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Stenay continued,
The area around the aire is quite pretty, but, the rest of the town has seen better days.
Normally, we see few if any Brits, but, here today, there are no fewer than five British vans, all taking up the prime spaces, next to the canal.
Note, I said British, not English, in deference to our Scots neighbours.
Thursday, and it is still pouring with rain!
One of our diversions under these conditions, a drink in a cafe, is ruled out, because the cafe is closed, in fact it is for sale.
As you can see, we are reduced to trying to take interesting photographs, using the limited settings on our point and click camera!.
Friday, the rain has diminished to just being heavy.
We set off for Catillon sur Sambre, an aire we have used before.
It is quite an attractive spot, but has space for only about 4 vans, so clearly space is at a premium. When we arrive, one English and two French vans are already in residence.
The weather improves, with the sun putting in an appearance.
Within 15 minutes of our arrival, who should turn up but, Mack & Josie yet again, but, we have bagged the last available space and there is already (what we believe to be) a French van hovering.
The (supposed) Frenchman and his wife, continue to hover, we consider the possibility, we are taking up more than our "share" of space. After much deliberation, I think I know how to say (in French) that perhaps, if I moved over a bit, and the French van next to me also moved over a bit, they could squeeze in.
It turns out, they are English, living in France, and speaking only marginally more French than me! Plus, they are not intending to stay, just to have their lunch and charge their laptop from the electric hookup.
Having tried to be helpful, I cannot extricate myself from what turns out to be one of the most talkative English men I have ever met, I am almost fainting from hunger since it is well past lunch time.
The English pair in a French van depart, then one of the other French vans decides to leave.
Almost immediately, another English van arrives, Phil and Noula. We set off investigate if there is somewhere serving meals in the evening. Nothing doing, so we settle for a drink in the bar
Saturday, we set off for our final stop of this trip, via couple of supermarkets in order to do final wine shopping.
Gravelines, is well populated as usual, being probably the best "overnight" spot before catching the Ferry or Tunnel.
This year, the French have started charging 6Euro, for what used to be a free stop. A bit rich, since there is nothing provided except a space on the quayside.
On the brightside, there are a selection of bars and cafes, and, according to Google, a church, with Saturday evening Mass, so Kathleen is able to attend.
Although I have never seen it in the UK, in several European Countries, it is not unusual to have beggars at the church door, so, I pass my time waiting have a discussion (in a mixture of French and English), with the resident beggar on his opinion of the state of the French economy. He tells me, he is forced to sleep rough and has not been able to find work for ten years. I must say, although he is shabily dressed, he is remarkably well groomed for a rough sleeper. He is not a fan of the enlarged EEC, presumably because (as it has in the UK), it has created competition for jobs from East Europeans.
Kathleen indulges in the "Sun Set Photographs".
You will note, I have still not worked out how to "turn them around", in the blog!
Sunday, up early, off to the tunnel, again disappointed with the lack of "smoothness", lots of waiting around. Perhaps, Sunday is not the best day to travel, since it is "maintenance day".
Charmes, continued
Mack and Josie have decided to leave, we are in the process of saying goodbye, when (yet another) pair of Scots turn up, Glen and Mary, it turns out they live about 10 miles from Mack and Josie.
We leave the four of them chatting, while we head off on our bicycles.
We cycle eight miles along the canal (Canal d’Est), which runs alongside the River Moselle.
It is easy cycling, and quite pleasant, but, to be honest not terribly scenic!
When we return, we find Mack and Josie have reconnected their van to the electricity and are sitting drinking coffee with new arrivals, Glen and Mary. We join them, lo and behold, as we sit there, yet another British pair come walking along (Deryk and Erica). They are not travelling by campervan, but, instead are roaming the waterways of France in their canal boat.
After lunch, we walk into town to have a beer and then buy strawberry tarts.
On our way back to the van, we call at Deryk and Erica’s boat (Star of Destiny).
Kathleen, never shy, asks if we can have a look around, and they, very kindly oblige.
It is very impressive, like a small house really. A real kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and the wheelhouse doubles up as a dining room come conservatory. You could be VERY comfortable onboard this!
As the day wears on, more and more vans arrive, all German, Dutch and Belgian. By early evening, there is quite a little drinking session going on, with ourselves and some Dutch neighbours, who actually ask if Kathleen will play her guitar.
The Pizza man arrives to take orders for take out Pizza, how organised is this place?
