Well, that's the end of our riding for this holiday. I will be riding around Barcelona with Cam, and out to his studio, about 7 km from their flat, but that will be about it. Sue doesn't like riding around town, even though their are many bike lanes. I must admit it can be a bit chaotic and keeps the adrenalin moving. Dealing with pedestrians in bike lanes, cyclists going the wrong way in the bike lane, cars turning across the bike lanes, and getting used to the fact that cyclists seem to ignore traffic lights. At best, cyclists will wait until the warning light indicates that the lights are about to change, and then start moving, as do the motor scooters and motor bikes. At other times, cyclists move out into the intersection to see if their is any traffic moving with the lights. If not, they cross the intersection, even though they are facing a red light. Nobody seems too fussed by this behaviour, but I understand that you accept full responsibility if you are hit by a car when behaving in this fashion. I have to admit to a few close shaves when trying to ride like a local, but having difficulty in working out which direction the traffic is coming from. But I am still alive, so all is well. I sometimes ride the Birdy, but at other times use the 3 speed community bikes. These are free for the first 30 minutes and there is a charge of 30c per 15 minutes after that. There are bicing stations all over the city, and removes all concern of having your bike stolen. Cam uses 3 locks with his bike - U lock, a Dutch style lock on the back wheel (attaches to the rear fork. When activated, a bolt passes between the spokes near the rim, making it impossible to turn or remove the wheel) and another huge chain which is most commonly used with motor scooters. It is essential to lock the frame, the front and back wheels and also the seat. The streets of Barcelona are littered with bike frames minus wheels and seats, with the frame locked to a post.
We spent two weeks with Cam and Leila, and were to go to Croatia for two weeks, but as Leila was going to Italy to visit her parents and spend time with a friend, we cut our trip to Croatia to 8 days, enough to make us want to see more of the country. We stayed a week in Split and then had two days in Dubrovnik before flying back to Barcelona. We stayed at a time-share unit in Split, and went on three trips organised by the hosts, meeting some very nice Russians, one of whom spoke English, and enabled some communication between us to complement the smiles.
Back in Barcelona, we are spending quite a bit of time at Cam's studio, as he has convinced Sue to do a linocut measuring 1800x1200, three or four times larger than anything Sue has undertaken. We have less than a week before we had back to Australia, so all stops are out to finish the cut and for Cam to print it. Once Sue has completed the detailed cutting, Cam and I will be cutting out the blank surrounds of the print. We have also been attending life drawing with Cam at an artist's community workshop in Barcelona. There a three hour sessions each morning, afternoon and evening 6 days a week. Some rooms have fixed poses for the week, others shorter. The one we have attended most has poses of 3,5 and 8 minutes. It is very intense. There are some 900 members of the community. Sue and I attended as casual members, paying 4 Euros each per session.
This as been a fabulous holiday. It will be sad to say goodbye to Cam next week, but it will be good to go home and see the girls and their husbands/partners and our grandchildren - as well as our friends and to settle into the routine of home again. It will also be good to say goodbye to the humidity of Barcelona - and the crowds. It will also be good to get away from the endless stairs you have to climb in Europe. Leila has just bought two apartments in Barcelona which they will renovate into one apartment and thankfully it is only on the second floor.
See you soon, and I hope this blog has not bored you witless.
Iain and Sue
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
July 9 Barcelona
Cam and I went out to his studio today to fix Leila's bike in preparation for our ride this weekend up into the Pyranees. Sue spent a fruitless day looking around the shops for shoes. The humidity is quite high and Sue and I are feeling very tired a lot of the time - if we see a bed we seem to lie down and doze.
July 11 - 14 Ripoll to La Pinya (near Olot) to Girona by bike
Leila finished work early today so that we could load our bikes onto the 12.15 train for the 1.5 hour trip to Ripoll, the start of the rail trail towards Olot. Cam said that it would be an easy 15 km ride along the rail trail. When we got off the train we were stopped by the sight of the mountains immediately behind the town which seemed to head straight for the sky. Fortunately trains don't go straight up mountains. We had a sausage sandwich at a bar opposite the station before stocking up on water, bananas and chocolate. We located the start of the trail quite easily and were pleased to see that it was sealed. The trail headed along the side of the range, climbing steadily for 12 kms to the old station at Sant Joan de les Abadesses. The station now houses a coffee shop, so we stopped for coffee before searching for the continuation of the trail, which was on the road for the rest of the way.
The trail took a steep downhill towards the river and then crossed a strange cobbled bridge which sloped up to a ridge and down the other side. In town we had to stop and ask for directions a couple of times before finding a road which coincided with the map Cam had. The road climbed steadily for probably 8 km before reaching the Col de Santigosa at 1010m. The hard work of the climb was rewarded by a long downhill of perhaps 12 kms. We stopped part way down to admire the view into the valley. We knew that we had to turn off the main road to reach our destination. I was really enjoying the downhill, but did see a turn-off and fortunately decided to wait for the others about 300m past the road. Leila stopped with me. If we hadn't stopped, it would have added another 10 kms to the ride. The turn-off took us down a narrow, steep winding road past a number of very large haciendas. Soon after we were relieved to see the sign to our accommodation - Mars Garganta - even if the steep driveway was more suited to mountain bikes than to Birdys.
