Blighty, Bath and By Yon Bonny Banks

It is difficult to put into words just what the past 6 weeks have meant to me. The experiences I have been through have taught me a great deal about myself as well as the folk and the countries I have been lucky to have visited.
David flew into Pisa late on 12th August and I had trained down from Aulla to meet him and guide him back to Northern Tuscany. We had a wee trundle around the city before heading north again back to Karen's hospitality. On the route one passes Carrara which is the home of the marble used so extensively by Michelangelo, in Florence and indeed all over the world. To see the scars on these mountains where the quarries are is a reminder of how much damage we can do all in the selfish interests of our consumerism. I will certainly think twice before ever considering a marble benchtop!

We had a great time together at Settimo Cielo, David helping to clear the parking area together with Ari and Emily. More Prosecco consumed in the lovely surroundings and a fab Pizza evening created by Ari (actually not sure of the spelling, sorry). We all tried to guess whether the lovely wee jack russell, Ruby, actually was in pup to a cute stray who happened along at the wrong (right) time! Turns out she was and has had a litter of dear wee pups since I left! Oops. Had a fabulous time in Northern Tuscany and we are trying to work out how we can get a group together to return to explore the haunts Karen has discovered. Many delights on offer including trawling the antique shops for fabrics, taking a photography course with Karen who has been a professional photographer in a past life in the UK, being close to the Cinque Terre and having the advantage of Italian speaking hosts but with a complete understanding of the needs of New Zealand and British travellers.... If anyone is keen, just be in touch!!

David and I returned to the UK via Milan courtesy of Trenitalia and EasyJet and had a hassle-free departure from the relaxing lifestyle in the Med. Sad but hassle-free! Landed at Gatwick so that it was an easy journey south to catch up with friends near Lewes. Good mate from NZ, Dale, was looking after her granddaughter for a few weeks and our paths crossed in Lewes for just 24 hours! We were able to catch up with her and our hosts, the Bradleys (some of you will know Brad, ex Havelock North boy who knows more about what is happening in our town than we do!) for a drink or three and a pub lunch the following day. We actually had time to explore a little of the lovely town of Lewes and meet some of their friends at Breaky Bottom Winery where a very special champenoise style of bubbles is created along with Cassis.  Very nice, and up on the hill is Kiri Te Kanawa's South England retreat!

The sweet Maisie

We made our way north to stay with my cousin in London and took in the Jersey Boys show while there. Sue made us very welcome and we enjoyed a delicious dinner with cousin Murray and joined Sue in her dismay at a family health drama unfolding in the States with their son-in-law before we headed to Bath for the last few days of David's employment with Bath CC. It was very nice to meet up with old friends in Bath again and enjoy more of that beautiful city which feels very like home to us. Flying back to Edinburgh towards the end of August, we were able to spend time with Sarah, Simon and Maisie before we hired a car and headed down to Sheffield via Selkirk and morning tea with Jim and Mary. Always great to spend time with these two local heros and Souters through and through! "It's aye been" is a favourite saying of theirs describing why things don't need to change! We were on our way to the wedding of James Kingwell, son of David's long-suffering hosts over the summer in Bath. He married in the Peak district and we were treated to a great weekend enjoying the local hospitality and a sumptuous wedding breakfast, marquee and all! I had booked a night in a country house hotel in Yorkshire on the way back with dinner and breakfast thrown into the deal. Rowley Manor Hotel was trying very hard to get up there with the best but it had to try a little harder, poor thing. The food was absolutely superb but, oh dear, I wandered around the garden with a glass of wine, just dreaming of how it could be!! The pond had plastic bits and pieces floating in the mucky dregs and blackberry had taken over what was probably the "long herbacious border" at some time in its glorious past. What they needed was a Helpxer for a week or two!!

Saying goodbye to Sarah, Simon and wee Maisie was made easier with the knowledge that they had booked flights to New Zealand for Christmas this year!!  So looking forward to seeing them all again and having another squeeze of that wee sweetie. We are constantly asked if we will be going back to the UK again next year and while we say "Never say Never" we feel ready to enjoy more of what New Zealand has to offer and plan to hunker down next winter and enjoy our cosy home, (maybe!).