After a very pleasant and warm day, we have rain and gale force winds over night, it has not improved by Monday morning.
We make our planned move to Pont a Mousson.
It is dry when we arrive, but soon, the rain catches up with us.
Still, from what I see in the Newspaper, the weather is even worse at home, small consolation!
Pouring rain all Monday night, which lasts until after lunch Tuesday, Kathleen resorts to washing her hair, to occupy herself.
Just as I am about to slope off to McDonalds to use the wifi, Glen and Mary arrive from Pont a Mousson.
Wednesday morning, and it is still raining heavily.
We pack up and head for Stenay, via a couple of supermarkets, where we stop to top up Kathleen's hoard of Gin, Rose Wine and White Wine.
When we eventually arrive at Stenay, who is already sitting there but Mack and Josie!
Still raining!
Charmes, one of many aires on the River Moselle, and, it's associated canal.
For 6Euro per night, you get Electric hook up (6amps), toilets, showers (1.50Euro), and the usual service point.
It even has a wifi point (WIFI STOP), 3Euro for two days, or 16Euro for a year! There are, apparently, WIFI STOP points throughout France. I must have come across at least one before, since, When I come to register, it turns out, I am already registered.
It is fairly well used, but, when we were there at least, not too busy.
This is the view from our window.
As we arrive, we follow another British van ( well actually a Scot to be exact) in, this turns out to be Mack and Josie, a spritely pair in their mid 70's who still roam Europe in their campervan, and usually drive down to Portugal for the winter.
Just as I said before, that some chores just have to be done, so it is with haircuts, just because you are away from home, your hair does not stop growing.
As Kathleen begins cutting my hair in the sunshine, another Brit comes along and introduces himself, he is one of a couple (Steve and Ann), who are on a two year marathon trip, with no plan beyond today.
With six Brits on one aire, what are we to do, well, have a drink together of course, and soon the wine, red, white and rose is flowing. Then, Steve invites us all to eat with them, and tells us, he has cooked enough Spaghetti Bolognaise to feed six people.
Just to put a damper on the party, we feel a few spots of rain, so, we move under a tree, then, the heavens open, and we all scurry, into Steve and Ann's van.
I am not sure how, but, he manages to serve up a meal for six, in between drinking copious amounts of red wine!
The fun goes on fairly late into the night, and ends up with everyone, including Kathleen drinking brandy (Kathleen doesn't even like brandy!).
If this is the way Steve and Ann jouney is going to continue, I am not sure their livers will stand the pace!
Saturday morning, and Steve and Ann head off, just slighly hungover, after exchanging Email addresses.
A trip to Lidl with Mack and Josie, to replentish the wine supplies.
In the afternoon, I cycle along the canal in search of a church (the church in Charmes is closed, due to lack of a priest). I manage to find not one, but two, however, they are over five miles away, and neither of them have a mass tomorrow. It turns out, the nearest church with a mass, is ten miles away at Chatel-sur-Moselle. A ten mile cycle ride before 10:00 in the morning is too much, even for Kathleen's determination!
Stocach is an unusual Stelplatz.
There is a Campsite, and Stellplatz, both attached to a large Motorhome/Caravan dealers premises.
You have the choice, you can stay on the ASCI registered campsite and pay 16Euro/night, plus tourist tax, or, you can stay on the Stelplatz, and pay 10Euro per night, including electricity and use of the (excellent) campsite facilities, including washing machines and dryers.
The stellplatz is actually more suitable for motorhomes, since it is more level, the only downside is you have to walk a bit further to the facilities.
We have reached a stage where we MUST do some chores, no clean clothes left!, so, most of our two days here are spent in using the washing machine.
The weather is not magnificent, but we do manage a walk into the rather pretty town.
We meet an English couple, the first we have seen for sometime.
They recommend, an aire at a place called Kaiserberg.
Kaiserberg, has toilets, but no showers or electricity, it is, as you can see, a "car park" aire.
It is extremely busy, even, in late September, so you need to be there not later than early afternoon to stand any real chance of getting a place.
It is 7Euro per 24hours, with free water, and service point, the attraction is the town, just a short walk away.
It is quite amazing, a middle ages village, preserved more or less intact, but, as a functioning village.
Clearly, it is something of a tourist attraction, but, it is not full of tourist tat, which often spoils places like this.
Given that we are only a short distance from the Rhine, quite how this place escaped destruction during both wars is a mystery.
