building. It’s actually only one room deep! I think that is amazing.

One of the more delicate ceilngs at Villa Pisani

Time for cappuccino so we walk down to the bottom of the gardens to the Museum Café which is in the old donkey stables.

The Coffee House (ice-house) at Villa Pisani, an early version of refrigerator

On the way, we pass the Ice House, built at the same time as the villa and which served as a refrigerator in the summer back. During the winter, snow and ice were stored in the area under the man-made hill and used to keep food and drink cold throughout the hot summer. Holes in the ceiling provided air-conditioning in the room above where the inhabitants of the villa came to keep cool. It reminds me of the Tivoli Gardens near Rome.

The museum café, in the donkey's stables — The museum café, in the donkey’s stables

We’re now back in the parking area which seems a good place to leave the car for the day. There is a group called Travel & Bike next to us so I ask the man running the show where the bike route starts because our map isn’t detailed enough. He starts directing me, then says, “Here take this map”. I show it to Jean Michel who suggests I ask for a second one.

I wait until the T&B organiser has looked after all his cyclists , making sure they have what they need and that their bikes are properly adjusted, and ask him for another one. He’s still in a bit of a hurry so asks his mate to give me one. By now it’s nearly 1 pm.

We lock the car and set off, as instructed, passing in front of the villa and down to the bridge 300 metres away. When we arrive at the end of the path, the Travel & Bike van is there. The organiser comes over and apologises for not taking more time with us earlier. He has a few suggestions to make : we should stop in Dolo where there is a 16th century watermill and old dockyard, leave the path at Malcontenta to see Villa Foscari, another Palladian villa, and then go the extra 5 k to see Venice from the boat terminal at Fusina.

On the Brenta just before taking the main road to Fusina

His bike tour seems extremely well-organised. He’ll be picking up the bikes at Fusina so the cyclists can take the vaporetto to Venice. He already has their luggage as they’ll be staying overnight.

Villa Badoer Fattoretto closed after a tornado in July 2015

Meanwhile we are limited, once again, by the fast diminishing number of daylight hours. It’s already 1.30 pm. Our bike route takes us along the south side of the Naviglio di Brenta along a tranquil road, past many villas owned by rich Venetians, which explains why the area is called the Brenta Riviera. Some of the villas are in better shape than others, Villa Badoer Fattoretto, built in the 17th century being one of the better ones.

We stop at Dolo as suggested and have lunch at the Mulino di Dolo restaurant on the little esplanade which has a view of the dockyard (squero) and church.

After Dolo, the bike route runs along the river and we see more villas. The route takes us through Oriago until we come out on a main road. Fortunately the T&B organiser has explained where to go or we would have been lost! The group turns out to be just in front of us and we follow them to Villa Forcari a few hundred kilometers off the main path.

Unfortunately, it’s closed on Sunday afternoons but we are able to see it from the outside. Not that we would have had time to visit.

The remaining 5 kilometers to Fusina mainly run along the Brenta except for the last couple which take us on the main road leading to Fusina terminal. We arrive at the esplanade and can pick out some of our favourite places in Venice with our binoculars. We’re glad we made the extra effort. However, the 30 kilometers have taken us 2 hours and it’s 5 pm. Nightfall is at 7.15 pm at the moment …

Some of the dilapidated villas along the Brenta

We start the return journey, intending to eat a gelato in Malcontenta where I spied a gelateria on the way. When we arrive, there is only one table left (out of two!) and it’s in the sun. The owner immediately sees the problem and moves the table. We go in to choose our gelati. “No”, she says, “we don’t have any ice-cream, only cakes”. Well, I am not a great fan of Italian cakes. so it’s a bit of a disappointment, especially after cycling for 25 K without a break Jean Michel chooses one but I prefer to eat the biscuits we always carry with us.

There is an alternative bike route that skirts around Oriago and will save a couple of kilometers so we decide to take it. We’re cycling along the canal again when we hear a horn blowing behind us. We stop and who do we see – Paola and Marco from the B&B in Noventa Padovana! They’re on their motorbike bound for Venice for the evening. When they went past several minutes earlier, they thought it was us so doubled back. What a coincidence!

