Kyoto, Japan

At Fushimi Inari Taishi

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for many years before Tokyo, and is now considered its cultural capital. But this is not just a quaint historic relic of a town - it's a very busy city especially at rush hour when we arrived. Our hotel room was tight but included a washing machine, kitchen, and many great features in the bathroom. More on that later.

For our first dinner in Kyoto we found a restaurant near the hotel with the grill in the table and we sampled the condiments and spices and cooked our food right in front of us. We had a busy night posting the blog, catching up on some responsibilities and researching Kyoto.  

After breakfast the next morning and catching up with family, we headed for Kiyomizu-dera which is a very famous temple. Many people dress in traditional Japanese outfits to visit the temple. On the walk there we passed many smaller shrines and shops. The streets became more crowded with people as we approached the site. People pray, purchase items, and perform various rituals as well. Inside the main temple there is a solemn, pious atmosphere and no photography is allowed but click the following link for more information and photos: Kiyomizudera

In the smaller shrines and shops you could buy items for just about anything including passing examinations, finding love, conception, easy delivery, good health, long life, etc. We didn’t understand most of the religious significance, but there was nearly a festival atmosphere about it all. Dermot and I enjoyed people-watching nearly as much as the temple. At the end of the visit, I started trying to photograph couples who were both dressed traditionally.

The next day we toured the very historic Nijo-jo Castle, once again, photography was not allowed inside the castle but the painted screens were beautiful. A search of “Nijo Castle Screens” on the internet will give you a taste of the opulence. Our photos are of the exterior and the gardens which were also lovely.  The audioguide helped explain the history and significance of the architecture and art.  Here's more info: Nijo-jo

As we walked back to our hotel we toured a water garden shrine, a street market and then you’ll see just general things we thought were interesting along the way. The streets of Kyoto are a mash-up of old and new.  Older style houses of two stories are sandwiched between much taller modern buildings with no rhyme or reason. Many of the entryways are unique. 

The following day we visited Kinkaku-ji the iconic Zen Buddhist temple covered in gold. Its popularity makes it a bit less zen and a little more tourist hot-spot but you can’t blame the tourists - it is a wonderful sight to behold. We walked around the garden taking shots from various angles then browsed the goods on sale before heading to a late lunch. More information here: Kinkaku-ji

We’ve enjoyed stopping at whatever restaurant happens to be nearby when we’re hungry and haven’t been disappointed yet. The place we stopped for lunch had no English menu so we took a leap of faith and enjoyed the outcome. 

A Chinese man at the next table highly recommended we stop at Toji before we left and we decided to make it the evening stop. The gardens and shrine were all lit and it was beautiful.

All of Japan is anticipating the Sakura (cherry) blossoms. Plum trees blossom in February and as they fade, the cherry trees bloom. Photography of the temple statues or anything under the roof was not allowed. It was a place of prayer for followers. Here's more info and pictures: Toji Temple

We left and had dinner of fish and chips at an Irish pub to see what it would be like.  Dermot still wouldn't chance trying a Guinness though!

One night’s dinner stands out though in our memories - the place right across from our hotel had counter seating for 10 with a cooking surface in front of each person and two tables. We got seats right in front of the cook and got to watch her prepare every meal.  Though some of the raw foods were mysterious, our seafood teppanyaki was delicious. It was dinner and a show.

Click here for our photos

We've used Google maps to get around and that's worked pretty well once we got used to it here. Of course, it will take you down back alleys if that's the quickest way and we noticed that no matter how dark  or deserted it looks, we still feel safe here.  Japan has the reputation for being a very safe place to travel.

Our last day in Kyoto we took the bus to the train station and put our bag in storage, picked up the tickets we had reserved on-line then got a quick breakfast. The train station is huge and crowded but we were able to get directions in English.  The train dropped us right in front of Fushimi Inara Taishi. The weather here has been warmer and more pleasant to walk. This is a favorite temple of many and there are many shrines all along the way. This one has thousands of shrines all erected by businesses hoping for success.  Click here for more information:  Fushimi Inari Shrine

We had read that it's difficult to get a picture without other tourists until you get higher up but the higher you go, the more they warn you about the wild boars and monkeys!
 We went all the way to the top of Mount Inari and were rewarded with sweeping views of Kyoto and quite a workout.  My step counter reported we climbed 52 floors!

