Gems of The Italian Adriatic Coast

Gradara and Urbino

Beautiful Medieval Buildings

Looking up at The Castle

 Gradara Consists of a Tiny Walled Medieval Town built around an Imposing Castle. This was my first

Port of Call in Italy. Around 5 Kilometers from the Adriatic Sea it is Close to the rather Naff resort of Rimini (Similar to Blackpool in England!!) The first Train I took in Italy after my Overnight Journey by French Sleeper Train Promptly Broke Down!! This delay caused my Train Schedules to become useless.The result being that I arrived in Catholica (The nearest Rail Stop) too Late to catch the Bus and was duly Ripped Off by a Local Taxi Driver who seemed to blame me as he could not find the Villa where I was Staying.

Gradara looking toward the Town Gate at Twilight

While planning my "Autumn Adventure" I found Gradara Online and thought it would be a Great Place to spend a few Days, I pictured myself cycling around the Pastoral Italian Countryside.I did hire a Bicycle for a Couple of Days The Countryside however is extremely Hilly the result that I spent more time pushing the Bike than Riding it!! One Day I cycled to Rimini as the Road going there was flatter than all the roads in other directions. I knew Rimini by reputation only and it certainly lived down to my expectations, no quaint winding Streets and Renaissance Architecture here!!

I stayed four Nights in the B&B Al Castello a perfectly adequate Room with Private Bath in a Villa Close to the Castle. I was the only Guest staying here and I was given a Voucher for Breakfast in an attractive Cafe/Restaurant just inside the Town Walls.At 50Euros a Night All Castello was far too expensive and in no way worth the Money. Gradara being so Tiny a Morning or Afternoon spent here  would give One sufficient time to see all that was worth seeing.

The Best thing about my stay in Gradara were the few Hours I managed to spend in the Truly Beautiful Medieval Town of Urbino.About Three and a Half Hours on Two Buses Urbino is where I SHOULD have Spent my Four Nights, it is Magnificent. Urbino is not Large and it's narrow Steep Medieval Streets are a Joy to Explore. There is so much to see here and as my stay was to be all to short I contented myself with a Casual exploration of the Town and a delicious Lunch at I think it was called Ristorante Da Franco on  Via Del Poggio(Just up the Hill from the Ducal Palace) Great Traditional No Frills Italian Food and Wine, Perfect.

Urbino Portraits

Set Atop a Hill and Surrounded by Beautiful Countryside Urbino is a Place I would love to Revisit

There are 30,000 University Students in Urbino which ensures it is a

 Vibrant Lively Town

Reflections on a Wonderful Holiday

My almost two Months of Traveling  has come to an End.I flew out Of Paris Charles De Gaul  Airport Last Tuesday Evening.Determined to have a final Splurge to Cheer Myself up I plonked myself down at the Caviar Bar and ordered Gravadlax Half a Bottle of Good White Wine, and as I have never tried it before a Spoonful of Caviar which was priced

My Last Taste of Paris

at a modest!! 10 Euros, a proper serving of the best Caviar would cost the equivalent of two Nights in the Paris Hotel where I had been staying!! I was quite unable to tell from the miniscule serving of Caviar whether I actually Liked it which is probably just as well as I could not afford to have it as an even occasional item on my Menu!!

Prior to my departure the preceding Seven Weeks had been spent traveling in France Greece and Italy. I spent most time in Greece as it is by far the least expensive of the three and because It's Island's offer a fresh Adventure every Day. I spent a lot of time on Boats (Obviously) I made four overnight crossing two in a Couchette ( a Cabin for 6 where the space above each bunk measure approximately 14 inches and I spent two night sleeping on the floor( Or should that be Deck on a boat!!) in a sleeping bag.

At the start of my Trip I flew into Paris on September 10 and stayed 3 Nights at "Le Petit Trianon on the corner of Rue de L'Ancienne Comedie and Rue de Buci. One could not be any more in the Very Heart of St.Germain de Pres than right here.The Cafes,Bars and an amazing collection of superb food Shops are absolutely  Spellbinding to behold .I suppose that Rooms here at slightly under a 100 Euros a night are OK for this part of Paris. I have never come to terms with paying this kind of Money for a Room (well I am Scottish!!) add to this that I can remember finding the occasional room in this district for 10 Francs (Not Euros) all this of course was a very long time ago!!

One of the Myriad Streets in St. Germain which are a joy to explore!!

TOP TIP. Hotel Stella Rue Monsieur Le Prince. This Charmingly Ancient , Creaky old

Hostelry is only 100 Metres from Boulevard St. Germain in one direction and the same

distance from the Jardins de Luxembourg in the other!! Admittedly the Rooms are 

rather Shabby, but the Sheets are Clean and the Shower is Hot!! And you are never

going to find anywhere else for 65 Euros a Night in this district.I spent my last six Days 

in Europe here I went up to the Jardin de Luxombourg for my early Morning Jog 

(Actually more like quick Walking!!) with all the other Parisian Keep Fit Fanatics!!