The information board at the church, which was built around 1320, gives this amusing little tale. If you look at the freeze carved above the main entrance (which depicts the crowning of the Virgin Mary, in heaven), the small figure at the far right, is the architect /master mason, Conrad, who built the church, he has included himself in the heavenly group. Clearly he feels he deserved it!
So, we spend our afternoon and evening strolling through the streets, drinking in the pavement cafe, and later, having a meal.
Friday, and the weather appears to be improving, so we are able to cycle along the cycle track by lakeside into St Gilgen.
St Gilgen turns out to be a picture postcard Austrian Village, very pretty, in fact, on our way there we almost cycle through a filmset by the lake, where they are making a scene from some TV program we will obviously never see, since it is in Austrian!
We have lunch, and sit by the lake in the sun, just enjoying the scenery, and of course, indulge in the hunt for a church, on the assumption we will be here on Sunday.
But, Saturday arrives, and it is dull and raining heavily, this place is really just like the English Lake District!
Beautiful although it is, we decide, if it is raining, we may as well be driving, we head west toward Germany, having decided we will stay at Ubersee (where we stayed on our way East.
Sunday and the sun is shinning, that is better!.
Kathleen peddles off to church, while I laze in the sun.
We meet for coffee and cake at a little cafe in the town, after church. An odd conversation ensues, I think the owner of the cafe must be Italian rather than German, but a mixture of Kathleen's German, and some pidgeon Italian, with much gesturing gets us the coffee and cake we want.
Having stuffed ourselves with cake, good intentions dictate that we must work it off, so we cycle around the countryside,
with of course a "radler stop"
If we are going to come to Germany again, I need to improve my German at least to the mediocre level of my French, at least I can do the essentials, ie order drinks in French!
The end of another great day.
Monday, we cycle to the nearby Cheimsee, my original intention was to cycle all of the way around the lake, but, in reality it turned out to be much bigger than I thought!
So, we settle for doing a small part of it, and very attractive it is too.
Tomorrow, we will be heading toward the Bordensee, but, this stelplatz is a little find, we would definately use this again.
We cycle the eight miles, into Vienna, along an excellent cycle track which runs alongside the River Danube and Danube canal.
I am rather disappointed to see, the Danube is not blue, as in the song, but, a rather green/brown colour.
It is true to form for Austria/Germany, well maintained, clean, well signposted, and plenty of "radler" (shandy) stops.
We do the usual sight seeing things, St Stephens Basilica.
Statues, of people we have never heard of, this guy was a Fieldmarshal.
Presumably, a Fieldmarshal who led from the office, since he lived to be 84. "Send another 10,000 forward!, oh, and could you pass the port".
Some nice public gardens, the best part of any city, in my humble opinion.
A rather magnificient, and beautifully maintained Parliament building, well, the politicians always take good care of themselves don't they?
Vienna is another beautiful European City, I am not really a city person, but our European neighbours definately know how to make their cities "people friendly", why can't we do this?
We have had an amazing run of good weather, it is weeks since we saw rain. But, that all comes to an end on Tuesday night, with a thunder storm.
Wednesday, I manage a 12 mile cycle ride along the Danube, out of Vienna, while Kathleen is laid up with the usual "leg problem", ie big red blotches on both legs.
By 16:00 on Wednesday, it is raining again, so the plan is to move on, tomorrow. Kathleen has spent some of her time looking at our route home, and has realised, we are still 1,000 miles (approximately), from Calais.
I suppose we should not complain about a bit of rain, since we have had day after day of glorious sunshine, but, Thursday comes, and it is raining again.
A dismal drive in pouring rain across northern Austria. Not mountainous like the south, not that it would have mattered, visibility is so poor you cannot see the scenery.
We arrive at Birkenstrand Camping am Wolfgangsee, near St Gilgen, Abersee, another ASCI site.
The site is about 1.5 miles from the village of St Gilgen, on the shore of a lake. It has the potential to be a beautiful place, if it would just stop raining!
It looks very like the Lake District, including the rain!
Actually getting out of Budapest proves not as difficult as finding our way in.
We arrive at the campsite at midday, to find the gates closed, the Reception office is closed 12:-14:00.
Once we get in, Thermal Camping, is an excellent site, German/Austrian quality facilities, excellent.
While we wait for the site to open, we go looking for a supermarket, to buy some provisions. We find a Tesco!
After lunch, I have a little explore, ie search out the Catholic Church etc, I find a church no problem, but the notices are obviously in Hungarian, and may as well therefore be in ancient Greek.
