Post script to 2017

Just to be somewhat obscure as usual, try the words to this one by Jack Johnson to discover where I am at in some ways after this experience:   Quite a few of the grandchildren probably know these words already as they struggled to keep awake in their very early years listening to Jack doing his thing on the CD player in the corner.  Do you?

"What You Thought You Need"

I can't give you everything you want
But I could give you what you thought you need.
A map to keep beneath your seat, you've been to me in time I'll get you there.
I fold it up so we don't find our way back soon, nobody knows we're here.

We can park the van and walk to town
Find the cheapest bottle of wine that we could find
And talk about the road behind how getting lost is not a waste of time.

The water moor will take us home in the moment we will sing as the forest sleeps.

Well it's all for the sake of arriving with you
Well it's all .. for the sake of arriving with you

Well, I will make the table into a bed
The candle is burning down its time to rest.
I can't take back things already gone, but I could give you promises for keeps.

And I would only take them back if they become your own and you give them to me .

And it's all for the sake of arriving with you.
Well it's all for the sake of arriving with you.

We could make this into anything
We could make this into more than words we speak.
This could make us into anything
It could make us grow and become what we'll be.

Mmmmmm...
How and we really know
It's just like it feels.

Our first selfie, maybe our last.
Seems a dumb thing to go around doing?

Amazing escape on last days of walk

Well, we are now relaxing in our Nordlingen digs preparing for our return trip home. One of us is a little distressed, the other will be happy enough with what we have done for now. And this will be our last blog for the moment.  Maybe a post script if I have the time.

Today we had a lucky escape from serious injury. Apparently a meteorite hit Earth here only 15 million years ago creating quite a huge depression many kilometres wide and up to a kilometre deep (Nordlinger Ries). It goes to show you need to have luck going your way at times if one is to avoid accidents. What it did do is make the last walk day a very flat one indeed. Yvonne was in a mixed mood at times today. No hills brings smiles but then around 3 kms of dead straight and dead flat walking past huge fields of corn seemed to sap her energy in what was quite a warm day.

Also today marks the death throes of one of Randall's pair of walking boots.  They have been going around since our first walk around 2003 and have done a stirling job.  But we all have an expiry date and we will dispose the boots with dignity.  Kaput is the word that comes to mind.

And yesterday after the longest walk day at around 23 kms, we spent our evening in the small hamlet of Raustetten, a place with about a half a dozen homes, a church and two guest houses. It was quite an interesting experience sitting in the beer garden watching local hunters trying to finish off a couple of wild pigs who turned up in the area.  Not really a fair thing in my view with about 10 shooters with dogs and vehicles on the hunt. Apparently one pig was killed and another escaped. The boys gathered in our beer garden after calling it a day to enjoy a few rounds of beer before heading home.

And heading home is happening to us. Bus, trains and planes with only minimal walking expected.

This trip has been quite a long one.  It seems many moons ago since we landed in the damp of England for walking and touring.  Then our time in France was a mixture of very high heat and then damp conditions as we wandered from the Provence area through to Dijon.  Later, we enjoyed learning about rural life on the small Danish islands we visited by bicycle.  Our month in Germany helped us learn quite a bit more about Germany and Germans as well as enjoying interesting and varied experiences

.

Finally, I did today suggest to G1 that we could just keep heading south to say, The Alps, Rome and who knows where.  Her answer is unprintable!

Dazzling Duo in Deutschland -Dawdling in Dinkelsbuhl

Day three of the walk is complete as we arrived around 1.30 pm after just 14 kms today, our shortest day. Overall the weather has been hot at around 30 degrees by early afternoon. So with plenty of humidity too, we have generally arrived ready for a few long drinks in the beer gardens.  The other two days have been just under 20 kms which is plenty for us in general. Our accommodation has all been great as most German accommodation is. Our hosts have been all been friendly and some good cooks too.

We had a few testy moments at the start when leaving Rothenburg due to the number of walks signposted and just getting used to the translated notes we are using. But now we have the system worked out and the markings are really quite good.  For most of the time we are on very small secondary roads or tracking through the wonderful forests. People are few, the hamlets seem mostly empty and we have crossed paths with just three fellow walkers over the three days thus far.