I checked the prices on the Best Western Hotel just round the corner, I stayed 6 

Nights in Hotel Stella for around 80 Euros less than it would have cost me to stay 

in the rather ordinary Best Western for 2 Nights!! (My Scottish Blood!!)

Hotel Stella Rue Monsieur Le Prince

 

 

 

 

 

Saying Goodbye to an Old Acquaintance !!

 

My Room at Hotel Stella

Paris no Name Conjures more evocotive Images

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If You Happen to be in the Luxembourg Gardens toward the end of Next Week you will find me taking my Morning Exercise

 At some point you will find me drinking a demi at the Cafe Flore or the Deux Magots

Eating a Steak Fritte and Quaffing a glass Of Red Somewhere like this 

 

And Strolling on the Quay

 

Only a Loony would not Visit the Cotswolds

                        

Looking down the High Street Burford

The overwhelming number of Foreign Visitors to England never make it out of London. This is a fact and it is also very sad. The UK is much more than London. Take the Cotswold's for example only an Hour from London exist some of the finest Medieval  small Towns and Villages in the World. The name Cotswold is the joining of two Old English words Wold meaning Gentle Hills and Cots which are Sheep enclosures. The beautiful  Buildings in these Medieval Villages are so impressive and well preserved because the People who built them had become wealthy thanks to the Wool Trade. One could take a train from London to Oxford spending a Day looking at the Superb Oxford Colleges in this most English of Towns  then rent a Car to tour the many beautiful Cotswold Villages!!

The Lamb Inn Sheep Street Burford

The Lamb has been my Favourite small Hotel/Inn since I first stayed there 20 Years Ago

The Snug Lounge at the Lamb Inn

 

Autumn is a great time to stay at the Lamb, afternoon tea taken in front of a gently crackling Log fire must be like being in the waiting room before entering Heaven!! Undulating Stone Floors and Woodwork gleaming with the Patina of age, make the Lamb an utterly enchantingly comfortable place to be!! An elegant Dining Room serving excellent Food and Wine after having had a Pint of  the Local Ale in the friendly Bar and then of to bed in a Four Poster!! Unfortunately the Lamb is not cheap but it is an unforgettable experience and something you owe to yourself!!

There are Countless Beautiful Villages Like This One. A Day Spent driving around the Beautiful Cotwold Hills will take you back in time to the England of Yesteryear!! Enjoy

 

Enjoy Your Travels in Europe Before Vladimir Putin Annexes us!!

 

OK hands up the Headline is a bit of an attention getter. However the Actions of Vladimir Putin bear a frightening resemblance to the way Adolf Hitler sensing a lack of resolve on the part of Western Governments Annexed Czechoslovakia. He then brought about the Second World War by his gamble that the Western Powers would let him get away with invading poor Poland!!

Prague

I am reminded by the above of a wonderful adventure I had a long time ago. At the age of 19 or 20 I was living in Paris and got hold of a Visa to visit Czechoslovakia. This really was a long time ago in fact it was a few Years before the Prague Spring and the poor Old Czech's were still under the thumb of the Soviet Union.It was terribly exciting observing a Convoy of Russian Troops approaching along the Road I was traveling on. In those Days of course the "Cold War" raged and Russia was seen as being a very real threat to the peace of the World, in fact just as it is again becoming!!

The Czech's were amazingly friendly to all visitors from the West (In those Days we were a real Novelty) I was taken home by a young Girl (Not what your thinking!! I was invited to stay with Her Family!!) Black Market Touts would sidle up to One in the Street offering twice the Official rate of exchange for all Western Currencies!! With this amazing exchange rate a Litre of wonderful Czech Pilsner Beer cost sixpence (before Decimalization there were 240 Pennies in a British Pound, so for the ludicrous sum of Six pennies one could quaff the best Lager in the World until it was coming out of One's Ears Happy Days!!

A Pristine Piece of Mittle Europa

                                                                                  

A Hopeful Tourist

I subscribe to the Old adage that it is better to Travel Hopefully rather than to Arrive!! Of course when One arrives somewhere that is fabulous beyond One's wildest expectation then the Old Adage mentioned is quickly forgotten.LuangPrabang

The last time I visited somewhere which impressed me in the manner described above was when I made my first trip to Lao. I live in Thailand where I am quite happy but for me Thailand does not have that WOW factor. Thailand certainly DOES NOT do Ambiance!! In Lao however Ambiance is to be found in some of the Towns. The reason why one can find Charm and Ambiance in Lao is because it is a former French Colony. In Lao's Towns, particularly in the Capital Luangprabang French Colonial Buildings are Gently crumbling away. Even the Colours used to paint these atmospheric Old Buildings are Chic and Stylish.


The Bolivan Plateau Pristine Sparkling Beauty

Apart from Towns which are a joy to explore Lao's other secret weapon is it's stunning natural Beauty. Places like the Bolivan Plateau with its Pristine Forests and Sparkling Rivers where One can Swim in deep pools at the base of Cascading Waterfalls are a delightful return to Nature for City Folk!! Places like the Bolivan Plateau or Magical Sii Pan Don (Four Thousand Islands) Lush Islands set in the Teal Green waters of the Mekong are not for the Five Star Traveller who require a Bell Hop to carry his suitcase!!
                                             The Teal Green Waters of Sii Pan Don

The Night Train to Italy

After a few Days in my Beloved Paris (Where I will begin and end my Oddysy) I am taking a Sleeper Train to Italy. One changes trains in Nice and then it is full Steam ahead for Bella Italia!! My destination is Ancona where I will take the Ferry to Patras in Greece. I do not know Italy well so  when I read about the Medieval Village of Gradara which is only 5 Kilometers Inland from the nearest Station on my train route I decided to make a detour!!