Mars Garganta is a very old attractive farmhouse sitting on the side of the hill, operating as a B&B. Parts of the original farmhouse remain, and date from 1350. Everything is old and rustic. In a room off the main entrance there is an old kitchen sink, old kitchen utensils, a large wooden table, a big open fireplace with curved high-backed wooden seats surrounding the fireplace. The timber on the seats is very worn with the carved sections barely recognisable. The flooring of the first floor in this old part of the building was huge slabs of timber, without tongue and groove, making it possible to look up through the gaps in sections. Our bedrooms were family suites in a newer section of the house. Being summer, meals are served on a huge open verandah overlooking the mountain ranges. We had arranged to have our evening meal at the house as well as breakfast. It was very relaxing sitting around the mealtable, looking over the hills and listening to the tinkle of the cow bells. On the way up the trail we had noticed that many of the cattle were wearing bells around their necks, making a very romantic continuous sound as even when they were lying down, they were shaking their heads to disturb the flies. This sound also put us to sleep and also wakened us in the mornings.
On Saturday it was overcast with bursts of drizzle. After a sumptuous breakfast on the balcony, enjoying the view through the arches, we lazed around until around midday in case it rained. With optimism we hopped on our bikes and rode the 7kms into Olot, along undulating rural roads and then on railtrail into town. There are a lot of old volcanoes in this area, so after lunch in the town square, we rode to the base of one of the volcanoes, and Sue minded the bikes while Leila, Cam and I climbed up to the rim, walking around the old monastery and inspecting the defense towers spaced around the rim. We headed home and stopped at a small cafe along the trail for a coffee, before having a look in the Parc de Pedra Tosca. This was an area of communal gardens, the small irregular sized and shaped plots being marked out by stone fences, and planted with different crops - beans, lavender, corn.
It was looking a little overcast when we went into the park, so we didn't stay very long- but we did stay too long as on the way home it started to thunder and then rain became progressively heavier. Sue was the only one with a raincoat, but even she was pretty wet when we arrived back at Mars Garganta. The lady of the house delighted us by offering to put our clothes into the drier.
Another good night's rest and an even more extensive breakfast, before heading into Olot. Leila has to go back to Barcelona tonight, so we had to arrange her bus trip. We thought that she could go at 4.30 to Girona and then catch the train to Barcelona, but found that this bus wouldn't take the bike, even though it was not fully booked and there was very little in the luggage compartments when it departed. At 7.30, an identical bus took Leila and the bike back to Ripoll to catch the last train for the day. With only 20 minutes between the ETA of the bus and the departure of the train, Cam was anxious about Leila's welfare, and we were all relieved some 1.5 hours later to receive a call from Leila to say that she had caught the train.
On the way back into town, we again visited the Parc to search out a hillock from which there was supposed to be good views over the area. We eventually found the hillock, after a bit of trailbashing, only to find that trees well and truly blocked any view that might have been had. We then set out to find a restaurant which had been recommended to us. We ended up on some dirt track with wet patches, and as I attempted to avoid the water, my front wheel did a right turn, throwing me down the embankment. It was a soft landing, but I came up a bit grubby, so when we arrived at the restaurant, to be greeted in the car park by an attendant in black pants, white shirt and vest, we wondered whether we would be acceptable clientele. No problem - we were shown where to put our bikes and shown into a large marquee, where we enjoyed lunch together.
After lunch, we rode around town to fill in time before the bus left. Being a Sunday, there was little traffic. The river El fluvia runs through the centre of town, so there was some pleasant paths to ride.
Back to Mars Garganta for another big evening meal, bed and up to another big breakfast before heading off for the 64 km ride to Girona. The trail today was rail trail, flat good surface out of Olot before a 3 km climb to the Col d'en Bas and then it was all downhill to Girona - apart from a couple of sections which bore no resemblance of a railway track and involved several short but steep downhills with steep rocky uphills, again far more suited to mountain bikes, but which I am pleased to say, didn't daunt the Birdys.
About 20 kms into the ride we pulled in to a small village, crossing the river on a quaint stone bridge, winding up narrow one-way streets to the square where we sat outside under the trees and enjoyed our coffees. On the way out of town, I stopped to take some photos on Leila's camera. I turned the corner to see a crowd of people around Sue who was picking herself up off the footpath. The wheel of her bike must have been parallel to a raised section of tarmac, and when she went to turn the wheel, the surface resisted and she lost her balance, hitting her head and shin on the way down. After dusting herself off and checking that nothing was broken, we headed out of town. It was a beautiful sunny day, the via verde was downhill, and even a short period of being lost and Sue's sore shin couldn't detract from a great day's ride. On arriving in Girona we located the station with minimal difficulty. Fortunately the train was running late, so we had time to buy our tickets and find the station, heading back to Barcelona with little delay.
The end of a wonderful week-end away with Cam and Leila.
Cam and I went out to his studio today to fix Leila's bike in preparation for our ride this weekend up into the Pyranees. Sue spent a fruitless day looking around the shops for shoes. The humidity is quite high and Sue and I are feeling very tired a lot of the time - if we see a bed we seem to lie down and doze.