Cyclists are reasonably frequent when we are on roads.  But we are yet to pass any places with open cafe type facilities. Just as well we are taking cut lunches to keep us going.

Dinkelsbuhl is a gem so we are making the most of our extra time here. A great little walled city, not many tourists about and a good relaxed feel.  Tomorrow is our longest day at around 24 kms so we have to be on the ball a little earlier if we are to get in by dark.

Why am I in Rothenburg again?

We left Hamburg as planned and on time. As the trains headed south the weather improved and the countryside was more 'Postman Pat'.  We duly arrived at our lodgings just outside the city walls around 5 pm.  A re-famil walk into town followed.

At about this time G1 began to wonder out loud. 'Why am I here?'  How many kilometres are we going to walk?'  'I think we are going to cook'. ' I was happy at the end of the boat and bike with what I have done.'   'You did not tell me that we will have to walk over 26 kilometres one day nor that the walk is rated medium difficulty'.

'Maybe you should read the trip notes next time' replied G2. ' Waiter, could I please have another very large pilsener please?

And so we enjoyed our pre walk rest day in Rothenburg.  Yes it is a beautiful medieval city. There were not too many selfy snapping Asians either. And I found the most extensive array of train scenery Ever.  But the bags can only hold so much so I had to cut back on ideas.

We turned in trusting we had enough energy left for the following 5 days.

Messages from Hamburg

If you understand us just a little, you should be able to find the messages in the following Hamburg snaps.

Hints:  One of us does not like confined spaces. One of us has just formally become old but is not yet coping. One of us thinks Edward Munch is amongst the greatest painters and we have just four grandsons and one grand daughter on this great planet.

Recently seen at Miniature World Hamburg

For those who suffer from attention deficiencies or who think that 'a picture saves a thousand words', the following are pics taken the miniature world. Note the study attitudes on some of the attendees.

Lost in not so little Hamburg

Hamburg was a bit of a shock after the relative tranquility of sea travel. Our first shock was to discover that the train system is struggling to cope here. Our train from Kiel to Hamburg last Sunday terminated in the suburbs and along with most of northern Germany we finished the trip on the S Bahn.  We were in the hotel by late afternoon.

Monday was orientation day as we hopped on and off buses and got a feel for the place. Very rough in places with more than a few evidently living it tough. Whilst the weather was ok, it has continued to be very mixed, much as we have experienced all summer.  So we were not surprised to emerge onto a damp and cool Tuesday.

Tuesday, the real target was 'miniature world', or heaven for modelling buffs interested in trains. But the nominated 40 minutes commute turned into 2 and a half hours as the bus system ground to a halt, the rail system struggled along and we went the wrong way for a bit.  Nevertheless we had a good 4 hours in ' miniature world' which is apparently the number 1 tourist attraction in Germany and in summer is open each day until 1 am.  We enjoyed recreated Germany, Italy and Switzerland in particular as well as the fully functional international airport.

The bus for home eventually arrived Tuesday evening and by Wednesday morning the city gridlock of the day before seemed to disappear. We were then on the Elbe river exploring different stops and ended up in a very fine waterfront restaurant which we then booked for R's big day Friday.

By Thursday we were getting the hang of the place as we explored galleries and the historical areas. And we finished the week in fine weather enjoying our exceptional lunch for now old Randall.

The interlude in Hamburg over, we now head for Bavaria and our 5 day walk there. This will be our final fling before tracking back towards home.

I have decided to post this blog without pics this time. But hang in there as I hope to catch up tomorrow.  This morning is wet again, reminding me just how much mood is driven by weather. Bright and sunny as you skip along and cool and damp as as you drag yourself from outing to outing. For me, Hamburg reminds me somewhat of both Canberra and Melbourne. We are living in the Fyshwick of Hamburg surrounded by car yards and brothels. Our apartment hotel is excellent despite the surroundings. In the city we confront the massive harbour structures, docks and cranes as you do on the ferry to the centre of the world at Williamstown from Southbank.