I find a "Wine and Potato Pancake Festival", a bit of a strange combination.
In the evening, we go along to the Wine Festival.
There are to usual parades with people dressed in what look like costumes from the middle ages, followed by speaches by local notables, which no one appears to pay any attention to, but, the most interesting bits were:
You "hire" a wine glass for 500HUF (350HUF = £1), then you wander around the various "exhibits" sampling the different wines.
The wine is not actually free, you have to pay about 200HUF, per glass. They obviously assume people are here for the culture, since they are giving out small (ie correct) amounts of wine, but Kathleen note that some locals are asking for their glasses to be filled up, and so joins the local winos in insisting on a full glass.
There are tables and chairs set out, where you can eat your potato pancakes if you wish, or just watch the folk music type groups on the stage.
When you have had enough, you take your wine glass back, and get back your 500HUF.
Saturday, we cycle along the excellent cycle tracks, visit the town to attempt to decipher the church notices (we find a German speaker who can converse with Kathleen), eat ice cream, then return to the van to lie in the sun.
Sunday, Kathleen goes to church in the morning, then we have a bit more explore on our bicycles.
We then discover, the Wine and Potato Pancake Festival has morphed into a sort of old fashioned fun fair, staffed by people dressed in what I assume are Gypsy costumes.
There is a chap wielding a bull whip, not too sure with what objective in mind (if any).
But, mostly the "side shows" are aimed at children.
There is one where they have a barrel on a pole, there is a large hole in the barrel, and the children have to throw balls and try to get them into the "mouth".
Another where they roll Walnuts down a hollow tube, and the children have to hit the walnut with a mallet as it emerges from the pipe.
The old favourite, walking on stilts of course.
Another, involving walnuts, they spin the wheel, and the children have to throw the walnuts into the pots attached to the wheel.
and, finally, one which seemed to interest the older girls mainly, we were not too sure exactly what was going on, lots of blushing and giggling, but we think it was a variation on "reading tea leaves", but here, they appeared to be "reading the beans!".
Monday, we are on our way, leaving Hungary, so, no point taking our remaining HUF's with us, we call at Tesco, and with some difficulty, buy food and booze until we have spent the remaining 12,000HUF (about £40).
Then, on our way to Austria and Vienna, to arrive at Doneupark Camping (Klosterneuburg). Doneau, we think, is the name they call the Danube River.
All looks good, usual high Austrian standard of site. There is a cycle track (we are told) into Vienna city centre (about 18km away). We check out where it starts, and plan to do the whole thing tomorrow.
The campsite (Camping Haller, Haller Urtca, Budapest) is fine, typical City Centre site, you only come here if you want to see Budapest, it has no other attractions as far as I can see.
Tuesday, we set off for Budapest centre, well Pest centre to be exact. As you probably know, Budapest is actually two cities, one each side of the Danube (a little bit like Newcastle and Gateshead, on the Tyne). One is called Buda, the other is Pest. We are actually on the Pest side.
As I mentioned in a previous post, EU citizens can actually travel free on public transport, but, I am one month short of 65, and being honest, I dutifully stand in the queue at the metro station to buy a day ticket. This may well have been my downfall. But, at least at this point, I know I had my wallet!
We start at Nagyvarad Ter (Ter, means Square, I think). The first problem is, there are absolutely no signs to tell you which platform for which line, and when you have found the platform, nothing to tell you in which direction the train is going.
We mill around for a few minutes, then ask someone.
We board the metro.
Nothing untoward, I have to stand, one person bumps into me, and makes elaborate apology signs (I think he must have been the one!).
We get off at Deak F. Ter, and head for a cash machine, no wallet!
Momentary disbelief, it was in a "closed" pocket, and the pocket is still "closed", but, there is no wallet.
We hop back on the Metro, and head back to the last place I had it, thinking maybe I dropped it, etc, but, we know really, it has been stolen. Money, Cards, Driving Licence, gone.
I would like to pretend I am an organised individual with a list of card numbers, and a list of phone numbers to ring in these circumstances, but, I am not.
So, while I busy myself on the computer, finding card numbers and numbers to ring, then stopping the cards. Kathleen attempts to enlist the aid of the chap who runs the campsite. He is sympathetic, but to be honest his interest wanes as soon as he knows we have other cards and will be able to pay him.