July 11 - 14 Ripoll to La Pinya (near Olot) to Girona by bike
Leila finished work early today so that we could load our bikes onto the 12.15 train for the 1.5 hour trip to Ripoll, the start of the rail trail towards Olot. Cam said that it would be an easy 15 km ride along the rail trail. When we got off the train we were stopped by the sight of the mountains immediately behind the town which seemed to head straight for the sky. Fortunately trains don't go straight up mountains. We had a sausage sandwich at a bar opposite the station before stocking up on water, bananas and chocolate. We located the start of the trail quite easily and were pleased to see that it was sealed. The trail headed along the side of the range, climbing steadily for 12 kms to the old station at Sant Joan de les Abadesses. The station now houses a coffee shop, so we stopped for coffee before searching for the continuation of the trail, which was on the road for the rest of the way.
The trail took a steep downhill towards the river and then crossed a strange cobbled bridge which sloped up to a ridge and down the other side. In town we had to stop and ask for directions a couple of times before finding a road which coincided with the map Cam had. The road climbed steadily for probably 8 km before reaching the Col de Santigosa at 1010m. The hard work of the climb was rewarded by a long downhill of perhaps 12 kms. We stopped part way down to admire the view into the valley. We knew that we had to turn off the main road to reach our destination. I was really enjoying the downhill, but did see a turn-off and fortunately decided to wait for the others about 300m past the road. Leila stopped with me. If we hadn't stopped, it would have added another 10 kms to the ride. The turn-off took us down a narrow, steep winding road past a number of very large haciendas. Soon after we were relieved to see the sign to our accommodation - Mars Garganta - even if the steep driveway was more suited to mountain bikes than to Birdys.
Mars Garganta is a very old attractive farmhouse sitting on the side of the hill, operating as a B&B. Parts of the original farmhouse remain, and date from 1350. Everything is old and rustic. In a room off the main entrance there is an old kitchen sink, old kitchen utensils, a large wooden table, a big open fireplace with curved high-backed wooden seats surrounding the fireplace. The timber on the seats is very worn with the carved sections barely recognisable. The flooring of the first floor in this old part of the building was huge slabs of timber, without tongue and groove, making it possible to look up through the gaps in sections. Our bedrooms were family suites in a newer section of the house. Being summer, meals are served on a huge open verandah overlooking the mountain ranges. We had arranged to have our evening meal at the house as well as breakfast. It was very relaxing sitting around the mealtable, looking over the hills and listening to the tinkle of the cow bells. On the way up the trail we had noticed that many of the cattle were wearing bells around their necks, making a very romantic continuous sound as even when they were lying down, they were shaking their heads to disturb the flies. This sound also put us to sleep and also wakened us in the mornings.
On Saturday it was overcast with bursts of drizzle. After a sumptuous breakfast on the balcony, enjoying the view through the arches, we lazed around until around midday in case it rained. With optimism we hopped on our bikes and rode the 7kms into Olot, along undulating rural roads and then on railtrail into town. There are a lot of old volcanoes in this area, so after lunch in the town square, we rode to the base of one of the volcanoes, and Sue minded the bikes while Leila, Cam and I climbed up to the rim, walking around the old monastery and inspecting the defense towers spaced around the rim. We headed home and stopped at a small cafe along the trail for a coffee, before having a look in the Parc de Pedra Tosca. This was an area of communal gardens, the small irregular sized and shaped plots being marked out by stone fences, and planted with different crops - beans, lavender, corn.
It was looking a little overcast when we went into the park, so we didn't stay very long- but we did stay too long as on the way home it started to thunder and then rain became progressively heavier. Sue was the only one with a raincoat, but even she was pretty wet when we arrived back at Mars Garganta. The lady of the house delighted us by offering to put our clothes into the drier.
Another good night's rest and an even more extensive breakfast, before heading into Olot. Leila has to go back to Barcelona tonight, so we had to arrange her bus trip. We thought that she could go at 4.30 to Girona and then catch the train to Barcelona, but found that this bus wouldn't take the bike, even though it was not fully booked and there was very little in the luggage compartments when it departed. At 7.30, an identical bus took Leila and the bike back to Ripoll to catch the last train for the day. With only 20 minutes between the ETA of the bus and the departure of the train, Cam was anxious about Leila's welfare, and we were all relieved some 1.5 hours later to receive a call from Leila to say that she had caught the train.
On the way back into town, we again visited the Parc to search out a hillock from which there was supposed to be good views over the area. We eventually found the hillock, after a bit of trailbashing, only to find that trees well and truly blocked any view that might have been had. We then set out to find a restaurant which had been recommended to us. We ended up on some dirt track with wet patches, and as I attempted to avoid the water, my front wheel did a right turn, throwing me down the embankment. It was a soft landing, but I came up a bit grubby, so when we arrived at the restaurant, to be greeted in the car park by an attendant in black pants, white shirt and vest, we wondered whether we would be acceptable clientele. No problem - we were shown where to put our bikes and shown into a large marquee, where we enjoyed lunch together.
After lunch, we rode around town to fill in time before the bus left. Being a Sunday, there was little traffic. The river El fluvia runs through the centre of town, so there was some pleasant paths to ride.
Back to Mars Garganta for another big evening meal, bed and up to another big breakfast before heading off for the 64 km ride to Girona. The trail today was rail trail, flat good surface out of Olot before a 3 km climb to the Col d'en Bas and then it was all downhill to Girona - apart from a couple of sections which bore no resemblance of a railway track and involved several short but steep downhills with steep rocky uphills, again far more suited to mountain bikes, but which I am pleased to say, didn't daunt the Birdys.
