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Changing sons and changing pace

No time for emails again so they are fewer and ‘farer’ between and I have trouble remembering where I’m up to.
Maybe I’ll start right now as I sit in a Villa on the East coast of Sicily between Catania and Syracusa. The villa overlooks the Mediterranean with a view across the water to Mt Etna.

It is a rustic, white villa with steps down to the sea and a large swimming pool (shared with others in the complex). Our bedrooms overlook the sea and the sound of the sea lulls you to sleep (reminiscent of Trieste).
It is paradise and very relaxing. Only one problem at the moment…it is pissing down. Apparently rain today and tomorrow and then fining up again. Hammy has to get some work done while we are here (contract work) so the mornings will be slower starts while he does his work.

So now back to chronology which means back to Barcelona for the last day in Spain. From where I left off last time, we did go out for a meal that night and almost accidentally (except the AirBnB had recommended it) found a lovely restaurant (Restaurant Market) for a beautiful meal, and we couldn’t believe the cost…so much cheaper to be back in Spain.

The next day (Sunday) we had a pre-booking for Park Guell early. So we jumped into a taxi and off we went. It is lovely and we walked around, up to the top of the hill and down again and around. Then we got back into a taxi and went to Carrera Gran de Garcia to wander long looking at all the Gaudi houses. We only looked from the outside as it was 20 Eu each to go inside. But truly, what can you say, that man was a bloody genius. His work is so spectacular and different and interesting. It is a magnificent street with some amazing architecture both Gaudi and Gothic. We walked on down La Rambla in search of particular restaurants for lunch but the ones we wanted were closed it being Sunday! We walked to the waterfront and found a very mediocre place for lunch but there is a limit to how much walking you can do in search of elusive restaurants. Then Kirst and I got in a taxi to go back to the apartment for a rest and a ‘get ready for moving on tomorrow’ session. Ang walked home…honestly that boy has got ants in his pants!! As if we hadn’t already walked our little feet off!!

It was a lazy afternoon. Kirst had a rest (she is doing extraordinarily well walking, walking, walking, exploring, exploring and exploring)and I pottered around. Then time to go out to find a nice evening meal and a last meal in Spain. Again a bit awkward because all the restaurants that had been recommended to us were closed on Sunday. We got in a taxi and headed for the waterfront. We went for a nice walk along the waterfront and then went looking for a random restaurant, of course (it being Barcelona) we fell upon a really lovely place and had a most delicious meal of Tapas-type food, great wine etc. A taxi back home and then into bed.

Hopeless for me as I had to get up at 2.30am to get ready and walk to a pick-up point for the shuttle bus to the airport for a 3am pick up. Ang, bless his little heart, got up and helped me get to the pick-up point which was great. Then began a long and rather arduous trip to the airport as the shuttle had to pick up others…most of whom were ‘no shows’. I guess it isn’t easy getting up at that hour!! A long line up at Veiling to check the baggage in but all good for the flight. Arrived Palermo and very smoothly waited the prescribed 1.5hrs for Ham and Ariane, all good.

Then pick up the hire car….CHAOS!!! Shocking system. Shuttle bus to car hire place, huge queue and everyone with mountains of luggage. A shuttle bus would come and only some of those waiting could get on so of course there were taxis waiting to pick up an easy 10Eu to take you there. You don’t know where it is so you can’t walk and they tell you it’s 2km which, with all the luggage is disastrous. So you give them your 10 Eu and they take you round in a circle, back the other way and about 500Mt away was the car hire place. Then it was like a madhouse. We took a ticket and were 23 people away from our turn. Anyway, after 2 hrs we had our car and we were off. We loved it, settled in and as we had no food we went out and found a lovely little local seafood restaurant and enjoyed a lovely meal (again). Then we were all desperate to get into bed and catch up on some sleep (H&A also started off at 3am to get here).

Literally while I’ve been sitting here writing this email my image of Paradise has been shattered. I looked down a while ago to see my feet submerging in water. I turned around to see water pouring into ‘Paradise’ from the side balcony and water pouring onto the side balcony from above. There is always something to shatter the perfect scenario…if it’s not mosquitoes it’s a flood. We’ve had lots of hooha since then. I rang the manager, people came and have been deliberating, we’ve been mopping up and towelling and just coping with all that. They offered to move us into Catania for 2 days, we declined because we’d rather cope than move and the weather forecast is rain today and tomorrow and then fine and hot…so we’ll cope!!!

I love being back in Italy and I loved being in Spain…they are such warm and lively countries. Update on how the floods go tomorrow as we get through to the sun again.

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Moving through France and down to Spain

These days are moving at such a pace that my emails are suffering and then I have to go into massive mode! And I have to remember where I was up to. Tricky for an ageing brain.