'Tis Saturday so we are hoping traffic is moving okay but we will not be happy until we get to the humungeous station, the crowds moving to somewhere else or just hanging around looking for a 'sting' and we find the train out of here.

Finally a word on the ever dazzling world of communications. I remember that it was not that long ago that I used to try to find a phone box in Europe to use my Telecard and phone home. And we then sought out Internet cafes to get a short fix and catch up on news etc.  Now we are using three computers and together with Multi channel TVs we have apps and channels covering almost any country on the planet. We use FaceTime and/or Skype all the time and use news apps from Oz, UK, US, Germany and France. So we know that a man was murdered in a Hamburg supermarket last evening almost as soon as it happens. Not to say anything about mad Donald's tweets.

Maybe it is time to give Elon a ring to book that trip to Mars.

Le Tour de Denmark 2017

After singing in the rain during the first day warm up dash around Mon, we were ready for anything the Danes could throw our way on riding day 2.

Sometime on early Monday morning we were anchored in the small port of Koge on the large island of Zealand.  The day was clear if cloudy as the peloton set off for the day. Distance was about 50 kms and we were across the line and heading for Copenhagen and our rest day by late afternoon. And yes the terrain was flat enough with about the right amount of undulation to keep us in touch with any breakaways.  The hamlets were cute here and equestrian places were aplenty. We enjoyed the day immensely. We had earned this early rest day as we finished the day at Roskilde, and after a brief walk around this Viking town and a coffee, we took a train into Copenhagen. There, after spending a few minutes teaming up with several of our Swiss and German team mates we were mixing it with the locals and heading for the harbour and the boat. 'Atlantis' was very conveniently anchored in the harbour across from the opera house and next to the Royal palaces.

For the rest day we spent time looking over the Royal museum-learning quite a bit on how this family had remained in influence and power by renting or marrying off family members to Greece and Russia particularly. We then managed to squeeze in the Danish design museum, the Amber museum, a look inside the opera house, and a bite at what we might call grunge city, a place on the water edge full of locals enjoyimg the afternoon sun and multicultural snacks. We enjoyed the day.

And as this was a multitalented tour, we spent the next day heading for Stromso and enjoying a lunch on deck and some sailing. Those who felt that they had something left to prove climbed the rigging to the mast tops. We did not!

On riding day three we covered almost all of Stromso at about 60 kms and by now G1 had the bike tuned for peak performance as she raced over the roads and tracks snapping pics as she went. The weather was almost clear and by mid afternoon the boat was heading back south, under 'The Bridge' around 11pm (an eerie experience in almost foggy conditions) and we had made the island of Funen by around 5am.

Riding day 4 was also a good one and by now we were getting the picture of life on these islands. Quiet little hamlets of neat and tidy houses snuggled down into the environment. Plenty of potato farms and also fruit growing going on.  Pretty little ports that are also fully functional places enabling the sea connections and transportation. And wind farms or stand alone generators all over, birds chirping! Farming and life going on as normal. No one staggering around the place complaining about bird losses or odd illnesses here.  On this day we rode from the port town of Nyborg and finished in Svenborg, both healthy looking places.

For our final ride we were on the island of Aero and up for the traditional celebratory ride through the mobs lining the route.  A final sprint into Soby port and we were done. Yellow jumpers all round.

By around 6pm we were dealing with stiff winds and strong seas heading back into Kiel. We were not happy campers that evening.  We ate little if anything as we chased our plates around the table and steadied ourselves, hanging in there. But by midnight we were back into more sheltered waters and into the harbour a little later.

After a few final chats with new friends we packed the haversacks and tramped off into the morning drizzle heading for Hamburg, our next adventure awaiting.

Trains, Boats, Bikes, Sex and Power

So now that I have your attention it is time to update you on our recent movements.

We enjoyed our last day in Dijon wandering the city area and simply mixing it with other holiday people and enjoying a slow lunch in the sun. Dijon has a good feel about it with a refined and unhurried city centre.