About 20 kms into the ride we pulled in to a small village, crossing the river on a quaint stone bridge, winding up narrow one-way streets to the square where we sat outside under the trees and enjoyed our coffees. On the way out of town, I stopped to take some photos on Leila's camera. I turned the corner to see a crowd of people around Sue who was picking herself up off the footpath. The wheel of her bike must have been parallel to a raised section of tarmac, and when she went to turn the wheel, the surface resisted and she lost her balance, hitting her head and shin on the way down. After dusting herself off and checking that nothing was broken, we headed out of town. It was a beautiful sunny day, the via verde was downhill, and even a short period of being lost and Sue's sore shin couldn't detract from a great day's ride. On arriving in Girona we located the station with minimal difficulty. Fortunately the train was running late, so we had time to buy our tickets and find the station, heading back to Barcelona with little delay.
The end of a wonderful week-end away with Cam and Leila.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
July 6 Bilbao
After a good sleep and a pleasant, cheap coffee and croissant breakfast, we went to the station to book our seats on the day train to Barcelona for tomorrow. Cam became unofficial interpreter for a number of non-Spanish speaking tourists and the booking officers, and we had left the station before realising that we had not asked about the bikes, so back to the station to check this out. As bikes were not welcome on the day train we changed our booking to sleepers on the night train, with assurance from the booking officer that there would be plenty of room for the bikes and luggage under the bunks. Cam was again interpreting, and Iain put the camera down on the counter while signing the bank card slip. We left the booking office before Iain realised that he did not have the camera. We had only walked about 30 metres from the counter, but when we returned of course the camera was gone. It had not been handed in, and a quick check of the station precincts for someone selling a camera was unseccessful. This was a devastating loss. The 400 photo visual record of our tour in France was gone. Sue always keeps a detailed diary, but I had concentrated on the visual record, with many photos of the route and the wonderful things that we had seen, including many shots of the stone and wooden carvings adorning the houses and buildings that we had passed along the way. It took me many hours to settle down after this loss.
After another coffee, we headed off across town to visit the Googenheim Museum. The road out of Bilbao sweeps onto a bridge high above the river and overlooking the Museum. It is a spectacular sight. The vertical and square surfaces are made of stone and the huge curved surfaces of sheets of titanium. Inside, I found the most attractive section was the sculptures of Richard Serra. The largest space in the museum houses his huge steel structures, panels of 50mm steel 3.6m high, freestanding sweeping curves and spirals through which you can walk, experiencing varying sensations as the walls are not parallel or matching, so that sometimes the walls seem to close over you, and in other places open your view up to the roof. This description does his work no justice, so I suggest that you look it up on the internet. Sue also really enjoyed the surrealist exhibition, but it didn't do much for me. There were a couple of other interesting installations, one room with a couple of dozen male figures in different stances but with the same face, positioned in groups, amongst whom you could walk. In another room, the floor was of lino in a geometric pattern of yellow and black, designed to give the illusion of box shapes, with a brass strip across the room. I was blithely walking across the room looking around the blank walls when an attendant asked me not to walk on the brass strip as this was part of the installation. I somehow missed the point. I left Cam and Sue to the joys and wonders of modern art, and went for a walk, meeting up with them later.
July 7 Bilbao/ Bilbao to Barcelona
Our train didn't leave until 10.25 pm, so we had another day to look around Bilbao, leaving our luggage in the apartment of the owner of the pension we stayed at. After a fruitless check at the station to see if the camera had been handed in, it was off to the police station to file a lost/stolen report for the insurance company. The police were very polite and friendly, but even with Cam to do the talking, we spent over an hour getting the report made. The process must drive the police crazy.
Cam and I went for a ride on a finicula up to the top of the hills surrounding Bilbao and enjoyed almost a birds-eye view of the city and surrounding areas. Sue elected to stay at sea level and walked around the Guggenheim exterior and the river front until we returned. After some lunch, we bought a tram ticket and went for a ride to the end of the line and back, meeting a Swiss couple doing the same thing.
After dinner, we decided to go early to the station to pack up the bikes in a leisurely fashion and wait for the train, which we had been told was fully booked.
After a security check of ourselves and our luggage we found our carriage and carried the bags onto the train and along the narrow side passage to our cabin. The cabin was minimal size with 6 bunks providing only room for sleeping - no sitting up in bed and reading a book! As for storing the bikes under the bunks, there wasn't room for anything but very small bags. After some consideration of a sizeable dilemma, Cam and I removed the ladder and packed the bikes and bags behind the ladder and hoped that no one else was going to arrive to share the cabin. This feeling of apprehension was repeated each time the train stopped overnight. Although the train was full, no one arrived to fill our three vacant bunks. We suspect that the booking clerk somehow contrived to leave these bunks vacant in appreciation of Cam's assistance with interpreting.
We all slept well and arrived to the humidity of Barcelona at around 9.30 am. We then assembled the bikes, Cam got a 'bicing' (community bike) and we headed for Cam and Leila's apartment mostly along bike lanes.
We hadn't seen the apartment before, and despite it being only around 80 square metres in size, the fact that it is more square than rectangle, means that it is possible for four people to occupy the apartment without getting too much under each other's feet. The flat is bright and airy, with lovely patterned tiles. Of course, it is on the fourth floor with no lift, so we are back to climbing stairs.