We were just going off to Pierre’s place for drinks. That was really lovely. He was so welcoming. He had a wide selection of pate, terrine, sausage made of offal (but it was absolutely delicious), sea snails, saussicon etc and a selection of wines to try from the Chateau he works for. His two beautiful little children were there and really, French children have to be the cutest (Angus hasn’t stopped saying ‘il tu plait, Papa’ (Please Papa) since…he sees himself as a French Papa!). So we had a lovely night. They were very generous and welcoming.

Home to bed and then get organised to head out to Kok’s place the next morning. We did a bit of shopping for cheeses along the way then set off. We diverted to Chateau de Malle on the way where Angus worked in 2009. Of course that was a longer diversion than we thought because Angus had to chat to people he knew (Michel), we tasted the 2009 Sauterne that Angus helped make, bought some bottles and eventually went on our way. We arrived at Kok’s place around 12. It is so lovely, just heavenly actually, a beautiful rustic, very french cottage with a swimming pool that is divine…dream come true. We were once again made to feel very welcome despite the very late night they had had with their neighbours the night before. The first thing was Negroni’s that Kok poured which packed a punch in a very delicious way. So much so that one Negroni lead to another!! A good start to a good night. We sat about catching up, drinking and going in and out of the pool. To cut a long story short (which I have been finding challenging lately) we had a delightful evening, had Tarjine’s from a local restaurant for dinner and stayed up until well into the morning eating and drinking happily. A night to remember.

Next morning, maybe a little less exuberantly, we started slowly with coffee, had a farewell swim, said our farewells and set off towards San Sebastian. All went to plan. We dropped the car off at Hendaye and hopped on the local train (weighed down with multiple bottles of wine acquired in Bordeaux) and got ourselves to San Sebastian. We walked to our Pension which was very nice (job well done choosing the accommodation if I do say so myself). Then it was on for young and old as we hit the town on the prowl for Tapas/ wine bars. I think we hit 6 or 7. Kirst retired at about no. 5 when Angus and I returned to our favourite (San Telmo). The slowly roasted beef cheek, the octopus, the pork, the anchovies were just some of the favourites. It was a late night but a happy night…what more could you want after all??

The next morning we were up, had to organise our luggage with the multiple additional wine bottles and leave it at the Pension for the day. Our flight was at 7pm so we had the day to enjoy San Sebastian. We started by finding a nice place for breakfast, then walking around the ‘rock’ at the end of town, Mount Urgell, that gave us beautiful views of SS from all angles. Very beautiful. We then walked through the old town some more and when it was time for lunch we started once again finding nice Tapas bars. The first one specialised in Anchovies like you have never tasted. Then we found lovely places for delicious dishes that defy description. Fantastic really. We wandered some more, went back for more anchovies, walked along the seafront, sat by the sea and had a lovely time filling in the day until it was time to get in the taxi and go to the dinky little airport of SS.

Then it was a bit frustrating as our plane was delayed 2 hours. Could have been worse of course and the Airbnb people where we were staying were fantastic and waited for our 11pm arrival without complaint. By that time we were exhausted and had no energy to go out and eat so just went straight to bed. It’s a great apartment by the way…even has a washing machine!!

We had a booking for Sagrada Familia for 9.45 so no dilly dallying this morning. We got ourselves up and organised and into a taxi to take us there. Any and I have been there before but never inside. I was completely blown away…it is wonderful, magnificent, amazing. Gaudi is a total genius. I loved it completely. We had a tour which was very informative and then we had a booking to go up to the Nativity Tower. Lift up…too easy, only 30 or so steps at the top. But you had to walk down and that really is a LONG way down. My legs were like jelly when we landed…but great.

After finishing there we got in a taxi (cheaper that the Metro for 3 people) and came down to the Gothic Area. We found a lovely place and rested over lunch with more delicious Tapas to keep us happy. We had booked for the Picasso Museum for 15.30, so we wandered about the Le Born area, enjoyed the Le Born Cultural Centre, wandered the narrow, windy streets until our time to go to the Museum.

I loved the Museum it had great examples of Picasso’s work from the time he was 14yrs, showing how his work had developed over the years. Great. Then, I hate to say it, but it was my idea to walk back to the apartment….by the time I got back I was sorry about that suggestion but it was a great walk all along La Ramblas to Placa Catalanya and then more, much more. After the Placa it is a blur for me!!! Poor Kirst has taken to the bed to recover and I am considering the prospect of how to gather myself to go off again to find food…only 3 blocks this way and then 3 blocks that way…not far!!!….Oh yeah!!! Angus and I spent most of the day pulling in opposite directions, each of us convinced we were right (I was right actually!!!). Hilarious!!!

We now gather our strength to tackle another night of wine and Tapas…So you’re in Barcelona, what else can you possibly do????