On Thursday 13th, we surrended the hire car to do battle with the French and German train systems. The systems had proposed that we move from Dijon to Kiel with some quite tight train changeover times nominated. No worries on the basis of both of their reputations for train punctuality. Our first transit at Mulhouse was planned for just 8 minutes. As the TGV from Paris was running 15 minutes late from the get go we were just a tad on the alert but not alarmed scale. But in the end we gained some time along the way and we had about 4 minutes to change trains.

The second changeover at Baden Baden was also under stress at minus 30 minute late into Baden. But we had planned for about 40 minutes at Hamburg for the last train into Kiel so at least we were in the black at that point and all in all we should get to our Kiel hotel around 10 pm which was when they would be locking doors and heading to bed.  German efficiency at zero as we staggered into Hamburg at minus 50 minutes so missing our first ever changeover. So we had to jump onto another ICE train with just 3 minutes to do it and also ring the hotel and make arrangements to get in. In the end we were a couple of tired travellers but at least we had made it. Dinner with the late nighters at Kiel station was out of this world.

The next day it was warm and sunny as we searched out the 'Atlantis' tall ship, enjoyed a good lunch with our new best friends, the hotel owners and then spent a couple of hours just watching a wounded ship trying not to topple over with a load slip.

It was about 7 pm when we boarded the boat and met our fellow boat and bikers. Mostly German, two Swiss couples, one Austrian, 3 Americans and G1and G2 from Oz. We were about 30 in total. We knew our accommodation would be somewhat on the small side so we were not disappointed with our digs. And the first day's sailing was simply stunning with a flat sea and just enough wind to get a few sails into action. We had some good exchanges of travels with those we could communicate with and some spent the day enjoying the sun and relaxing. We had our ship and bike briefings and were set to go ashore in Denmark from around 9:30 next morning.

Uh oh, why is it cloudy with more than hint of rain today as we clambered over the side and into the dingy for the run ashore?.  And it got worse as the day went on. The terrain was ok but it just did not stop raining all day.  By mid afternoon we were fortunate enough to find an open cafe with plenty of room where we could recover a little.

At the same time as we were riding, the boat was doing it tough (as were the few non bikers who remained on board today). With two metre waves the captain decided he had to relocate the boat to the other side of the island if we were to have any chance of getting back on board today. The price for that was for us to ride an addional 15 kms to put the day's total up to around 60kms. So that is what we did and by around 7pm or so we were back in the boudoir and 'enjoying' a hot shower and then dinner.

And what about sex and power you ask?  We cover that next blog.

G1 and G2 still behind the times

On Saturday after a final look at Martel doing business on market day, G1 and G2 finished breakfast and then took to the autoroutes in the direction of Lyons. We made good progress which enabled us to leave the system earlier than planned and take a more leisurely route. But at this time we were definitely off world pace and getting further behind.

We reached Nuits St Georges around 6pm only just over 24 hours after Le Tour had been through.  Meanwhile we were hearing that the G19 with little Donald somewhere out at the back was already having street parties with a few of the local louts. We will not make Hamburg until this Thursday. So can G1 and G2 lift the pace and catch up?

Well hang onto this idea. Our observation after just two days in Dijon is that in most respects more lively Burgundy is not too far removed from the laid back Lot. France has slowed down and starting annual holidays.  There are basically no retail operations over France two full days each week-Sunday and Monday-so we cannot see France ever being a consumer and services led economy.  I guess there is always a chance that we will find other dopey countries like Oz willing to pay billions over the mark for Government products like submarines which help the French economically.  But can Macron ever deliver on his noises to change French working culture and their extremely low worker productivity?

Meanwhile G1 and G2 are enjoying rediscovery of the power of Dijon.  We also revisited wine intense Beaune but we are essentially past over priced Burgundy wines and happy enough to go with whatever summer rosé is on offer. We did notice a sharp increase in Australian accents in Beaune. We were also told that others had been in town a few weeks before consuming beaucoup de vins.

