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.

Him photoing me photoing him photoing me photoing...

Louis's birthday picnic.

Could be in ACDC or Pele's team

The shortest bushwalk ever

 So the Sunday after the day itself, we had a little picnic for  Louis's birthday. We ate too much, kicked the soccer ball, and did a little bit of bike riding.


This weekend I went for a short ride, that never seemed to end, with the work people. Then went for a walk at the beach with Ollie. There was a big celebration of the Cros de Cagnes 200 years of something or other.


Sunday we lazed, then got out for a bushwalk from Courmes.

The work cycle club 1000m high. Not bad for oldies.

Happy birthday Louis!!

Maude lives in our building.

The chickens in our street.

Well the boy himself is 4 years old. I can't believe he's been here for that long, plus 9 months cooking time.


Marie got him a big bucket of lego, and I picked up a camera, what else. It's a good little thing, shock/water proof, 3 times zoom and decent quality shots. Then he chose to go out for some pizza.

A few more self snaps.

We ran into Maude and her dad Ibrahim on the way. Turns out there's some chickens in our street.

Photo by Louis, with his + Marie's shadow.

You can see a bit more of Mr Paparazzi's work here, done the following day.

Best wishes and kisses to our youngest one.

Confirmation

Jelena, Josipa, Anna Marie and Danilo

We travelled to Marie's cousins place for her daughter's confirmation. Sorry, that means I didn't understand anything that went on for 2 days.

Afterwards, some family friends, Danillo's sister, and cousin's kids.

On the way home we dropped in on Alessandria. Weirdly, this has been my aim since before we even got here, as the Borsalino factory is here!! They used to make some of the finest hats in the world. It is Italy, eh? Apparently the hat museum they have is awesome. Sadly it was closed. Now we know it's open weekends only.

Louis gives Alessandria the thumbs up.

The city centre is relaxed but busy enough.

Day 5 Saturday

Running in Colombiers.

On the way to the tunnel

Day 5: started with cycling in the driveway. Louis was doing some good stretches all by himself, with no support. He just needed a push to start. He'd really mastered peddling. Ollie was much more excited seeing him do so well, calling out well done Louis!

Well done Louis!!

My boys!!

 First stop is Colombiers, which is a magic little town with tiny streets, an uglified port on the canal, and a beautiful stone bridge. We walked and rode to the tunnel, all beautiful. Louis did so well.

Ollie on the Canal du Midi

Lunch is in Homps, another nice port town.

Homps.

Before they lost me.(ca menerve)

We stop in Minerve where the boys get lost for a few minutes there. It's perched on a limestone cliff. 50 million years ago, it was a sea.

Minerve

Ready to cycle the port town of Sete.

.
Day 6 (of the 5 day weekend): we go home, so didn't do much. We cycle in Sete, which is yet another French Venice, with  beautiful buildings lining a couple of canals. The cars pack into any little space, jam up the roads, unlike Venice which only has gondolas and foot traffic

As always the boys are too happy to be home. They want to play with their toys, and not go out again.

Ride into Beziers, then we drive in

We rode in.

We saw.

We rode home again on this bridge.

Day 4: is a beautiful ride into Beziers via the correct part of the canal this time. The "new" canal is smooth, level and rolls right into the quay of Beziers, with a couple of deep locks. The streets into town are well wide for cars, which park all over the footpath, and anywhere else, blocking them completely. Other footpaths are hard to get along, due to the big cement blocks in place to stop the cars from parking there, or just being too narrow.

Catapult demo was great.

From the top of the cathedral.

After being defeated attempting to ride into the centre, we go home, then drive in. We park right next to the cathedral. There is a very funny demo of medieval slingshots and catapults, then a medieval lady does a high wire routine. This part of town is old, magic and charming.

In the church palace next to the cathedral.

Dinner is a woodfire bbq with the best snags in the universe. Ollie is so excited about the fire, he throws in some drawings in to light it up. A fun and perfect end to the day.

Wood bbq, alrighty!

Carcasonne

Carcasonne, last stronghold of the Cathars.

Day 3 of the 5 day weekend. You know how it is.

Carcasonne is an hour away via 5 or 10 ghostish towns, all beautiful. It has a huge medieval fort/town/citadel with interesting angles and defensive positions everywhere. Marie says to the boys, imagine putting each stone up one by one. I wouldn't even want try to count them. This place is huge!

The outer wall.

Between the inner and outer walls.

It didn't save the Cathars from mass slaughter during a crusade. There's a torture museum regarding the good old inquisition. God bless the Catholic church uh?


Lunch is the regional specialty which as always is mystery meat, this time with beans and cheese. I think it/s delicious, but Marie not much. She asks if I can not describe lunch while we're eating.

Restored in 1853, it now draws huge crowds.

The narrow sloping down entry, makes it easy for defense, also making it hard to get out as enemy tourists keeping pouring in the breach. We go home for the afternoon. Me and Ollie ride into Beziers to get milk. On the way we discover a kids road education playgournd, and a skate park. Too much fun, but a bit edgy, graffitied to the max. Finally, at 6.30pm, Marie comes in to get Ollie, and we have a race home, the car versus me on the bike. The boys are too excited as they overtake me with about 500m to go. I pass them in the driveway, and touch the front door first. Marie said she'd slowed down a bit - bah!