After a shower and a change of clothes we headed into town to meet Leila for lunch. She is an architect, and starts work at around 10.30, has a lunch break from 2-4, and then works until 8 or 9pm. Consequently, dinner is very late, as is going to bed.
After lunch we headed for the Birdy dealer to try and get a replacement for the pin I had lost somewhere in France. The pin I fashioned out of a stick found on the ground at Cancale had lasted the distance - probably some 500 kms. As we were going to go for a weekend ride into the hills at the week-end, we were pleased when a replacement pin was available and able to be fitted without too much delay.
After a good sleep and a pleasant, cheap coffee and croissant breakfast, we went to the station to book our seats on the day train to Barcelona for tomorrow. Cam became unofficial interpreter for a number of non-Spanish speaking tourists and the booking officers, and we had left the station before realising that we had not asked about the bikes, so back to the station to check this out. As bikes were not welcome on the day train we changed our booking to sleepers on the night train, with assurance from the booking officer that there would be plenty of room for the bikes and luggage under the bunks. Cam was again interpreting, and Iain put the camera down on the counter while signing the bank card slip. We left the booking office before Iain realised that he did not have the camera. We had only walked about 30 metres from the counter, but when we returned of course the camera was gone. It had not been handed in, and a quick check of the station precincts for someone selling a camera was unseccessful. This was a devastating loss. The 400 photo visual record of our tour in France was gone. Sue always keeps a detailed diary, but I had concentrated on the visual record, with many photos of the route and the wonderful things that we had seen, including many shots of the stone and wooden carvings adorning the houses and buildings that we had passed along the way. It took me many hours to settle down after this loss.
After another coffee, we headed off across town to visit the Googenheim Museum. The road out of Bilbao sweeps onto a bridge high above the river and overlooking the Museum. It is a spectacular sight. The vertical and square surfaces are made of stone and the huge curved surfaces of sheets of titanium. Inside, I found the most attractive section was the sculptures of Richard Serra. The largest space in the museum houses his huge steel structures, panels of 50mm steel 3.6m high, freestanding sweeping curves and spirals through which you can walk, experiencing varying sensations as the walls are not parallel or matching, so that sometimes the walls seem to close over you, and in other places open your view up to the roof. This description does his work no justice, so I suggest that you look it up on the internet. Sue also really enjoyed the surrealist exhibition, but it didn't do much for me. There were a couple of other interesting installations, one room with a couple of dozen male figures in different stances but with the same face, positioned in groups, amongst whom you could walk. In another room, the floor was of lino in a geometric pattern of yellow and black, designed to give the illusion of box shapes, with a brass strip across the room. I was blithely walking across the room looking around the blank walls when an attendant asked me not to walk on the brass strip as this was part of the installation. I somehow missed the point. I left Cam and Sue to the joys and wonders of modern art, and went for a walk, meeting up with them later.
July 7 Bilbao/ Bilbao to Barcelona
Our train didn't leave until 10.25 pm, so we had another day to look around Bilbao, leaving our luggage in the apartment of the owner of the pension we stayed at. After a fruitless check at the station to see if the camera had been handed in, it was off to the police station to file a lost/stolen report for the insurance company. The police were very polite and friendly, but even with Cam to do the talking, we spent over an hour getting the report made. The process must drive the police crazy.
Cam and I went for a ride on a finicula up to the top of the hills surrounding Bilbao and enjoyed almost a birds-eye view of the city and surrounding areas. Sue elected to stay at sea level and walked around the Guggenheim exterior and the river front until we returned. After some lunch, we bought a tram ticket and went for a ride to the end of the line and back, meeting a Swiss couple doing the same thing.
After dinner, we decided to go early to the station to pack up the bikes in a leisurely fashion and wait for the train, which we had been told was fully booked.
After a security check of ourselves and our luggage we found our carriage and carried the bags onto the train and along the narrow side passage to our cabin. The cabin was minimal size with 6 bunks providing only room for sleeping - no sitting up in bed and reading a book! As for storing the bikes under the bunks, there wasn't room for anything but very small bags. After some consideration of a sizeable dilemma, Cam and I removed the ladder and packed the bikes and bags behind the ladder and hoped that no one else was going to arrive to share the cabin. This feeling of apprehension was repeated each time the train stopped overnight. Although the train was full, no one arrived to fill our three vacant bunks. We suspect that the booking clerk somehow contrived to leave these bunks vacant in appreciation of Cam's assistance with interpreting.
We all slept well and arrived to the humidity of Barcelona at around 9.30 am. We then assembled the bikes, Cam got a 'bicing' (community bike) and we headed for Cam and Leila's apartment mostly along bike lanes.
We hadn't seen the apartment before, and despite it being only around 80 square metres in size, the fact that it is more square than rectangle, means that it is possible for four people to occupy the apartment without getting too much under each other's feet. The flat is bright and airy, with lovely patterned tiles. Of course, it is on the fourth floor with no lift, so we are back to climbing stairs.
After a shower and a change of clothes we headed into town to meet Leila for lunch. She is an architect, and starts work at around 10.30, has a lunch break from 2-4, and then works until 8 or 9pm. Consequently, dinner is very late, as is going to bed.
