Next stop was Heidelberg

A nice old town

The boys at high speed in a local park

Ollie missing the slide for a bit

A local house I'd like to live in.

We stayed in a nice old appartment with kitchen, washer, bedding for 6: the boys jumped on every bed, especially the loft level. The highlight was the Technical Museums - planes, tanks, slides, miniature railways, etc, even a rotating automatic organ was a hit with the kids.

There were bikes all over the place.

We wandered up to the castle. We caught some trams around, but the burbs weren't great! The town itself is beautful.

The technik museum Speyer

Ollie in the cargo hold of the 747.

The 747 is up high, and has a slide.

Where else can you take two kids aged 4 and 6, and have them run around looking at stuff until about 6pm, and not stop once? Except for lunch. Lucky Marie packed some sandwiches. They scoffed odd halves here and there, then ran back to go on a slide, see another plane, model train or whichever.

Electric powered hydraulic digger thing

This place has the Buran, the Russian space shuttle. I love Russian rockets and space paraphynalia. Seeing the real thing, and walking inside is amazing. One of these did go into space.

There's loads of cars, planes and a submarine you can walk through. 10/10.

The Buran from Russia.

Wurzburg

The fountains are for littlies in Nuremberg

Ollie outside the Oliver store.

Wurzburg, another lovely town on the river.

On the main bridge.

Wurzburg has a nice fortress thing up on hill. 

The city of Wurzburg.

Bamberg

A river runs though it.

 We caught a train to Bamberg. We wandered around. We came home to Nuremberg again.

The trains are even a bit more fun

There's a nice Cathedral up on the hill.

Just like that movie Cocoon, old people forget to be old.

The rose garden looking over town.

Nuremberg

Nuremberg - rebuilt, and beautiful.

We drove to Nuremberg via nightmarishly car clogged Passau. We parked the car and left it for 5 days. The local trams and state trains are just the best.

Mum, dad, can we go on the U bahn??

Every loco was perfectly restored.

There is so much to do in this place. The museums are amazing. The train museum was so good, the boys cried when we dragged them out of there. The boys ran around the loco displays. One of the loco engines was cut in half, with animated lights showing how steam works. On the way, there was a whole other museum on communications, where Ollie had a go at being a TV presenter, also fun. On the last level, there was wooden toy tracks, automated model trains, and one a bit bigger that they could ride on. Kiddie heaven.

There is also a toy museum, where all the old interesting toys were laid out, together with a room full of toys to play with, then an outdoor play area with more interesting play stuff.

Making a call in the communications museum

We also ran out of cash for a while. Since the supermarkets all took cash or some ecard thing which we didn't have, we had to take it easy. This just meant we couldn't stop for coffee, and once I had to leave everything at the checkout, which upset Louis a bit. 2 days later, it was back to normalish.

Taking a ride on a train in the train museum

Going shopping in Germany is awesome. Everything is made in Germany. You can't go wrong! I'd love to snap up a bike, but I've already got one.

We didn't even get to half the places here, important places, like the Nazi rally grounds, or where they had the trials. The kids wouldn't be so keen.

Summer hols

5 greate days in Graz Austria. 

Thursday 8 August started early. Stuffing odds into my bag, I grabbed a blue bike up the street, went into Cros de Cagnes to withdraw some cash, and ran to the station, getting a ticket with a minute to spare for the Ventimiglia train. I had an hour there to print the 2 Italian train tickets I'd bought online, and wander the old town, steep, winding and like all the old villages here, lovely.

Graz, a car free CBD nightmare, awesomely beautiful.

One more train to Milan, then about 6 hours until catching the next. I wanted to hire a public bike. The signs said you can sign up at any ATM. After discovering a big sign saying ATM near the main square, and following the tunnels to the office, ATM is: the Azienda Trasporti Milanesi. Pay up, get a code, go punch it in, and the world is ready to explore. I never had any idea how many different little piazzas, tramways, charming buildings etc etc there are. Great bikes.

The armoury in Graz.