At kilometer 43 out of 58, we come to a fork near Mira and I choose the right hand path. Jean Michel, who’s just behind, calls out “no, to the left.” I brake, without realising I’m on gravel and over I go. I try to save myself by getting free of the bike and only have a few grazes on my hands and knees. No holes in my pants, thank goodness.

We get back to the car at 7 pm, just before nightfall. We arrive at our next location, Arqua Petraca, an hour later, just in time for an excellent – and well-deserved – dinner at the Osteria al Guerriero, run by the owners of the appartment we are renting for the next four nights. – Casa

In front of our rental appartment in Arqua Petrarca

We are delighted with our accommodation – a 2-bedroom flat on the ground floor with our own table and chairs in the garden just in front. Tomorrow is a rest day and we’re pleased to at last have more space than just a bedroom.

Accommodation, Cycling, Food, History, Life in France

Blogger Round-Up: Choosing accommodation with airbnb – Luggage transfer when cycling – History of potatoes in France

August 9, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 6 Comments

In recent times, I have sadly neglected my once-weekly blogger round-up due to my very busy life since moving to Blois last October but three posts caught my eye recently that I would like to share. The first is Simply Sara Travel‘s method for selecting the perfect airbnb accommodation which I’m sure you’ll find helpful not only for Airbnb but also for home exchanges. The next is Experience France by Bike‘s excellent report on luggage transfer when cycling, particularly in the Loire Valley. The third is a very interesting history of New World vegetables in France – potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, chillies and peppers – by Days on the Claise that I’m sure you’ll find fascinating. Enjoy!

My Method on How to Select the Perfect Airbnb Accommodations

by Simply Sara Travel, a girl from New Jersey who traded in her bagels for baguettes and moved to Paris. The aim of her blog is to inspire readers to travel, embrace a new culture, and open their minds to new perspectives.

How people travel is shifting. With sites like Airbnb, more and more people are moving away from staying in traditional hotels and towards a more local experience of renting apartments/houses or shared spaces with residents. There are lots of pros to using Airbnb for lodging – it’s often less expensive than a hotel (especially when split among a larger party, and if there is a kitchen that allows self-servicing some meals) and allows for a more local-feeling experience. There’s a lot of great material already written on this – like Adventurous Kate’s How to Use Airbnb and Have a Great Experience for a detailed explanation of the site, or Expat Edna’s post on 6 Airbnb’s I Loved Around the World to give some inspiration on the cool places you could stay worldwide. Read more

Luggage Transfer – A Great Bicycling Indulgence

by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history

No matter how much you love bicycling in Europe, you’re probably not a big fan of carrying all your clothes in panniers. But for cyclotourists, panniers are a necessary evil, a small price to pay for complete independence on the road. Despite how carefully I choose every piece of clothing and technology that I pack, my panniers still end up weighing between 32-35 pounds, something I curse every time I go up a hill!

This summer, for the first time in 20+ years of bicycle touring, I used a luggage transfer service for 4 nights along the Mosel River. It was a fantastic indulgence, enabling us to easily bicycle the 200 km in 4 days with lots of stops during the day. Read more

Monsieur Parmentier versus Deadly Nightshade

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.

When potatoes and other New World members of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, peppers) were introduced to Europe they were treated with great suspicion. The intrepid explorers who brought them reported that the South American natives they encountered ate freely of these exotic plants.

But French peasants weren’t convinced. These plants were clearly related to Henbane, Deadly Nightshade and worst of all, Mandrake. No one in their right mind would eat these dangerous plants, associated with witchcraft and capable of killing or sending you mad. Due to a curious twist of evolution, many Old World Solanums are amongst the most poisonous of all plants, but many New World Solanums are safe, nutritious and delicious. It’s true the New World species also contain some dubious compounds, but they are easily dealt with by simple everyday culinary techniques and pose no serious risk to consumers. Read more

Aussie in France