Al Settimo Cielo

Seventh Heaven (Al Settimo Cielo) is the name of the house here up a narrow and rutted lane in the woodland.  It is the culmination of a dream for Karen, Jim and Karen's two daughters. 26 year old Emily lives here too in the apartment under the main house, with Zeus her Italian breed, sheep-herding dog. She speaks fluent Italian and also understands the local dialect so is able to act as interpreter and teacher of both English and Italian.Wouldn't it be great to run a week of Italian language, photography and/or heirloom sewing classes with an Interpreter to guide, scouring the antique shops for fabulous fabrics etc?!  Karen and Emily have such talent and the house lends itself perfectly as a venue. My mind is running away!

Today (Saturday) has not been one of the best. Weatherwise, perfect after a night of rain on Thursday to soak the parched earth, but the rooster has gone missing! He was strutting around with his girls this morning and then just wasn't there when Em went to put them away in their house tonight! Maybe a fox? a wolf? or a viper? who knows, just isn't there anymore. Then to cap off a bad day, Zeus got the cheese straws Em had just baked!  They were on one of Karen's beautiful blue China cake stands and that is now in tiny pieces! He is in disgrace having already done similarly with a piece of the Cornish Blue ware earlier in the week. Karen has been in England since last Saturday as her mother has been very ill and is still in hospital. We are looking forward to having Karen back tonight, but in the meantime I have been sewing up a storm, using her beautiful fine linen to create some slip dresses for her to layer with shirts and skirts. What a project- now I really am in Seventh Heaven! I have always said if I could spend my time between gardening and sewing, I would be very happy. And here I am.

Happy too because David is coming over on Monday for 3 days! We will travel by train together from Pisa to here and then again to Milan to fly back to Blighty together on Thursday for the last of my planned break. Seemed just too  good an opportunity to miss and as he is now so practised with a Weedeater...! There are plenty of jobs to do here, the vege garden was my first project and apart from the chickens scratching up most of the potatoes and eating every ripe tomato, it is looking very nice! Note to self, large plots of land need large amounts of work to keep neat! Have tamed 2 wisteria and now they look as though they will romp up the pergola as intended. The first one I attacked a week ago and already it has sprouted some new spurs with flower buds on! Stand back!

On Tuesday I was able to train down to the Cinque Terre and join David's cousin Grant Fickling and his wife, Robyn to walk part of this area between 2 of the villages. I met them as they came off this first stage between Monterosso and Vernazza (2 hours) at 11 am and it was already extremely hot! Mad Dogs  and all that, we started out on the next 2 hour walk at around 1pm. Searing heat and climb, climb, climb. Almost the anniversary of conquering the Ben last year and it took me right back! The trouble with hiking is that unless one goes slowly and remembers to stop and look around, all one sees is the ground in front!  The towns are quaint and the colours of the houses in the 5 towns are stunning. There were thousands of visitors at this time of year as all clever Mediterranean dwellers take their holidays July or August - too hot to work!  Sadly, in my view, the much lauded beach at Monterosso was covered with sun loungers and umbrellas for hire, much like the French Riviera without the sand! Bikinis and bulges en masse. Give me Waimarama any day. The track between the remaining 2 towns was closed for maintenance (looked like slips) so on Wednesday we took the boat and visited them. I have now completed that song, Trains and Boats and Planes that Fickles used to play on his guitar. So good to catch up with them.

For the 2 nights I had booked a hotel in La Spezia, to the south of the last of the 5 towns so I was able to join the local promenade of families enjoying the cooler evenings. It is really nice to see families out together in the evenings with babies and grannies enjoying each others company and not too bothered about sleep times. The children take a nap during the afternoon as is the norm with adults too as most of the shops shut for siesta. Wise people. The market was fair buzzing in the morning as the women were out gathering supplies to cook for the rest of the day.

As I near the end of the Med adventure, I am reflecting. It has been a time I am so fortunate to have spent experiencing so many items on the list!

Thank you, David for accommodating my wishes.