We also need to note that we managed to find a suitable place to quietly celebrate G1's latest birthday-the excellent brasserie in the former Palais des Ducs.  These days one often finds that galleries and museums are quite good with terrific food and wine.  We were very pleased with this one.

We were a little disappointed to find the Musée des Beaux Arts in Dijon is under major reworks but there is enough of interest here to get us to Thursday and the end of G1 and G2 time in France for 2017.

I'm just a boy looking for a girl

We are now at the point of leaving our rental house in Carennac and moving to Dijon in Burgundy. We leave with mixed feelings as usual.

Nostalgia forever as Randall lined up Yvonne's evening DVDs. First 'Notting Hill' then 'Roman Holiday' followed by 1946  'Notorious' (Cary Grant/Ingrid Burgman).  It gets better with 'Lost in Translation (twice).  Then drum roll over to 'Casablanca'. As I write this my partner is watching 'Pretty Woman' for about the tenth time over the years. By now you might be asking 'Do you need to go to Europe to watch old DVDs?

But with a bit of a stretch it all fits in.

This part of France is all about nostalgia. We are still dealing with the Hundred Years' War and the wars of Religion. The Industrial Revolution has decimated the region and most people, apart from the British and Dutch, are old.  One cannot possibly start to count the homes we have seen that must be empty most, if not all of the year.   WWII has also left a mark or two with any number of local sensitives still to deal with still.

So we have spent this second week at the markets of Brive, Martel and Bretonneux. Brive was good as usual but the others were too small and too quiet to be interesting. We have chased down duck food and will leave happy with what we have had. We have walked in the forests and explored several areas despite the heat. We have happily launched into the Dordogne river at the local base de loisir. Very cool in every respect.  As Yvonne's drawing confidence improves she has managed to fit in several sketching sessions in a few villages and blending into the scene splendidly.

We have revisited Cahors and driven over a fair bit of the Causses.

And all the time we cannot get over the feeling of being at the top of the world. The views are horizon to horizon and we never get sick of them. Especially at Loubressac which we have gone back to at least four times. My seat next to the Loubressac church has been there for hundreds of years and I would happily sit there with my picnic lunch of duck and a local rosé watching life in the valley until whenever.

When we disappear into the woods we enter another world.

And all the time we can feel the slowness of it all. People are friendly and unhurried. Drivers on the narrow roads the same. We love it all and are ready to settle in for more.

So Sarah do not fret too much it might work for us yet.  I just have to figure out how to turn back time. I'm working on it as best I can.

Today the schools broke up and the roads are filling up. Apparently millions more French will holiday in France this year than in previous years. And we think they already have difficulties travelling outside France.

But time waits for no one and we will almost meet up with Le Tour tomorrow as it leaves Nuits St Georges for the Jura.  The next challenge is to find a nice place for Yvonne's birthday lunch.

Sleeping in sleepy Carennac

This was always part of the plan. Head off for travels. Participate actively. Then rest up a bit for the next phase. So now we have been ensconsed in our rental home in Carennac, Lot, an area we know quite well for a week. This is one of the many 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'.

The idea has worked exceptionally well and the turn of the weather from bloody hot to annoyingly repeated showers over the last 4 or 5 days has added to the plan of execution.

But this is how it is. These villages are still dead as a doornail.  And we are looking forward to see if things change next week as the autoroutes begin to fill up with M Hulot 1953 era families escaping from the bigger cities to return to their village roots and/or other holiday places.  Events seem to have a pattern of  'Vide grenier' (dispose accumulated junk or at least exchange junk with others) sometime over May/June when just about every weekend is a long weekend, festivals of music around summer solstice 21/22 June, finish school and off for holiday somewhere in France. And then these days there is 'Le Tour' and another chance to celebrate community.  Villages like this one will have Government backed artists occupy some of the many almost always empty shops in the village centre to try and flog their wares to the throngs that visit.

Additionally some places have music based events and of course there is plenty of food and wine to move these events along. So we will see soon what, if anything, happens around here.

