Susie's Report No 28

Buon giorno  to All,

I am going to dedicate this Blog to Rod Stewart’s song “Every Picture Tells a Story - Don’t It”.

We have just come through some amazing Countries - Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France & now Italy. These are all picture postcard perfect, so we have given you lots of photos to spark your imagination, with a little verse & story telling.

Arriving at a Swisse campsite we put down the bikes an go for a ride to stretch the old legs, we follow the rail line and in between this the road and an apple orchard is a small patch of grass ( we had to stop as we couldn’t believe this ) are three people, a fire, a cauldron and boxes of tomatoes.They are making Passata (sauce).  Noona is stoking the fire while chopping tomatoes (roma) and adding Basil & Salt, there are two Popa’s with bottles filled and ready be filled, while sipping on wine. Next to the flames cooking on a tiny grill are sausages and bacon rashers for lunch. We stopped and asked if we could take a photo, where were they from? Italy of course! They were happy to have a chat, they were from Napoli, this was fabulous as the trains whizzed by, they cooked on.

After leaving a campsite in Deutschland, we found out that we are actually a tad higher than 2.8mtrs, we cautiously approach an overhead bridge, OOPS!!! UH OW!!!  We hear a scrape, stopped, and very slowly reverse back out.  I think we might have changed the shape of the Satellite dish (we never use) bit it’s there !!! Never mind, could have been worse. H.,H. should have known.

 While i’m on the subject and before I digress again, I must tell you that we have a new plant in H.H. Terry found an abandoned pot of Basil, actually we nearly ran over it!!! We have now adopted it and are raising it as our own, it’s growing very nicely and has settled in with our flowering pot plant (which was meant to be a thank you gift, but we couldn’t deliver it) along with a solar powered little flower with a Bee bopping up and down with the leaves (only when there is sunlight).

Very cute, they all sit up the front of H.H. when stationary, driving, they are in the sink. 

We go straight to Lake Annecy (France) the mountains are magnifique, the lake so clear blue. We watch the para gliders drifting across the sky and end up in an Aire at Faverges, a  great town where we put my bike in for service - I’m struggling with what gears I have, it won’t change cogs.

I’m  thinking I’ll just pop into the Pharmacie on the way back to H.H. I am now the proud / scared owner of a box of blood pressure tablets - thought I should get it checked WOW 190/110, The pharmacist spoke English (reaction) I think you should see a Doctor (me) O. K.!!!!!! (he says) I’ll ring for you (him) he say’ this is your lucky day, Doctor not busy and he also speaks English (me) Merci & where do I go!!!!! Finally see Doctor and B.P. dropped to 180/100, many Merci’s and beaucoup’s later, script filled. I take Terry to the pharmacy and we buy a B.P. machine ( which he now enjoys playing with daily) - he’ll keep taking the readings and I’ll keep taking the pills, all is good. Bike fixed it is so good to have gears again. NOW ! where was I……..

Saturday night we join our friends Ken and Jen and a bunch of Aussies renting a villa in Lake Annecy.

Ten for dinner, Ken & Jen prepare for us all Confit of Duck, creamy potatoes, french beans, and a delicious Flan for dessert, it’s been along time between friends and a dining table, wonderful evening, good laughs.  Monday we are leaving beautiful France behind for Italy and to catch up with Maddie & John in “Treviso" another Aussie get together. 

After many underground tunnels, I lost count after 6 very long ones and a 100 euros later in tolls, we arrive in Italy.  The G.P.S. looses signals in the long ones and takes ages to recover (me to)  so we follow our noses, I dislike tunnels - I feel trapped - out of my comfort zone.  We stay at a town called Ville Focchiardo and then onto the Lakes D’Orta, Lake Iseo and  Lake Garda, the photos’s will tell the stories, with lovely bike rides and local markets.

I’m a great window shopper for the cheeses and small goods.  There is too much to tell so I’ll let the pictures take over.

 Mind you I’m  still looking out for ANTONIO & GENARO (the two greedy Italians). We did love their show on TV.

We move on to Treviso to catch up with our friends Maddy and John, who find us parked in a Camper Stop near the railway station. This is a gorgeous city, that was also badly damaged in WW2, with some very strange statues!

 

We have a great time loosing ourselves  amongst the canals and trying to find the Piazza and M & J’s apartment.

Time is passing too quickly already, we catch the train to VENICE, with Maddy and John as our guides. O.M.G. The scenery unbelievable.

The tourists amazing , a phenomenal amount of people everywhere.

We shuffle along, there are six overseas cruise ships in. We estimate 70,000 to 100,000 people roaming around, no wonder the city is sinking.

The alley ways! Suspicious characters!

 

 

The canals, the church’s, the architecture, Bellisimo, Magnifico.

 

 We find out later we missed George Clooney’s wedding by a day. The invite must still be in the mail!

Courtesy of John and Maddy and her cousin Amos, we spend a fabulous day in the Prosecco wine region of Italy, tasting their wonderful product.

 

After great days and dinners together, we say goodbye to M & J, and armed with invaluable advice from Amos, head off to the DOLOMITES region. This can only be described as stunning! I’ll say no more except….. Ciao

Julie Andrews …. eat your heart out!