A few more trip memories

I had a follow up specialist appointment today and the news is not good. I have been advised not to do any exercise that causes breathlessness until I can see a cardiologist. There are some concerns about my heart beats. I will continue to jog (I can no longer call it running) for short distances on the flat as I have been told not to go up hills. I will also continue swimming and going to the gym for gentle exercise. I feel frustrated and disappointed as I have been longing to get back to training. However, there's not much I can do about it, just hope the specialist can bring my cardiologist appointment forward. It's currently not until the end of January next year - eeeek! I feel certain it will be ok but this waiting game is most annoying.

I will just bring our trip briefly up to date with a large chunk missing but the general gist is here.

20 July 2012

Now in the Dordogne region of France, just outside the town of Sarlat - an attractive place with a medieval town centre.  Though lots of tourists, in fact almost too many, the streets are full of Dutch and Belgian and non-local French number plates  ... Today we took a boat ride on the Dordogne river in a traditional style river boat, and visited the medieval bastide towns of Roque Gageac, where people once lived in caves in the cliffs, and Domme ... Lots of lovely old buildings and plenty of atmosphere. 

The plan tomorrow is to pop over to Souillac, 25k away, and watch the Tour de France wend its way past - its a flatish stage but does include a gentle hill at Souillac which might slow the riders a bit .... And Saturday the plan is to go to the weekly markets in Sarlat. 

Of course, being in France means pigging out on delicious French pastries, and lovely fresh strawberries which always taste better than those at home.  Supplemented by local specialities including foie gras and duck gizzards ....

Spent four days in San Sebastian in Spain, a seaside town with a big reputation that it pretty much lived up to - a harbour that was great for swimming, a 3k beach fronting the town with golden sand that is up to Australian standards (though packed with the Spanish on holiday on a sunny day) a promenade that was great for a run, and an old town full of bars and restaurants.  Pinxtos, the local version of tapas, is all the go at meal times, or any time really, washed down with sangria.  The locals make a lot of their Basque heritage, reminding visitors that they consider themselves not to be part of Spain.  Most signs are in the Basque language, full of t's and x's and pretty much unpronounceable. 

We took a day off from these delights for a bit of culture by visiting the Guggenheim Art Gallery in Bilbao.  A massive modern structure that makes our National Art Gallery seem quite unimaginative by comparison.  Main features were an exhibition of very colourful David Hockney paintings, and an enormous steel installation full of swirls and dark passages.

  
Sat, 28 Jul 2012

After our time in Turkey, 5000km of driving which also included the Roman ruins at Ephesus and Hieropolis, and the travertine terraces and hot pools at Pamukkale plus a day to tour the Gallipoli battlefields, we spent a week in the UK, mainly touring around the south-west - Cornwall and Devon.  We set up base in a Bed and Breakfast in Torquay, mainly known as the location for Fawlty Towers.  But our digs were nothing like that, all very well presented with large cooked breakfasts and obliging hosts.  Not much to recommend in Torquay itself, but it was a good central location for a driving holiday.

Had hired a new Alfa Giulietta diesel, which turned out to be a real pleasure to drive - plenty of grunt, direct steering, and used only 6l/100k according to the trip computer.  Very impressed ...

We ventured into deepest Cornwall, to the village of Port Isaac, the location for Doc Martin.  Very quaint, with steep streets and suitably ancient cottages and pubs.  Could wander past the good doctor's house but not venture inside.  Clotted cream was a major feature of our diet over these few days, with scones, strawberries, apple pie, fudge etc!  Found a lovely old steam train for a smokey rattly ride - at one terminus was the town of Dartmouth, home of a naval college and a proper French patissier - I really liked the town, not entirely sure why....

Other attractive places in the region were Lyme Regis (for those who remember the scene in the French Lieutenant's Woman where Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons stood on the rain swept groin), and Weymouth, location of the Olympic sailing.  And the village of Beer, a lovely seaside hamlet with a stoney beach in a smugglers cove, fishing boats bobbing in the bay and well preserved Georgian buildings.

Took a day trip down to Brighton, travelling the country lanes as one does.  A cool day with typical weather, alternating rain and weak sunshine.  And came upon the village of Hartsfield, a very English village and once the home of AA Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh stories.  And there in the WtP shop was a CD version of the stories about the Bear of Little Brain read by Bernard Cribbens, an English comedian who puts distinct voices to each of the characters.  Just like the cassette version we bought in 1973 and played on our travels for years afterwards ...

Enough of English weather, time to head off to warmer climes in France and Spain.  But not much warmer as it turned out.  Two days in Bordeaux, a much upgraded city with recently cleaned cream stone buildings and an attractive central pedestrian area.  Travelled by train to Biarritz, an upmarket French resort town with a great beach, impressive markets and a casual atmosphere.  There was a round of the Women's World Surf competition on while we were there, but they had to keep cancelling the heats as the waves were so flaccid. 

And so, on the Euskatren, little more than a glorified tram, we headed to San Sebastian...

Just to pick up from the last email, we watched Le Tour on the gentle slope out of Souillac - lots of waiting punctuated by the publicity caravan going by but not so many goodies came our way as they were late and in a hurry.  Then you hear the helicopters filming the race whirring overhead, the lead group (tete de la course) swishes past at a vigorous clip notwithstanding the slope.  And a minute or so later they are followed by the peleton, including the yellow jersey and we could pick out Cadel amongst the 140 or so competitors.  And that was it - no stragglers on this flat route.  Everyone packed up and headed back into town in the hope of seeing the final part of the day's stage on the TV.  Another sprint finish won by Mark Cavendish, and if you want to see thighs like treetrunks, he's your man ...

A visit to the Saturday markets in Sarlat, and then back to Bordeaux to commence the long trip home.  Quick stops in Bergerac (where as it happened they were holding a triathlon, with the swim in the Dordogne river, which looked no more appealing than our lake) and St Emilion, a well-preserved village with strong wine growing connections - ok, every second shop sold the local red wine, but we resisted the temptation.

time ....