The train whisked us back to Kyoto train station where we had lunch and did some shopping. We noticed one kiosk had a perpetual line of people buying boxes of something that looked like a cookie.  We had no idea what they were but picked some up as a gift for Rie and her family.

We were very excited to try the bullet train for our return trip to Tokyo.  Dermot took a video of it as it arrived.  Once on board we enjoyed plenty of legroom and a very smooth ride. The speed was pretty surprising. We traveled from Kyoto to Tokyo in two hours.

Okay, I promised more on bathrooms and I'm sure you were just holding your breath for me to get back to that. Bathrooms in Japan need a whole blog page. I could wax poetic about the shower/bathtub and toilet but it would take too much time to write all the pampering features that are built into the home. These links will get you started on the wonders:

Click here for info on bathing in Japan

And more here.

Public toilets are no less surprising. In rest stops, they have a holder for your umbrella, special seat inserts for toddlers and even a baby holder so you can wash your hands while the baby safely sits close by.   

A tap on top of the tank of flush toilets allow users to conserve water by washing their hands in clean water flowing into the tank destined for the next flush. Genius! With all the emphasis on conservation, why don’t all new toilets in the U.S. have this feature?! 

Public bathroom info here

Not all public toilets are so nice though, at the Fushimi Inari Shrine there were mostly squat toilets and a long line of women waiting for the one "Western toilet." 

Well, this post has certainly gone down the toilet! 

Japan!

A Reunion in Japan!

Our next big adventure is to Japan where we have another reunion planned!  When I was in high school, our family hosted an exchange student from Japan for 11 months. Rie was quiet, very thoughtful and an absolute pleasure to be around. She wrote to our family and kept in touch over the years and had even visited us in Florida several times - most recently in Orlando about 18 years ago. 

When I contacted her about visiting Japan, she very kindly offered, actually insisted, that we stay in her and her family's apartment.  Traveling to Tokyo is a very long trip and we were pretty wiped out. Thank goodness Rie and her husband Leo picked us up because I think our brains wouldn’t have been up to the task of navigation! Arriving at the house, we got to meet her daughter Aimi.

We had coordinated our visit to coincide with Rie’s vacation, arriving a few days before it started to get over the worst of the jet-lag. We did so with alot of walking in the sunshine during several perfect spring days. Rie lives in a suburb of Tokyo very near where the 1964 Olympics were held and most of the buildings are very modern. 

Rie, Leo, and Leo’s sister Erica took turns showing us around the area and taking care of everything for us. Leo and Erica are Japanese by ancestry, but were raised in Argentina before settling in Japan as adults so they shared their insights into Japanese culture. Leo shared how the Fukushima disaster demonstrated how the Japanese people function more as a community than a society.  One small example is that people only bought one bottle of water per person a day so that nobody would do without. 

Staying with their family has been such an incredible gift! It’s been so great to see Rie interact with her daughter and husband. Spending time with her brought back so many good memories - I  even got to cook with her in her kitchen!

Rie took us by train to a nearby town called Kawagoe - famed for its historic buildings, temples and shrines. Many people were wearing traditional dress - kimonos and hakamas (for men)! It was pretty touristy, but it was a wonderful day. 

Here are some general impressions: the primary rule seems to be that everyone tries not to inconvenience anyone else so everyone is polite and deferential. The streets and even subways are so quiet and clean! The children are adorable dressed in their school uniforms and most people dress very nicely. I’m in love with smart toilets (the seat is always warm) and how all the electronic appliances talk to you.  I don't understand, of course, but am still charmed.

Most store signs are in Japanese which makes trying to find a particular type of store a challenge. We noted the differences in convenience store contents - for example there's a considerable selection of face masks and very exotic-looking foods.  

There are an incredible number of temples and shrines here! Some are peaceful, an oasis of calm, while others are overrun with tourists. We even got to experience Kabuki theater but no photos are allowed so you’ll just have to come to see it yourself! Very melodramatic! 