After the night train, which despite all the horror theft stories, was super pleasant and easy, the first stop was Graz, Austria (pronounced Grutts if I heard right). Marie picked it based on Google pictures. The brochure says this place is the most bike friendly in Austria, are there are bikes all over the place.

Marie and the boys spent a lovely 2 weeks in Croatia, swimming on the coast, and staying with the family inland. We met up in Graz.

The local museum that look like Dr Seuss made it is full of model buildings, thumbs up from the boys. The local park on the hill is pleasant, if you don't lose a phone. There's a cave and now the boys want to see every cave in all areas. Armoury museum is tops.

Last day of trip, Monday.

Tomorrow is the last day of our summer holiday trip! Tuesday I start work, and next week is the new school year for the boys. Ollie moves onto the next section in school, the CP. He's going to be getting homework. We're just getting used to the fact that he can speak.
An update on our cash problems, turns out that German train accepts credit cards. So we did a few day trips to nearby towns. We also found a huge pharmacy that takes them. We loaded up on muesli, corn flakes, milk, sunscreen, deodorant and other odd products. We also bought 3 pieces of fruit from a street vendor with our last small change. With almost no cash, Marie complained that she couldn't just buy things. Every cloud has a silver lining. It was less stressful than we'd thought in the end.
Then a couple of days later, the bank spat out 400 euros, and we all said yippee! The boys were really pleased. Our accommodation is always paid in cash, so it's good timing.
Currently in Torino on the way home. Last stop was Switzerland. Don't go there unless you're feeling stupidly rich. Will write up more once I load my 2000 odd photos onto the computer at home.

Gettin die euro sh 1 ts yah

Marie took off with the boys Thursday the 26th, and called up about 4 in the afternoon. How's it going? Not so good! She can't find her wallet, and last time she had it was in a service station about 200km ago.

After driving back to see if she left it on the counter when buying ice cream, they don't have it. I check online, and the card's been cancelled already. I didn't report it, and not her either, so it must be the thief trying to use it. Our best guess is that they took it from her handbag, since sometimes it floats invitingly on top of everything.

Of the things to be sure not to lose, car keys are one. Phone is high on the list, but the wallet raises problems like: how do I now exit the autoroute without money? How do we eat, pay for accomodation etc? After filing a police report, turns out you can fill in a form at the autoroute office to pay later. After that Marie borrowed from her cousin, who she met in Milan.

Other than that, they had a nice time on the Croatian coast, and then with the family in Slavonski Brod. Staying with family solves most problems. I catch 4 trains to meet up with them in Graz. It's been a relaxing, kinda boring two weeks, but I got a lot done, and had a couple of nice dinners.

First thing is to pull out some cash at Graz to finally pay the landlord. All is good until a visit to the Shlossberg hill. After that, Ollie wants to use Marie's phone to take a photo, but now it seems there's no phone! Louis borrowed it to play games on the hill, and some time it was lost, not to be seen laying around 30 minutes later. The employees of the funiculair couldn't care less when I ask if they've had one handed in. No it seems.

Now, how to block the thing without a phone to do it? I go online to try to block it. You have to log in first. This requires a new passcode, and the only way to get it is via sms. Skype doesn't work for the automatic system. We call our neighbour on Skype who is a nice guy, speaks French, and knows how to make an exception to the rule of only being able to cancel your own phone. We finally think to call the phone, and a nice German fellow answers "yah I got it!". Phew! Now it's back but just blocked.

So to today. I try to withdraw some spending money in Germany. The bank says I'm out. Turns out there's a 500 euro limit per week. Nice time to find out. What's for dinner?? I can still use the credit card. Me and Louis walk to find a supermarket, pick up some milk, pasta, chicken, cereal, eggs etc etc. The checkout dude says he doesn't take credit cards. So we leave all our stuff at the register and walk out in shame after apologising. Louis says, but we left all our things in there! I laugh, then get sad, then walk right across town to Aldi. Asking before going in, they don't take my card either. I wonder if I can buy someone a Montblanc pen for example, and then ask for the cash, but admit defeat and trudge home, wondering how best to spend the 2 euros cash I have left. Lucky we had some bolognese leftovers already frozen, so ok tonight.