In the meantime, and at least at our age, we needed a few days to regain energy. When language, culture, custom, driving, navigation, shopping and events are in French it takes some additional effort to get through our days. We like it that way and it keeps the mind ticking along we believe.  So we are sleeping more this week and then dealing with the other part of the day during remaining time available.

So we have returned to eat duck on the terrace at Loubressac. We have managed a good local walk in the hills in our area. We revisited the cool, wet but still interesting towns of Salers as well as Martel and St Cere.  The markets are still providing us with plenty of fresh seasonal food and we are consuming too much good cheese.

On the other hand nothing much has changed over the almost 20 years we have been coming here. How can France become a 21st century country if they continue to shut up shop and go home for a long lunch before returning to work at 3 pm? Museums close every Tuesday. Boulangeries where they have several in a town share time so they have a day off. Post offices and many supermarkets close for lunch. And service continues to be very indifferent. Carennac and other villages are losing businesses and services. The remaining businesses find it difficult to lift their offerings to the next level.

As with the rest of the world, younger people with energy end up in cities and country people might look to have the good relaxing life but they are not competitive when it comes down to it.

It always comes back to the same points for us. This is a fantastic place to visit and to absorb slices of history whilst eating, drinking and sleeping our way around. But does anyone ever open up the shutters on the many homes just sitting there? Does anyone around here ever do a full days work?

Meanwhile the rain should be ending tomorrow and we might get some more sunny days next week.

Third gear deeper into France

Reunion weekend over, we then pointed the car north towards our first planned stop at Villeneuve les Avignon.  Not too far a jump after just a quick race along the autoroute to around Beziers and a pit stop in Aix. By mid afternoon Yvonne thought she had found a piece of paradise. We had not been in this area too much since the 80s so we had mixed expectations which turned out to be way off the mark.

Our home for the two days was in a former C16 silk factory. Stone construction, interior gardens, lovely rooftop balcony and in a part of the city undergoing rejuvenation. Very friendly people who could not do enough for us. Easy access to Avignon proper which we visited on our rest day.

After a score of 10/10 we were ready for our catch up visit to the Tarn and the 'circuit des bastides'.

Lunch in Castres and then we arrived in the high heat of the afternoon to our next home Hostellerie des Gorges de Aveyron and another highlight (16/10). A former watermill in 5 acres of renovated grounds containing separate A grade restaurant, a range of exotic birds, swimming pool and our accommodation. Perfect again.  We were pretty much the only guests so were spoiled completely.  Breakfast served on the terrace overlooking the place. I could go on but suffice to say we loved it.

But the heat over our days there was another thing.  We duly toured the bastides of Puycelsi, Castelnau de Montmiral and Bruniquel as well as the 'City in the sky' of Cordes sur Ciel but these places were almost deserted. Either due to the oppressive heat and/or the time of year.

We have returned to these parts partly to keep alive or at least flickering Rs dwindling dream of a place in these parts. Well, even though his Canberra study has Bruniquel as its focal point, these idyllic places are just too sleepy outside of July/August to be a realistic idea. The only option for us around here would be the city of Albi - a gem.

And now time to head for a rest in the Lot. Macron is kicking a few goals but will that be enough to give energy to these parts of La France Profond?

A painter's paradise

After finding my way to Heathrow airport I flew to Nice to be greeted by many military with machine guns. Once I came to grips with that I was met by the second car load of artists who kindly waited for my flight. We drove for one and a quarter hours north west of Nice and well up in the mountains to our residence for the week, Le Vieux Murier, just outside of Lorgues.

What a beautiful venue. My room was in what used to be the dairy. Beautiful gardens, court yard area, swimming pool, all renovated and created by Judith. Lucy did all the catering which was fantastic. She spends winter working on a yacht, which may give you some hint of how good she is.

Our group was made up of Irish, Dutch and English, and what a wonderful group they were. We visited a different village each day, all in the surrounding hills apart from the day we went down to St Maxime and got a ferry across to St. Tropez. The week was in the mid 30's everyday so it was difficult to keep in the shade while painting. Each afternoon when we returned about 4pm I headed for the pool to cool off.

All together a wonderful week of learning, fun and friendship. My best painting course ever.