On Wednesday we went to see the new fish market. It's huge and also includes wholesale vegetables.  There are walkways above the real action for tourists to view the commerce but also be out of the way.  We got there in the afternoon so the fish had all been moved and the veggies mostly boxed and gone. There's also a retail market but we wanted to buy seafood for a paella so we ate lunch at a restaurant first so the seafood wouldn't get warm. By the time we got to the market, most stalls were already closed and there was no seafood to be found.  So we made a new plan and rode the train taking in the sights of the city and then to Hama-rikyu Gardens - Click here for more info and pictures!  The juxtaposition of huge trees and natural landscapes with towering buildings as a backdrop was fascinating for me.  Though Rie could see this park from her office a few blocks away, she had never visited. 

That night we had a family dinner with Erica.  Rie and I made paella and Erica brought a smorgasbord of vegetables, breads and dessert.  It was all fabulous! 

Click here for pictures of Tokyo and Kawagoe

On Thursday we prepared to go on a trip for a long weekend.  It was an auspicious day because cherry blossom season was officially announced.  A highly trained official does so when the fifth cherry blossom bud on a specific imperial cherry tree opens. 

Leo and Rie had a great weekend planned to go spend a few nights in her brother's house in Kobuchizawa several hours away. We had lunch at the rest stop and were grateful that Rie helped us order through the machine because instructions were only in Japanese and even confusing for her! 

What a surprise when we arrived - it was a traditional Japanese house, a Minka!  Though built less than 10 years ago, it featured traditional building methods with reclaimed cypress, tatami mats with shikibuton, shoji screens, an irori, and a small picturesque garden. 

Leo offered an interesting insight into the culture. He said that the outside of a house or kimono may be nice but the inside is more highly decorated. The inside is what you share only with intimates. We ate around a small, low table and talked well into the night exchanging memories and views as the wind whipped around the house. 

The next day we went to Yatugatake - a scenic area where you can see the mountains of three different ranges and buy special bread and milk products.  A sign saying "This is John Deere country" made us chuckle. Though far away and through haze, we saw all of Mount Fuji!!

Leo made Argentinian Barbeque with sausages and pork for lunch and we had a tremendous steak, sweet potatoes and wine from Argentina for dinner. In between we visited the Suntory Whisky Hakusho distillery.

The next morning we noticed the temperature had dropped below freezing. Heading for Shirakawa-go, Leo drove through mountains, some of which were covered with snow. The ski lifts were still running.  Many more of the houses were in the Japanese style than modern. Leo and Erica had also explained that due to the frequent earthquakes, modern houses are built differently and not expected to last more than about 20 years.  After that, they are demolished and rebuilt.  

We arrived in Shirakawa-go and went straight to lunch - very fun as we cooked part of the meal on what looked like a lantern.  I tried to move the top a bit and the leaf under the food caught fire!  Disaster was averted with a few frantic puffs. Afterwards we strolled thru the interesting town. This community evolved a unique social system. The large, thatched roof houses are unique in Japan.  We toured one of the houses with its massive central irori that constantly emitted smoke which permeated all floors of the house and helped preserve the thatch.  Click here for more history and great pictures.

Kanazawa 

Leo drove us to Kanazawa where Rie had booked us rooms for the night and we braved the frigid winds to explore the tea house area.  Finding no open restaurants, we went to the train station and had a wonderful dinner of tempura and sashimi. Train stations are fantastic here with tons of shops and restaurants.

There was snow that night and during the morning so we'd bundled up as much as we could. The breakfast buffet at the hotel had many good choices and we left feeling fat and happy. Kenroku-en is one of Japan's best gardens and it really lived up to its reputation.  Though the cherry blossoms were generally not open yet, the plum trees were glorious. 

Or next treat was entering a traditional tea house situated in a lovely spot in the garden and attending a tea ceremony! We were served confections and green tea by a woman wearing a kimono as we sat with our legs folded under us for a long as we could. 😁

Next we headed to the 21st Century Museum of Modern Art but the ticket line was so long we only visited a few open areas - still a very interesting time. Note the pictures of people who look like they're walking on the floor of a pool. This is a work by an Argentine artist.

Click here for photos outside of Tokyo

We then headed for the train station for lunch.  Rie, Leo and Aimi had a six hour drive back to Tokyo to return to work after spending all their vacation treating us like royalty.  They had taken care of as many of the details of the next step of our plan as possible and we parted with hugs knowing we'd see them again in Tokyo soon.

