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!!