After lunch we headed for the Birdy dealer to try and get a replacement for the pin I had lost somewhere in France. The pin I fashioned out of a stick found on the ground at Cancale had lasted the distance - probably some 500 kms. As we were going to go for a weekend ride into the hills at the week-end, we were pleased when a replacement pin was available and able to be fitted without too much delay.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
July 5 Irun to Miranda del Elba, Miranda del Elba to Bilbao to meet Cameron
Drizzling this morning, but fortunately it eased as we left to ride to the station. Station office staff indicated that we did not need to pack the bikes into the bags, but station staff advised otherwise, so we packed up before boarding the train to find very little baggage space. I left the bikes in the corridor as had been done on other trains. However, a very officious little ticket inspector attacked me in rapid French (fortunately, because it was very easy to appear dumb), before making me carry the bikes the length of the carriage to another storage area.
After a 3.5 hour journey we disembarked and had a 4 hour wait before our train on to Bilbao. Sue didn't favour the idea of unpacking the bikes and exploring the town, instead opting to read and guard our bags. Eventually, I did go for a walk into town - newer and not all that attractive.
The final leg of our journey to Bilbao took us into the Alps. We were surprised at the number of large industrial cities that we passed, with scores of high rise flats.
Arrived in Bilbao around 10 pm, having been unable to contact Cam to let him know of our later arrival time - he was expecting us to be there around 7 pm. We unpacked the bikes, loaded the panniers, and just a I was heading for an information map to try and locate our accommodation, we were greatly relieved to see Cam arrive. When he led us to the accommodation, I was even more thankful, as I would have had a lot of trouble finding the way. I was finding it difficult to stop thinking in French. Third floor rooms with community facilities, but clean and comfortable, and with an extra pair of hands to help with the carrying, not too bad a climb.
Drizzling this morning, but fortunately it eased as we left to ride to the station. Station office staff indicated that we did not need to pack the bikes into the bags, but station staff advised otherwise, so we packed up before boarding the train to find very little baggage space. I left the bikes in the corridor as had been done on other trains. However, a very officious little ticket inspector attacked me in rapid French (fortunately, because it was very easy to appear dumb), before making me carry the bikes the length of the carriage to another storage area.
After a 3.5 hour journey we disembarked and had a 4 hour wait before our train on to Bilbao. Sue didn't favour the idea of unpacking the bikes and exploring the town, instead opting to read and guard our bags. Eventually, I did go for a walk into town - newer and not all that attractive.
The final leg of our journey to Bilbao took us into the Alps. We were surprised at the number of large industrial cities that we passed, with scores of high rise flats.
Arrived in Bilbao around 10 pm, having been unable to contact Cam to let him know of our later arrival time - he was expecting us to be there around 7 pm. We unpacked the bikes, loaded the panniers, and just a I was heading for an information map to try and locate our accommodation, we were greatly relieved to see Cam arrive. When he led us to the accommodation, I was even more thankful, as I would have had a lot of trouble finding the way. I was finding it difficult to stop thinking in French. Third floor rooms with community facilities, but clean and comfortable, and with an extra pair of hands to help with the carrying, not too bad a climb.
July 4 Train from Vannes to Irun
As we had some time before the train was due to leave, we decided to have a look around the town on the other side of the railway. A boring one hour walk, cut short because it looked as though it might rain.
Wheeled our loaded bikes across to the station and enquired whether we could transport them assembled with panniers attached. OK for the trips from Vannes to Nantes and Nantes to Bordeaux, but we would have to pack them up before boarding the fast train to Irun.
Train left from platform 2, and we were not allowed to cross the tracks via the walkway (as we had at Auray) but had to carry them downstairs to the tunnel and then back up the stairs to the station. Fortunately, on all our train journeys we found many Sir Gallahads willing to help to carry the bikes and to load them on the trains. The first train floor was the same height as the platform, so loading was easy. Leant the bikes against others and found our seats for the journey.
At Nantes we only had 19 minutes between trains, but left from the platform we arrived at, so no problems. Problems started when the train arrived - two narrow steep steps from the platform into the train, and then through a narrow door to access the bike storage area. I made the mistake of wheeling the bikes into the room - when we came to alight, the area was full of bikes and it was very difficult to turn them around, let alone trying to get out against the tide of passengers trying to move into the narrow passageway. Fortunately, help was readily available. The journey from Nantes to Bordeaux took 4.5 hours and was quite enjoyable, seeing the changing countryside. Much of it looked as though it would be easy riding, but not as interesting as Brittany and Normandy.
At Bordeaux we packed the bikes and panniers into their bags. We had a carriage number, but no allocated seats, as it was the start of the holiday season and bookings were heavy. When the train arrived it had umpteen carriages and we were sent in the wrong direction. Carrying two 18 kg and two 15 kg bags is no laughing matter. Afraid of missing the train, and exhausted from the long carry, we climbed aboard a first class carriage, to find that the end section of first class carriages, the section over the wheels, is second class. Put the bike bags into any spare space. Sue got a fold-down seat next to our luggage; Iain had to go a couple of carriages away to find a similar seat. Arrived at Irun, at the border between France and Spain at around 10 pm. After passing through the border check, we loaded our bags onto a trolley and went to look for a taxi to go to our hotel. Plenty of taxis, but no drivers. After a while we decided to unpack the bikes and walk the 2.5 kms to the hotel. Sue got a local to draw us a map of the route. At the first intersection, I took a turn in the right direction, but the wrong road. Asked a very pleasant couple, who told us how to get to the hotel. It was a very pleasant evening for a walk, but as our route took us into a very commercial area, with few people, we were relieved to find the hotel, just in time to get a light meal from the kitchen before they closed for the night. We were able to lock the loaded bikes in the conference room. Slept well, despite all the excitement.