Slipping into Switzerland

I mentioned earlier about Covoiturage being a shared ride service in France and the proposed ride was confirmed from Mulhouse (Moolose if you are French) to Riomaggiore, one of the Cinque Terre towns. On Monday 29th Manon took Le Kevin and me the hour's drive to Mulhouse in intermittent rain, down through the clouds from the mountains. We left behind the "weathervane house" across the valley, never having witnessed the little man or lady (or even a cuckoo) popping out.
Having met  up with Julian, the driver, and his girlfriend, Ying, we were on our way via Basel to collect another passenger. What an interesting drive south down through Switzerland and into Italy. Borders are virtually non existant nowadays in the EU, we only stopped at Swiss Border Patrol for Julian to purchase a sticker that paid for all the tolls on the motorways in Switzerland for an entire year. France is revenue collecting every time one leaves the motorway with toll booths everywhere. Something to remember when planning to drive long distances in France in particular. I think it cost Manon around €80 for our long trip, in tolls alone. However, we had a great trip via many tunnels (one is 17k long!) and some spectacular scenery, mostly viewed through heavy rain until we came down towards Milan. The clouds were black and threatening on both sides and behind us when coming down the valley but before us was clear blue sky. Summer had returned to welcome us to Italy.

Julian and Ying realised that we were very close to my destination of Aulla, just off the highway, and very kindly offered to drop me there at the Stazione where Karen, my next host was to meet me.  This saved me a train fare and I could not have asked for a more competent and courteous driver. Big fan of car sharing!  Great system.  I was able to phone Karen from the call box and she collected me very soon after. The nice young man at the station shop actually gave me 50 Euro cents for the phone! How kind people are! Of course I then felt obliged to buy something from him so I now have an Italian Sudoku book, fortunately numbers are numbers so no language problems there.

Karen drove me to their beautiful new house in the woodland high in the mountains behind the Cinque Terre, to give a reference for those lucky enough to have visited northern Tuscany. They are amazed that so many New Zealanders know about the 5 towns and have visited. Karen is a very talented photographer and she has also collected vintage laces and fabrics to enhance their home. A lovely example is the fine linen embroidered sheets being used as a curtain in my room and elsewhere in the house. I also have my own shower room attached to the bedroom - what a luxury! Lucky me. We have so many common interests we have difficulty actually stopping the chat to get work done! They have even been owned by a Scottie dog!
I shall enjoy the cool breeze lifting the curtain this evening as I forget the 35 degrees we had today to accompany my efforts in harvesting the lavender and shaping the bushes that surround the house. The chickens are safely away, the dogs in their baskets, and the cats outside. All peaceful apart from the band playing in a lower village for some fiesta.
Ciao!

Oh Mon Dieu!

Well that sounds more French than OMG doesnt it? We are now in Liebvillers having completed the cross country trek from La Verrie. The plumber didnt come as promised, the truck was almost bottoming out and we had to leave plenty behind for Manon and Eric to collect on their next visit.But we are here and today is now Saturday!

Let me recoup the last few days! We had Tuesday off! As a special treat, we met up with some cousins and went to a theme park. Not your usual, mes amis, Oh no! This has been given the World's Best title and there is not a Mickey Mouse to be seen. The place is called Puy du Fou and the website www.puydufou.com gives some idea. I dont know how many times I found myself using "Wow!" but it is cerainly spectacular! All historical tableaus even a Colloseum replica which "entertained" with Christians v Romans, chariot races (4 chariots each with 4 horses!) racing around the arena and a poor Christian martyr girl tied to a stake while EIGHT freaking huge lions roamed around her! Everything is done wirh such professionalism and incredible mechanisation of the enormous props (including a full sized Chateau). Enough, I know, but how lucky was I to be treated. We shot home (half an hour to La Verrie) for dinner of delicious crepes and back to the Parc for the equally spectacular night show ON and IN the lake! Fire and fountains, ballet and wonderful classical music. So special, thank you Manon and Eric for such a wonderful and generous treat!

