In Germanz

Still not online much so this is just a quick hello as zou can see, on a german kezboard!

We are stazing in Heidelberg which is lovelz.

Adam and I will be stazing in Baden´Baden next week.

We are off to, well I can remember, todaz.

Autobahn´- just let me clarifz. The ONLZ difference between our road and speed limits and those in Europe is driver training. Australian drivers are basicallz taught how to point the car in the right direction and to get there. In order to get a driveräs licence in Germanz zou have to drive at 200km per hour (which I have now done LOL). The roads here are mostlz crap - ours are much better.

Anzwaz, off the soapbox - driver training is one of mz soap box topics.

Love and hugs to zou all.

Chel

Mount Pilatus, Swityerland

Hi
Donät have the abiltz to upload photos so I will just make a quick hello. I am tzping on a german kezboard so zou will have to translate as some of the kezs are in different places+
I am standing in the lobbz of our hotel which is on the top of Mt Pilatus at 2132m above sea level. It is yero degrees so this will be short.
Jacob would LOVE the train up here, it is the worldäs steepest cog railwaz.
Fletcher would LOVE the mountain as we have been told to look out for dragons.
I wonder if Mirade would like to plaz in the snow.
Hope zou can translate the letters and punctuation ^good luck.
love and hugs,
chel

Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand was just a stop over for us on our way from the Loire Valley to the French Riviera. The hotel we stayed in reminded me very strongly of a university dorm room but it was very clean. We had some time in the afternoon of our arrival to explore the city (we actually were looking for a shop to buy pillows – which we came home without!).

Despite my great love of spiral stairs (not) we did climb the tower for a bird’s eye view of the city and church.


In the centre of town we ‘found’ the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Clermont. The first basilica was built on this site in about 450, the second in 946. The one you see below was started in 1248 and the two northern towers with spires were finished in 1884.

Out of contact

Sorry there have been no posts. We are staying at a beautiful place in Ligure, Italy, about 10 km inland from Sestri Levante. We are about 500m above sea level and the disadvantage of somewhere so rural and beautiful is limited ommunications. We are off to Switzerland tomorrow and whilst I am not sure we iwill have internet tomorrow night I believe we do the following so watch out for lots and lots of pictures and postings.
Hope you are all well - I love receiving yur news.
Love and hgs,
Chel
PS Sorry about the typing completely crap and dirty keyboard - going to wash my hands now LOL

Sete on the French Riviera

Sete is one end of the Canal Du Midi, built in the 17th century as a route to the Mediterranean Sea which avoided the need to around Spain. More information can be found here http://www.midicanal.fr . Look around on this site, there is lots of information to be found.

Sete is about a 30 minute drive from Marseillan Plage where we stayed on the French Riviera. Not much to see here and if time is an issue – definitely a place you can miss. However, we had an enjoyable hour or two here and came back for a harbour cruise. I am sure the 30 minutes spent touring the docks would have been very interesting had we been able to understand the French commentary LOL.



We were there in time for the canal jousting! Yes, there are rowers, a jousting stick and 2 boats aiming for each other! It was very colourful and fun to watch.

Chateau of the Loire - Chenoneau

This is probably my favourite of the five chateau of the Loire we visited. This well planned, easy to find your way around and in a beautiful location. The history of the Chateau is associated with strong women such as Catherine De Medicis.

The Kitchen

The painting is of Catherine Di Medici