As we had some time before the train was due to leave, we decided to have a look around the town on the other side of the railway. A boring one hour walk, cut short because it looked as though it might rain.
Wheeled our loaded bikes across to the station and enquired whether we could transport them assembled with panniers attached. OK for the trips from Vannes to Nantes and Nantes to Bordeaux, but we would have to pack them up before boarding the fast train to Irun.
Train left from platform 2, and we were not allowed to cross the tracks via the walkway (as we had at Auray) but had to carry them downstairs to the tunnel and then back up the stairs to the station. Fortunately, on all our train journeys we found many Sir Gallahads willing to help to carry the bikes and to load them on the trains. The first train floor was the same height as the platform, so loading was easy. Leant the bikes against others and found our seats for the journey.
At Nantes we only had 19 minutes between trains, but left from the platform we arrived at, so no problems. Problems started when the train arrived - two narrow steep steps from the platform into the train, and then through a narrow door to access the bike storage area. I made the mistake of wheeling the bikes into the room - when we came to alight, the area was full of bikes and it was very difficult to turn them around, let alone trying to get out against the tide of passengers trying to move into the narrow passageway. Fortunately, help was readily available. The journey from Nantes to Bordeaux took 4.5 hours and was quite enjoyable, seeing the changing countryside. Much of it looked as though it would be easy riding, but not as interesting as Brittany and Normandy.
At Bordeaux we packed the bikes and panniers into their bags. We had a carriage number, but no allocated seats, as it was the start of the holiday season and bookings were heavy. When the train arrived it had umpteen carriages and we were sent in the wrong direction. Carrying two 18 kg and two 15 kg bags is no laughing matter. Afraid of missing the train, and exhausted from the long carry, we climbed aboard a first class carriage, to find that the end section of first class carriages, the section over the wheels, is second class. Put the bike bags into any spare space. Sue got a fold-down seat next to our luggage; Iain had to go a couple of carriages away to find a similar seat. Arrived at Irun, at the border between France and Spain at around 10 pm. After passing through the border check, we loaded our bags onto a trolley and went to look for a taxi to go to our hotel. Plenty of taxis, but no drivers. After a while we decided to unpack the bikes and walk the 2.5 kms to the hotel. Sue got a local to draw us a map of the route. At the first intersection, I took a turn in the right direction, but the wrong road. Asked a very pleasant couple, who told us how to get to the hotel. It was a very pleasant evening for a walk, but as our route took us into a very commercial area, with few people, we were relieved to find the hotel, just in time to get a light meal from the kitchen before they closed for the night. We were able to lock the loaded bikes in the conference room. Slept well, despite all the excitement.
July 2, 3 Vannes
Raining today. Our luck with the weather has been amazing - as I have mentioned before, everyday that it has rained we have been off he bikes. Walked in to the old town of Vannes, admiring the old half-timbered houses, many with wooden carvings on the main support posts of the house. At ground level, most of these properties are shops. Visited two museums, Chateau Gaillard (Museum of History & Archeology) and La Cohune (Museum of Fine Arts). Chateau Gaillard is in an urban mansion dating from the 15thC, still retaining the original layout. One room comprised beautifully painted panels depicting hermits and some of the saints. Wooden ceilings were also heavily carved. Collections of books, stuffed animals, birds eggs, ivory vessels, wooden and stone religious sculptures. La Cohune was not as impressive as the Chateau, but was well set out and contained some interesting prints and other works.
Museumed out, we bought a baguette to share and went into a bar for a coffee.
Spent some time in the huge centuries old Church of St Peter, admiring the furniture and artifacts, and thinking of the thousands of feet which have walked over the huge flat floor stones.
Walked around some of the newer parts of Vannes, eventually going back to the same restaurant as last night, the Macbal, for dinner.
Next day, after washing our clothes we headed back to the old city, taking a ride on the tourist train, which gave us a different perspective of the town, the commentary expanding our knowledge. After the ride we went back in to the gardens just outside the old town wall and looked at the wash houses along the river channel, built around 1820. Saw a couple of art exhibitions, before having lunch and returning to our hotel for a rest and to watch a bit of Wimbledon. TV was full of the news of the release of the French Columbian journalist, Ingrid Bidencourt, held captive by Columbian rebels for 7 years.
Dinner again at the Macbal, welcomed warmly by the owner and his wife, and given a free coffee to complete our meal. Food was good, atmosphere friendly - many locals dine there.
Raining today. Our luck with the weather has been amazing - as I have mentioned before, everyday that it has rained we have been off he bikes. Walked in to the old town of Vannes, admiring the old half-timbered houses, many with wooden carvings on the main support posts of the house. At ground level, most of these properties are shops. Visited two museums, Chateau Gaillard (Museum of History & Archeology) and La Cohune (Museum of Fine Arts). Chateau Gaillard is in an urban mansion dating from the 15thC, still retaining the original layout. One room comprised beautifully painted panels depicting hermits and some of the saints. Wooden ceilings were also heavily carved. Collections of books, stuffed animals, birds eggs, ivory vessels, wooden and stone religious sculptures. La Cohune was not as impressive as the Chateau, but was well set out and contained some interesting prints and other works.
Museumed out, we bought a baguette to share and went into a bar for a coffee.