Wednesday was back to old clothes and cleaning cloths as the huge truck was loaded and the trailer also readied for the journey east. We all arrived here in the most beautiful Heidi country by evening on Thursday, met by Manons father (Papi Michel) to drive the last few kilometres. I have been communicating haltingly with my petit peu French but surprisingly I can make myself understood! Today Papi Michel shouted us all to the big bbq in the village community hall (a beautifully restored and renovated barn) with the main event being a sanglier shot by a local hunter. These wild boars do dreadful damage to agricultural enterprises and this one weighed 40 kilos. I had a discussion with the hunter (all in French with much gesticulating!) about how pig hunters get their beast in NZ. They dont use dogs here, they just shoot the pig. So many in the forests apparently and quite delicious too!

Time to explain about the French approach to meals! Today we started with an aperatif (bubbles with Cassis if preferred) and olives and crisps, When we were called "a table" we were served salads eg cucumber, beetroot, carrot, tabouleh, then when we had been plied with plenty of that and wines to accompany, the bbq'd wild pork came out, and kept coming and coming. More salads were added, and pasta and the ever present bread to wipe plates clean between courses. We spent heaps of time imbibing and chatting at the long table and then the green salad appeared with the cheese course! Beautiful rounds of Camembert (cost around $6 only) . More wine (you will be pleased to know, David, that I alternated with Perrier water) and onto what I thought was dessert but it was the melon preceding the gateaux for dessert  proper and coffee to follow and if one had room, beer to top it all off that had been home brewed. We started at 12 and finished at 5.The format of the courses is pretty typical of the meal at home, just not quite as lengthy.
Anyone game to help me host a French lunch back home?And while I think about it, following on from the last posting, French Fries arent even a French invention!

I am lying down now to recover.

Ooh La La

Manon kindly updated the look of the blog for me and you will see that it is now more aptly named BlaBlaBlack. It takes me all my time to get the words down without the fancy stuff but we now have photos added to the old posts too so check that out!
Yesterday a cupboard was opened that I didn't know existed and lo and behold another collection! Le Creuset cookware in all shapes and sizes. Yes, it is used, mostly in winter for slow cooking and yes it is expensive here in France too but wily Eric seeks out garage sales, clever man, and nabs the bargains!
We are eating this elephant efficiently and I am astonished at the networks available to hook into here. There is a thriving System d'Echange Locale which is a Green Dollars scheme and folk have been coming to pack over the past couple of days. It looks also as though I am going to get a ride from Liebvillers to near my next assignment on Monday week via Covoiturage which is a shared ride system. Drivers get ratings from passengers who have travelled with them so is quite transparent and reassuring. I have looked it up and we also do it in NZ! Well, who knew that?! For €44 I get to ride 700km in a red Alpha Romeo with a young man and his girlfriend. They can drop me in Rio Maggiori which is part of the Cinque Terra where I was keen to visit.
For those who know them, David's 42nd cousin, Grant Fickling and Robyn, his wife, are to be in the area of Northern Tuscany at the same time as I am, so I am working on an Italian Family catchup. Smacks a bit of the Sopranos? No violin cases to be seen though.
I get ahead of myself however! Today I frenchplaited Coline's hair and that took me back a bit! It has dawned on me how many "French" references we use. Not just the plaits, but French bread, (which my hosts found very funny as it is just bread here!), French toast, French Provincial furniture (which is ridiculous really as it is just any old furniture which is worn and/or rusty), French blue, and of course the letters? What the.....?!
I also picked the raspberries, gooseberries and mulberries today and made a kind of "fool" for dessert tonight. We are trying to eat the supplies so there is less to pack and transport so it is making for interesting meals. I think Jamie Oliver would be impressed with our inventiveness. Having been given many oversized zucchini we have tried zucchini gazpacho, Ratatouile and tonight the not so popular stuffed alternative,
Enough, enough! Tomorrow the plumber comes early and Eric will want to get on with the last bits of building. Best we all get some sleep!
Bon nuit.

Tres difficile!

Well yesterday has to be one of the most difficult days I have had for a while!

