2022, September 23rd.-- ummmm now October 15Th

Well its been a busy time so now tring to get out past news and to try and remember stuff.

After arriving back to the boat from Italy,( Mid July) we had just about 2 weeks to have a bit more of a holiday and then pack the boat up, winter tent on and back to Calais.

Usual stopping places on our way back to Beziers-- bit like home...., empty marinas at  Frontignan, back through the E'Tang towards Agde and onto Beziers.

Nights starting to draw in and lights on, but not before we have had a little pre-dinner snack.

Quiet quiet waterways..

Nice weather crossing the E'tang du Thau 

Overnight moor-up on the Herault river next to Jim and Johan on Les Veux Papillons who we met in Aigues Mortes a few years ago and the boat Linda- with Linda. 

Up toVilleneuve-les-Beziers to rest overnight before the last leg to Beziers. Here we have to drop all canvas and glass to get through the next few locks and under bridges.

next door boat --its a hard life-entertaining!!!

Last lunch of the season with old friends Alan and Shelia and then ...

Boat tent on, all packing done,  car loaded and we are off  driving back up to Calias. 

We realised we got this tent business down to a fine art- started at 7.30 and had finished by 1130--- ONLY glich that we didn't notice someone had ridden off on Max's bike--NOT A HAPPY CHAPPY!!,

Sad to be leaving Kiwi Rose so early in the season,( begining of August)

but excited to go to Canada for Emma and Jesse's Wedding. 

On tri0p back we stayed in a special place that we thought was appropiate .

Over the amazing suspension Milau Bridge and up to Reims to catch up with 

Aileen and Grahame Berry. 

💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝

So onto Canada-- amazing 2.5 weeks.

Max's fun hire car

Wedding - so lovely and relaxed, and so Emma and Jesse,

Father of the bride giving speech with the gift of the Scottish Quaich.

Its been such a great year for our whole family.💞💞

and onto 2023.....

 2022, July 20th.

Well, we had an amazing 2 weeks in Italy, driving from Frontignan by car to Puglia, Southern Italy, to spend a week with Benji and Claire to celebreate their engagement..

So many pictures- far too many for the blog.And just when we want to post better pictures, the laptop is not downloading properly. 

Decided not to risk flying to Brindisi via UK with all the airport problems - so we drove to Puglia.....1700 kms, (1000miles.).  The first day was a long leg of 1000kms through to Raveena on the East Coast of Italy. 

Raveena is a beautiful old Italian town containing the most incredible mossiacs.  It is a showcase of art, history and culture of rare beauty.  Eight Early Christain and Byzantine buildings compose the UNESCO site. Unfortuately all our amazing videos of the inside of these buildings have failed to down load on our laptop ( I feel a new one coming !!) but may try to send a few via email.

The Basilica of San Vitale.

Inside Bassilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.

Inside Cappella Di S.Andrea.

Of courses a well deserved Pizza and beer for 10euros and the onto another bar for a wine.

For chocolate lovers- our hotel had bowls of these everywhere - a bit soft in the summer heat I admit!!

Next stop was Trani, about 6 hrs down the coast where we picked up Emma & Jesse who had

flown in from Toronto via Rome, as a surprise for Claire's party..  

We had the most amazing-- long awaited -- thunderstorms that required us to buy unbrellas.

A coastal small town, with lovely old windy streets- again most places not suitable for cars.

 

The Harbour.

Amazing how different the sea is each side of the breakwater. Saturday fish stalls.

Our booking.com room- fantastic but was up 2 flights of stairs.

💥💥

And then onto Puglia,( 3hrs) to Benjis house where we stayed for a week. Sunday saw the official engagement cerermony with Benji's family, ours and a few close friends. We do not know much about the jewish faith- but are learning fast. The whole family have been absoltuely lovely and welcoming.

Party night.

Here we decided this beach was a bit crowded for us so stayed cool up in a bar on the cliff.

 

During the week we had various day trips out and about.

After a hectic week we set off again to drive back to the boat, leaving the weekend celebrations continuing as the young ones ( under 40) had 2 more days of festivities planned..

Next real stop was Lucca,  a well preserved historic city in Tuscany. The temperature in Europe hasn't abated at all and its been well over 30 degrees for us for weeks. So all overnight stops had air-con👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

This proves we climbed The Torre Guingi , 233 steps!!   (Tree Tower)

Everyone can make a little outside space if they try!

The Piazza San Michelle and The Vicolo Chiostro della Cathedrale.

And dinner out.

Breakfast out in the cool at 8am, (still 28 degrees)and off back to the boat.

                                                                         👍💓💓💓

Trivia.===  so it was a long drive back. 

 And from Lucca to Monaco it was only 340kms.. !!.  And instead of counting cars, or playing I Spy- we counted numbers and lengths of all the tunnels and viaducts.

So, during the 340kms,  we drove through  161 tunnels --- total of 64,540kms, of which 26 were more than 1km long.

We passed over 191 viaducts, total of  50,422kms.. After that we got fed up and stopped, but the coastal highway is incredible..

😞😞😞😞

So only 2 weeks left of our french/italian sourjoine, and we still have friends to catch up with before we leave.  so now we have to head back to Beziers to put Kiwi Rose early to bed for the winter.