Any doubts about lost/stolen are put to rest, by the time I ring the first card company (Santander), their computer system has already detected attempts to use the card to draw cash, fortunately, the transaction has been blocked because they do not know my PIN.
We console ourselves with the knowledge, thing could have been worse, our passports were not taken, and we have other cards we can use, but the day is more or less wasted.
We rescue some of it by finding a supermarket and getting provisions, then I take a cycle ride to explore (me) It is only 0.5 miles to the Danube, then another 0.5 miles to the centre.
The traffic is not too scary for a cyclist, there are some cycle tracks and no one seems to object to you riding on the footpath and using the zebra crossings to cross the road.
Wednesday, we decide, given my licence has gone, and the French Bank where I have a Euro account want me to report it to the Police "if possible", perhaps we should visit the Police Station and report it. Their tourist blurb says the will provide an interpreter. So, off we go. An amusing little incident when we enter through a door clearly marked "Police" to find ourselves in an office. A bemused young lady takes us to the correct door. Excluding the bit of amusement, what a waste of time that was, we waited for half an hour, no sign of any action, so we gave up.
After yesterdays experience, we decide to take the tram, rather than the Metro, this is painless, the only problem being a total lack of signs to tell you direction, stop name etc.
We buy tickets for the "Hop on Hop off tour bus" to sight see (boring in my view, but each to their own). Naturally, you do not dictate where the bus goes, it just follows its set route, yes, you can "hop off", but then you have to wait for the next bus.
You could do as well on the tram and enjoy it more in my humble opinion.
Leaving aside my grumbles, Budapest is interesting.
It is plain it has been neglected during the communist era, but, they are working on fixing that, and the basics are grand indeed.
This building has once been covered in murals, but now the are faded and hardly visible, it will be stunning if/when it is restored to its former glory.
There are some spectacular bits of masonary missing, I would not like to have been underneath when this bit came away!
Can you imagine the health and safety at home, they would have the whole street closed off!
We cross to the Buda side of the river, and travel to the top of two very high hills, one is called "The Citadel", the other has the Castle and St Mathius church (unfortunately being renovated inside, so it is not possible to visit it).
The views are spectacular.
Kathleen cannot resist doing the tourist thing of standing next to the Guardsman, as if he does not have enough to put up with, standing there in the heat for goodness knows how long.
The public transport system is reputed to be one of the best in Europe, and our experience supports that (theft excluded of course), Metros, Trams and Trolley buses seem to run every few minutes.
We round the day off with a pleasant meal and drinks in cafe by Danube, as the photograph suggests, perhaps a few too many drinks.
Then it is time for our cruise Danube River Cruise (all included in out hop on hop off bus ticket).
We are one of the last to arrive for the "cruise", we are asked if we would like either three beers or two cocktails.
I assumed this was each, not between us.
Knowing Kathleen's less than adventurous habits, I ask if we can have cocktails and beers, on the basis I would swap with her, if she did not like hers.
Seemed perfectly reasonable to me.
A couple, who were in the queue, thought this was hilarious. Once they had stopped laughing, they introduced themselves as Leonard (a German) and Emily (a Swiss). Leonard tells me, he studied medicine (he did not actually say he was a Doctor), while Emily is "Therapist", doing Acupuncture etc. It turns out, they are bit strange, into alternative therapies, reincarnation and all of that, but we have a great time, drinks, chat, and laughs.
The boat trip, was spent talking, laughing and drinking.
Kathleen gets a free consulation on the red blotches on her leg, drink less coffee, take more vitamin C, try acupuncture (or was that for her shoulder).
We missed almost all of the sights, but so what.
We get back to the site on the tram without misshap, except we are forced to detour into a small bar for the Pensioners Toilet Trip. There a few locals drinking some very dark coloured spirit, I ask them what it is "jagermeister" is the answer, but Kathleen is not up for trying it, or allowing me to.
We find even more Brits have arrived at the site, not good enough, they get everywhere!
Then, we chill somemore.
Thursday, we return to Budapest centre, even more adventurous this time, we use two trams, and have to change at the appropriate place.
We visit St Stephen's Basilica, very impressive, and the Synagogue, equally impressive.
To be honest, I prefer the street scenes, like this quadrangle tucked in the centre of a large apartment building.
We move on visit the famous Central Market, which had been recomended to me by an English woman we met in France. Very interesting, but crowded.
The only thing we have not visited, which was "on my list", is the city park, with its outdoor thermal bathing pools, but Kathleen's legs are not up to walking around a large park.