I was taken to the bus stop in plenty of time but the bus from Maureillas to Perpignan was late as everyone is on the road enjoying holidays! I had half an hour up my sleeve to collect my train ticket in Perpignan, however..., (and I should have known there would have been one of those), there were building works at the station so not easy to follow the directions. Very nice young man spoke a little English and was catching the same train so he helped me and we made it with 5 minutes to spare. I had a connection to make en route to Marseille so it was onto the platform and my standard line "Does anyone have any English?" is trotted out. Much easier than trying to figure out the French when in a hurry! So far, with much arm waving and thrusting tickets under people's noses, I have had success and so it was that I arrived safely in Marseille! I had spent some of the journey reading my ebook "Driving over Lemons" (which is about the Alpujarra valley where I had just been in Spain), so the Frog had died and I couldnt remember the name of the hotel I was staying at overnight. Hey, Voila! there was a nifty pedalling arrangement for recharging cell phones etc at the train station. Picture this: a now 63 year old woman with a back pack on, sitting on a bicycle, pedalling furiously while trying to read her Samsung screen which faded when the pedalling slowed. Got a few strange looks but maybe that was more about the red face, yellow and orange hat, pink shirt and grey shorts?

At last I was on the airport shuttle bus which dropped me at Marseille airport just in time to connect with the hotel shuttle! It was one of  those days when the stars thankfully aligned again and I collapsed exhausted into crisp sheets for a great sleep. I have just read my notebook and I have written "This is NOT fun!"  Following morning I was at the Ryanair counter way too early to drop my bag but it felt good to have time on my side for a change!  The view from my window seat on the flight to Nantes was spectacular and I now realise why Marseille roof tiles are so named. Duuh. they are all over the roofs in Marseille! I could even see the Millau bridge, which is an architectural marvel and looked huge even from on high. It cuts the journey  from Paris to the Cote d'azure short, which is a boon for the Parisiens but a thorn in the side of others who live in the "empty centre" of France and feel neglected while all major roads lead out of Paris! I feel as though I have seen a lot of France already and much more to come as we prepare to travel 800 kilometres across the country next Wednesday.

Drama at the airport at Nantes when we landed as we were asked to remain seated while the gendarmes came to "assist" an unhappy passenger. 4 policemen and 3 pompelliers (firemen) later and a good half hour on the tarmac before we disembarked, to find my next Helpx host, Manon and her 2 small children there to greet me. The 50 minute drive down to their town was very pretty and we were greeted by Eric who was plastering the recently renovated kitchen in the house. The bathroom upstairs has just been added and is not yet completed, there is painting to be finished, the close on 300 board games (I kid you not!) need to be packed and there are about a million books of every conceivable genre. In complete sets too! We will eat this elephant one bite at a time and Wednesday will see us on the road to Liebvillers with a loaded truck and trailer.

 A bientot mes Amis

More letters from France

What a pretty town! I have arrived at a very good time here as today is Quatorze Juillet which for those who did not take French at school is the day the Bastille in Paris was stormed and Freedom, Equality and Fraternity was won. Alons enfants de la .....etc ! If you have seen Les  Miserables you will understand (apart from Russell Crowe cant sing!)
However the tricolor is out today and bunting in the square, dancing the Sardane outside the Mayors office topped off with fireworks tonight.

Muriel, my host is a gentle and very kind lady and she has taken me to the market in a nearby town yesterday to do her weekly shopping. We opted not to stay for the Corrida (running of the bulls), way too cruel and of course there is always the possibility that the bulls may run raster than moi? Muriel made me Pain Perdue yesterday which translates as "lost bread" because it uses up the stale bits. We call it French Toast!

 The area is near the French Pyrenees, called North Catalan, and is obviously popular with campers! Campgrounds everywhere and families relaxing together as it is school holidays here. The place is very busy and the fireworks were phenomenal. Brought back memories of the fabulous night in Hanover with H and Cob.

Getting to sleep here is interesting as the windows and shutters are open to keep cool, but the frogs make a hell of a racket all night. I guess they have to entertain themselves somehow as they possibly dont have legs here?

Tomorrow off to Marseille by bus and train ready to fly to Nantes for my next assignment helping a family shift from west to east across France to near the Swiss border. Just need a boat ride to complete the old folk song. Now I wonder if I can wangle a ferry trip somewhere?