Hello London and Reflections on an Epic Adventure

At the end of my last post, I said that we delivered our campervan to go into storage.  What I didn’t describe was the huge amount of work that went into that - and that it all happened on my birthday. We handed over the campervan to a trusted business with both a touch of sadness and nervousness for what might befall it while in winter storage. Then we boarded the train for Bristol loaded down with seven bags to carry, only one with wheels. Dermot tried to find a suitable venue for a birthday celebration but I was so exhausted and sore that we decided to postpone my birthday and just had dinner in the hotel restaurant. We didn't even take a single picture that day. We should have at least captured the disaster as we simultaneously did laundry, packed, and prepped the camper!

We spent two nights in a hotel in Bristol recovering and taking care of details necessary to move on to London. The train ride in to London was very nice, but negotiating all that luggage to our London hotel up and down the station and subway steps proved too much for our inexpensive new rolling duffle bag. We had loaded it down with too much weight and Dermot eventually ended up carrying it. 

That night, we visited Dermot’s nephew and got to cuddle his two adorable boys. We roamed London the following day shopping for just the right luggage - and not finding it.  We then went in search of Christmas lights that night - and found loads (as the Brits would say).

Churchill Arms: so much stuff + candles = fire hazard.

Pad Thai, Duck Curry, Guinness and Bulmer's Cider

We had dinner at the famous Churchill Arms which is a mashup of different cultures: Irish owners from County Clare, Churchill memorabilia, flowering plants, flickering candles, and Thai food.

  

Link to more info on Churchill Arms

Take a close look at the pictures of Carnaby - they’ve put the lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody in lights all along the street! So cool!  

On our last night in London, we got to attend the 8th birthday party of Dermot's great nephew - Finn!

Here are our photos.

Now for some reflection on this trip.  We put 9,918 miles on the campervan and traveled many more by train, subway, bus, plane, ferry, and on foot.  We roamed all over Europe from Ireland to Greece taking in beautiful, historical places; witnessing natural beauty; meeting interesting people; eating delicious food; and experiencing different cultures. Many of you have told us that we were "living the dream" and that's true. I felt lucky every single day and it brings tears to my eyes even now just thinking about it all.

That being said, after over six months on the road, we're very much looking forward to many things that just weren't possible living in a camper. We used to take these things for granted and maybe you do too. Here’s a list of some of the things Dermot and I are looking forward to:

Time with family and friends!

Yoga class. 

Knowing how much we weigh.  We've had no idea.  

Being able to order something online because you’ll be in one place long enough for it to be delivered.

Both of us being able to move around a room at the same time.

Having a second room to go to.

Having a climate-controlled bathroom you don't have to journey through darkness and/or bad weather, or an obstacle course that involves finding creative ways to avoid walking through standing water where your toiletries are actually there waiting for you! I  kid you not, I  frequently had to use a tilted landscaping timber as a balance beam to get past a flooded road at the camp in Barcelona before even having a cup of coffee!

Having real coffee rather than instant.

Not having to remember to take toilet paper with you to the bathroom.

Having a routine.

Not having to pack and carry a day-pack every time we leave.

Extra crispy chicken wings.

Being able to read the labels in the grocery store.

Chipotle.

Understanding road warning signs.

Toilet seats (you have no idea). 

Having a dishwasher, microwave oven, regular oven, mixing bowls.

Counter space.

Ability to have more than two pots on the stove at one time.

A spice rack.

Being able to cook virtually anything.

Washing machines/dryers we don't have to find change for.

Being able to buy more than two days of food at a time since the fridge has more than a 40 liter capacity.

Parking without worrying about height restrictions and/or being too long to fit.

Starting and driving a vehicle without going through a checklist.

Being able to communicate complex needs to strangers. 

Going to the mailbox.

Going to a gym where you know how to set up the machines.

Going to a store where you know where everything is. 

Knowing which stores will have what you need in the mall.

Turning on the radio and hearing music we know.

Feeling at home.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t express how deeply grateful I am for Dermot. This trip literally wouldn’t have been possible without him. We took a big gamble that we could be together 24/7 in a tiny space, facing untold obstacles for months on end. His calm demeanor made every bump in the road smoother. We've learned so much in the last 6+ months and we’ve grown together.