Thank god the apartment is paid already, and the internet has a supermarket listed as taking cards. So we'll see what happens tomorrow. We can get another 400 in a couple of days.

The end of year school spectacular

Almost as exciting as going on holidays itself. Not sure what this is about, but it's good for sure.

Then they ended the show on a high point, albeit a 7 minute long high point:

and for a bonus, here's one from the beach that got video bombed halfway through:

Evonne visits!

The main fountain in the middle of town.

Evonne came over for another visit. The boys had a great time with their Aunty. We stayed around the local area, went to a couple of villages, ate a LOT of food.

The local beach.

The chaps visit

Mike, Jeannie, Emma and Marie.

All 3 of the Chaps came over for a good week. This is the correct amount of time, as there is heaps to see. It's enough time to relax on the beach for a bit too.

Mike and Emma.

On Thursday afternoon, I ducked out of work early for the second time this week, and picked them up from the train station in town. I took Friday off. So we had a nice relaxing day, as the boys were in school. We headed up to St Paul de Vence, which is one of the nicest perched villages around.

Saturday we went to Coursegoules, which is a tiny village up in the hills, well outside of the towns. It has almost no homes around, v. picturesque. Then we went to the beach for a swim.

Special guest appearance by me, photo by Mike.

Sunday, we went to Nice to the look out over town. We picked them up, and had 7 people in the car. The Municipal police told us "it is forbidden!". So we stopped, let the kids go nuts in the park, and walked it from there. The views are the best for town. Followed this by a swim in the kinda frosty water.

Monday, they had the day off to do their own thing. Tuesday everyone got on the train to Antibe, and I met them on the beach for dinner and some drinks for Jeannie's birthday. Wednesday was at Eze, and Thursday, Marie took them to the airport for a eye watering 7am flight.

Tour de France

Italians trying to run me over at speed.

Lying on the grass next to the race. As close as it gets.

We had two, yes two, stages of the Tour de France for their very special 100th running. I simply had to get out of work early to see the time trial stage of Nice. We headed to near the airport averaging about 29km/h, which is faster than normal for me. Turns out the pros, who have to keep it up for 25km around a circuit, are averaging 58km/h. So on the Promenade des Anglais, where we are, they are surely punching in around 60 to 70 clicks. We did the old, get on the road, wait for all the honking to clear a little bit of space for the riders to get through. It's very French. On the return trip, the road is only one lane, so I could lay on the grass and snap them going by very closely. What a top afternoon.

Our main st, the Bord du Mer, and Ollie flying along after.

The world's most famous team bus safely parked. 

On the course, and being cheered on by the crowd.

The following day, they set of from Cagnes sur Mer, my home town!! I got separated from Marie, refused to be allowed to cross the street by the police, and ended up cycling 4km around the horse track to get back to a furious Marie and 2 crying kids. I wish I had have thought to go the other way which would have been only a few hundred metres. I had to keep going, then a bit further etc, as I had no idea where the barriers were. This day was a pretty sh88house experience. At least we all got to ride right down the main street after it all. That is the best fun of all.

Barcelona

Barcelona!! My new greatest city ever.

This weekend, my work buddy Juan was getting married. He's from Barcelona. His wife is from Venezuela, so we didn't have a lot of family, since it's a bit hard to travel this far.


 Marie gave me the weekend off to enjoy the place, so I landed on Friday night. I started off by wandering around at the airport, looking for the bus. I found one little post with an tiny sign that was the bus stop, and was going the right way. Then got the subway the rest of the way, after 10 minutes in front of the maps and the ticket machine.

Barcelona is a serious city, with a metro, intercity train, buses, trams. It is bounded along one side by hills. Wide treelined avenues are basically laid in a grid, with a historic centre of winding alleys.

The following day, I hired a bike to see the famous bike city that is Barcelona. I roll out of town first towards the hills, stopping to buy a bag. It's nice to have this mobility which extends my shopping range.