Spent some time in the huge centuries old Church of St Peter, admiring the furniture and artifacts, and thinking of the thousands of feet which have walked over the huge flat floor stones.
Walked around some of the newer parts of Vannes, eventually going back to the same restaurant as last night, the Macbal, for dinner.
Next day, after washing our clothes we headed back to the old city, taking a ride on the tourist train, which gave us a different perspective of the town, the commentary expanding our knowledge. After the ride we went back in to the gardens just outside the old town wall and looked at the wash houses along the river channel, built around 1820. Saw a couple of art exhibitions, before having lunch and returning to our hotel for a rest and to watch a bit of Wimbledon. TV was full of the news of the release of the French Columbian journalist, Ingrid Bidencourt, held captive by Columbian rebels for 7 years.
Dinner again at the Macbal, welcomed warmly by the owner and his wife, and given a free coffee to complete our meal. Food was good, atmosphere friendly - many locals dine there.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
July1 Carnac to Auray 35kms
Last day of cycle touring today. After a shower and good breakfast we were ready to hit the road. I hadn't checked the road out yesterday, so with my great sense of direction headed out the wrong road. Saw a sign to where we wanted to go, but the road was closed due to road works, so it was back into town to start again. Fortunately we only travelled a couple of kms extra. The right road took us down to the beach road for a pleasant ride around the coast. The road became busier until we turned of to Locmariaquer to see more menhirs and dolmens. Visited and walked (stooped) into a couple of dolmens, and on the way out of town I detoured to view from the outside a huge dolmen. I caught up with Sue at the junction with the main road back to Auray. Again the traffic reduced the enjoyment, but apart from the last 4 kms, the road was easy. The last 4 kms contained a few hills to remind us at the end that cycle touring is not all easy.
Our riding ended at the Auray railway station. Almost 5 weeks and 1050 kms.
It has been a wonderful holiday, a good mix of riding and looking at the towns and villages we rode through, having coffees and relaxed lunches along the trail. On reflection 5 weeks has been a bit long for the amount of riding preparation that Sue was able to undertake and she has become fairly physically tired. She also has become a little sick of living out of panniers each day.
Next touring holiday we will probably select two or three places to use as a base and ride out to explore the surrounding countryside and then spend maybe a week on the road riding between base towns.
Although we have finished pedalling around France, I will continue the account of our travels in Spain and Croatia on the same blog.
We again were able to put the loaded bikes on the train for the short trip to Vannes, although this time we had to lift them up quite a height into a special carriage where they were locked. At Vannes we booked into a hotel just around from the station. We booked in for 3 nights before starting our train journey to Bilbao to meet son Cameron.
Although the owner is a bike rider, with a very nice carbon Colnago, he still charged us for parking our bikes in his secure storage area.
After tidying ourselves up we walked in to town to find the Information Centre, which is down on the waterfront. Used their internet to book in to an Ibis hotel in Irun - one of two reasonably priced hotels in Irun, although above what we would have liked to pay. On the way home we called in for dinner at a small restaurant recommended by our hotel manager, and enjoyed a very good, reasonably priced meal provided by a very personable owner and his cook wife who came out of the kitchen to greet us and shake our hand.
Last day of cycle touring today. After a shower and good breakfast we were ready to hit the road. I hadn't checked the road out yesterday, so with my great sense of direction headed out the wrong road. Saw a sign to where we wanted to go, but the road was closed due to road works, so it was back into town to start again. Fortunately we only travelled a couple of kms extra. The right road took us down to the beach road for a pleasant ride around the coast. The road became busier until we turned of to Locmariaquer to see more menhirs and dolmens. Visited and walked (stooped) into a couple of dolmens, and on the way out of town I detoured to view from the outside a huge dolmen. I caught up with Sue at the junction with the main road back to Auray. Again the traffic reduced the enjoyment, but apart from the last 4 kms, the road was easy. The last 4 kms contained a few hills to remind us at the end that cycle touring is not all easy.
Our riding ended at the Auray railway station. Almost 5 weeks and 1050 kms.
It has been a wonderful holiday, a good mix of riding and looking at the towns and villages we rode through, having coffees and relaxed lunches along the trail. On reflection 5 weeks has been a bit long for the amount of riding preparation that Sue was able to undertake and she has become fairly physically tired. She also has become a little sick of living out of panniers each day.
Next touring holiday we will probably select two or three places to use as a base and ride out to explore the surrounding countryside and then spend maybe a week on the road riding between base towns.
Although we have finished pedalling around France, I will continue the account of our travels in Spain and Croatia on the same blog.
We again were able to put the loaded bikes on the train for the short trip to Vannes, although this time we had to lift them up quite a height into a special carriage where they were locked. At Vannes we booked into a hotel just around from the station. We booked in for 3 nights before starting our train journey to Bilbao to meet son Cameron.
Although the owner is a bike rider, with a very nice carbon Colnago, he still charged us for parking our bikes in his secure storage area.
After tidying ourselves up we walked in to town to find the Information Centre, which is down on the waterfront. Used their internet to book in to an Ibis hotel in Irun - one of two reasonably priced hotels in Irun, although above what we would have liked to pay. On the way home we called in for dinner at a small restaurant recommended by our hotel manager, and enjoyed a very good, reasonably priced meal provided by a very personable owner and his cook wife who came out of the kitchen to greet us and shake our hand.
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