I  Adore Ambiance Gradara Appears

to have it in Spades!!

Gradara appears to rate very highly in the Travel Guides, it is described as being one of Italy's finest Medieval Villages. I will stay for 4 Nights, and hope to partake of some delicious Italian Cuisine.I have always favoured French Cooking although I am aware that there is a large body of opinion which claims the finest Cuisine comes from Italy, I am quite prepared to be persuaded either way!! I intend to hire a Bicycle, which will serve the dual purpose of enabling me to explore the surrounding Countryside as well as assisting in the battle to shed the calories which I fully intend to consume!!

Wishing to establish the best way to get to Gradara from the Railway Station a mere 5 Kilometers distant. I emailed the Online Site where I had made my reservations and requested this information. The delightfully Zany reply which was sent from the Bed and Breakfast I had booked referred to me as "Lord Ittin" it came with the Italian version which had also been sent I had been promoted from Signore Ittin in the Italian text to Lord Ittin! I am thrilled by this unexpected Ennoblement, I always suspected I was destined for greatness!!

While Gradara is easy to get to it appears that it is not prominent on the trails blazed by European and American Tourists. All but a couple of the Guest Reviews for my B&B were posted by Italians.If as I suspect Gradara is not a destination much frequented by non Italians this makes it all the more interesting from my perspective!  

 

My Autumn Adventure: My Eurail Pass has Just arrived !!

My Autumn Adventure: My Eurail Pass has Just arrived !!: Great joy and an overdose of adrenalin fueled excitement. Around 30 minutes ago the FedEx Guy after a couple of telephone calls (conducted ...

Making my Arrangements

Not quite 2 Weeks now until I fly out from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. With the Thai Military back firmly in control (yet again)  I should avoid the Street protests which took place earlier in the Year. I will be going to Symi to visit Friends who have lived there for 8 years and love it!!
Symi was the Island where rich Athenians built replicas of Classical Villas.These impressive Homes with their Doric or is it Ionian Pillars seem to march down the steep Hillside toward the Sea!!

Picture Courtesy off  pic.twitter.com/H4exqcErRG


I will also return to Naxos where I spent a couple of carefree Weeks some 20 Years ago. I love the way One descends narrow twisting Alleys and Steps  past Greek Families preparing dinner. So narrow are the alleys and so snug the tiny Stone Courtyards their entrance ways heavy with Bougainvillea that One has the impression of trespassing, but nobody seems to mind strangers wandering into their lives. One eventually comes to the Seafront where after a leisurely Promenade One can decide at which of the several Restaurants Dinner is to be taken.

As I wait for the Day I will head to Bangkok time seems to go quite slowly although to paraphrase Einstein on Relativity " When you sit on a hot stove for a minute it seems like an hour and when you are talking to a Pretty Girl for an Hour it seems like a Minute that's Relativity!!" I know that my Oddysy will fly by very quickly but I will hopefully have garnered a store of pleasant Memories.

My Eurail Pass has Just arrived !!

                                                                  
A quiet Street just yards from the Frantic Boulevard St. Germain just looking at this Picture Gives me Goose Bumps!!


Great joy and an overdose of adrenalin fueled excitement. Around 30 minutes ago the FedEx Guy after a couple of telephone calls (conducted in Thai at which I am rather less than proficient) whizzed up on his Motocy with my Eu-rail pass which I had only ordered 3 Days before.

Two Weeks from now I will be in my beloved Paris.I fell in Love with Paris when I was young and I have remained faithful to her ever since. I will be staying in St. Germain de Pres (The Latin Quarter) it is the only place to stay!! I cannot wait to stroll around the well remembered Streets and saunter up to the Jardin de Luxembourg Bliss !!

I will have Dinner at Chartier (Maybe twice) Chartier.Perhaps a little bit of a Cliche now but I love the food, the atmosphere and the reasonable cost ( I am Scottish!!) Paris of course is expensive but I do not imagine a "Steak Fritte" and a glass of Red in an agreeable Cafe will break the bank!! As mentioned previously I love simply walking in Paris which of course is absolutely FREE. 

Some people have a problem with the French, I on the other hand like them. I think that if you try to speak French (No matter how excruciating your French may be) when asking anything of a Native this will serve to break the Ice, the French, I feel are somewhat irritated by Foreigners automatically assuming that they can speak English and relegating their (Beautiful) language to the Back Burner. I am in a bit of trouble with the above as I have been trying to learn Thai and when I try to say something in French ( A language I only ever spoke badly) it comes out in Thai!!

 

This is what I miss in Thailand a Country that simply does not do Charm and Ambiance!!