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2002

Italy-France-Belgium

Jvi
2004-09-14 12:35:24

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This is a feable attempt to continue some of the photos we took on our 2002 eight week European Odyssey. After the ferry ride from Rethymo, Crete, to Pireaus, near Athens, we proceeded to the Athens airport and flew to Roma where we picked up a leased Renault Clio. Driving north to the castle overlooking Lake Trasimeno we had to stop on the motorway for one hour. We just stopped, no reason and people got out of their cars, had water fights and talked. We were told there was probably some sort of accident and the authorities just stop traffic until it's cleaned up. We spent a week at the apartment in the castle near Cortona and explored the area and then a few days at an agritourisimo vineyard near San Gimignano. Then we went to the Cinque Terre on the coast to the town of Monterosso al Mare where we stayed at the La Spiaggia Hotel. We had a great time in Monterosso just resting, swimming, eating and drinking. It was late in the season and many of the American college crowd were gone. Later, we went back to the castle for 3 days because we had so much fun in the Cortona area. After the castle we proceeded up into Provence, stopping at St. Jean Cap Ferrat, another Chambre d'Hort in Provence, Avignon and Isle sur la Sorgue where we went to the best market ever one Sunday morning. The owners of the castle in Umbria suggested we stop in Sarzay, France, at the Sarzay Chateau. The 2 castle owners were friends. We were able to explore this old castle and it would be worth a side trip. The Sarzay owners spoke no English but it was quite a place and far from any touristy things, very quiet. Our next destination was Fontevrault Abbey where Henry II of England, Eleanor or Acquitane, and Richard the Lionheart are buried. From there we explored several chateaus until we were "chateaued out". Continuing north we stopped at Mont St. Michel, the Normandy Beaches, Bayeaux (the Tapistry is well worth a stop), Honfleur, Amiens and on to Bruges, Belgium. We never had any trouble finding a Chambre d'Hort (B&B) in France and the cost was around 46 Euro per night for 2 people. We didn't book in Bruges and everything was filled so we drove out of town and stayed at a Novetel Hotel. We've already booked in Bruges for our next visit. Bruges is worth a trip. We dropped the car off at the Brussels airport and flew home via London. On our last night in Bruges we agreed that all we needed was a dry cleaner and another laundromat and we could go another eight weeks. We were together almost constantly and for those who know me, I'm sure you can't understand how Christine kept her sanity. We are going to do it again and we will go back to Bruges, it was really nice. I hope to add more to this travelogue but we about to go back.

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