Erika walks down the isle in the heat.

This is what I love, getting out of the tourist strip, getting some nibbles, feeling like a local. Then 3 girls wander past saying like, yah, he's like and like then like, I mean like. Bah, you ruined it!

Getting some directions, I head up toward the telco tower and the park along the heights with great views of the city. There are groups of cyclists rolling all around the area. I check the map and am pleased to be off it.

Descending into the town, I find La Taverna de Jon after a few laps, which is perfect. I understand nothing on the menu. Turns out the meal of the day is a big plate of beans with a few bits of pork, then steak in a tasty potato sauce with veggies. The moto GP is on TV. There's a report on Assen, which apparently has 145km of bike paths, and heaps of bikes. I can't believe I was worried about leaving here hungry. After all those beans, I'm glad to be in the open air for the afternoon.

Getting across town is easy and fast, so there's lots of different stuff on the same day. The pride parade is in town. The beach looks nice. This place is so cool the parliament is in the middle of a huge park.

The historic centre was a Roman city. The walls from the 4th century AD are some metres thick and 5 odd stories high.

Eric from work, + his Mrs.

Next day , and the wedding was great. The family connections are strong. The mum and dads are on the table of honour with the bride and groom.

The brother of the groom, the sister, mother and father of the bride all give tearful speeches. Dinner is 3 courses after we'd been snacking on paella, risotto, cheese, meat and a dozen other things, with beer, a few beers and some photos in between.

Trying out some matchmaking, I head over to Victor the triathlete. "Ah yeth, Loreena, I notith herr the firtht time we meeet." Sadly Lorina sits on the girls who went to uni with Erika table, while Victor sits with the scruffy buddies of Juan. It seems the mystery of romance will not be resolved tonight.

After a few drinks, some more drinks, then Orujo, which seems to be straight from the dentist mouthwash collection, they're all on the dance floor so it's time for some of the biggest gin and tonics in the universe, followed by the bus trip back to town.

What a wonderful town.

In the morning, some local is walking up the street yelling out "Wake up!!" It might have been wake up tourists, but I was too sleepy. I think there were some more firecrackers out there last night too. I spent the day doing laps of the old town, trying to spend money, but arrived during lunch for some places, couldn't find others the second time around, or couldn't find the front door. Picked up some stuff for Marie and the boys. Am loving every minute even if the waiter for lunch is from India, and only 2 out of 6 customers speak Spanish.

It's nice to be home.

Sharn and Bill visit

Snap happy in Eze

Cros de Cagnes, near us.

Bill and Sharni came in Saturday morning. When they came throught the airport doors, and we started chatting, it felt like we were just at home again.

Cagnes sur Mer old town.

Dinner Cagnes sur Mer

They told us about the ordinary weather they'd been having. Luckily, it's been hot with blue skies here.

Day 1 we went to Eze and the old town of Nice.

Picnic near Col de Vence

Day 2 was a nice picnic near the Col de Vence, near Saint Barnabe, followed by a trip up to the old town of Cagnes sur Mer.

Bill and Sharn 3 kids were being looked after by the grands. Nice!

Petanque

Hugues snaps, Louis runs for another go

They've done up the local walking path along the beach. Two car parks have been removed, and now we've got a great petanque patch.

Learning how it's done from a pro

 Lots more fun than the old car park.

The walking path is fantastic, wide and safe too.

Now summers here, its perfect for a picnic dinner, then a few rounds after the hoardes have gone home.

The boys, Leonie and Hugues.

Medieval festival Villeneuve Loubet

Important people wandered in groups.

The guy from next door Jean Louis in t-shirt and white hat.

We went to the medieval festival at Villeneuve on the weekend. There were parades of kings, knights, and lepers normally, but today, it was the women of the night. There are lots of swords and armor for sale, demonstrations of fighting, cooking, music and games for the kids. Lots of fun. We rode out our front door right there.

Even the olden womenfolk talked too long on the phone.

They have these kinds of festivals all the time. Costumes can be hired and lots of people wander around in character.