Writing this blog has also been a growth experience. In every instance, I wanted my post to be more informative, insightful, inspiring, and funny than it ended up being. The bar was lowered to keep up with posting something, anything, rather than giving up. I often thought “That'll have to do” as I cringed and hit the "publish" button. 

I also want to thank our wonderful family members and friends for all their support and good wishes. Even a few words from you touched us and make us feel connected to you. Your comments and “likes” eased our homesickness. Thank you so very much for joining us as we traveled through Europe!

Paris, Protests and Progress

We returned to a much colder and rainier Paris than the one we left. We wanted to see what Paris looked like dressed for Christmas so we headed for the Champs-Elysees. The streets were buzzing with activity and the usual assortment of characters posing for pictures. Only a few had Christmas window displays and lights up. We wanted to see Paris at night so spent the late afternoon doing little shopping and then warming up at the least expensive, yet heated, place to get a hot beverage - Starbucks! At sundown we joined many people brave enough to cross the street and stop in the middle island trying to get a picture of the Arc de Triomphe on the first day all the trees lining the Champs-Elysees were lit up. 

Then we took a scenic bus ride that was supposed to go from one end of the city to the other past many famous sights. It was fun to see all the people bundled up yet still seated in the outdoor cafe tables. The city look glamorous lit up at night but the pictures I took don't do it justice as the glass reflected the bus interior - classy right? About two thirds through our trip, the bus stopped and all passengers were required to disembark. The others looked surprised too and if there was an explanation, we didn't catch enough of it to understand.  As luck would have it, we found a nice restaurant for dinner just steps away.  When we returned to camp that night we realized we had made a rookie mistake and had run out of lpg gas for heating and cooking. It was too late at night to go get some, so we settled in under all our warm blankets and were cosy enough that night. 

The next day we had a cold breakfast and went in search of LPG and the "check engine" light in the camper came back on!  Sigh.  Several calls revealed that there was no way to get the van looked at until Monday. We stayed at camp perusing our Fiat manual and warranty, doing laundry and shopping that day. We learned that night that the protests in Paris had been very bad that day, in fact, they were throwing paving stones and making barricades right where we had been the previous day!  Link to article on the protests that day

Oldest object in the Louvre - 9,000 years old

After consideration, we decided to try to visit the Louvre Sunday, knowing we might find ourselves in the middle of more protests. We wanted to see the very oldest objects the Louvre had on display and had a wonderful time just roaming. There was a woman who sang haunting melodies in several locations near middle eastern exhibits.  She was being filmed but it wasn't a schedule event. She wasn't overly obtrusive and the acoustics were fantastic making her performance a beautiful and unexpected treat.

Our photos are here (apologies there are so few!)

The following day was devoted to visiting a fiat dealership. The verdict was that we needed to take it back to England for repair. They said they had reset it, but the problem would recur and though safe to drive, we shouldn't drive over 80 kilometers an hour.  Sigh.  Without going into all the details, we took steps to get the van to the dealership in Portsmouth, England where we had bought it.  They said they'd need to keep it for a week (which exceeded our time in Europe).  So we got ourselves to Bristol where we packed up and delivered the van to a business there which would take care of it for us through the winter.

More Barcelona, then hello France!

After the last post, we spent several more days in Barcelona (I'm a bit behind posting this as some of you know we're in Paris now).  We enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves as our pitch was right on the beach even though we didn’t venture onto it much. Check out my haul from beachcombing. I haven't collected anything for months as we're in tight quarters but these rocks and beach glass were so pretty! 

We went to the very interesting Park Guell. This was a planned community that was 100 years ahead of its time. We had a good time here even though it was a rainy day.  I hope you enjoy reading about it in the link:  Gaudi's Park Guell 

We attended a very cool fountain show, (which we posted on Facebook) did some shopping and wandering around the streets of the old town.

Here are our pictures

One night the rains were heavy and as darkness set in, we watched as the camp pitches in front of us lining the beach went from being filled with puddles, to looking like a river. Soon it was full dark and the rain wasn't going to be stopping anytime soon. The water was still rising ominously on the ground beneath our camper. I had visions of our camper floating away and/or swept out to sea. Don’t laugh! It’s really happened - just not to us. At one point, I even called reception and asked for their advice. They said we could move if we wanted, but said that the whole camp was flooded! Dermot was more confident than I that we would be fine. After a nervous night, we saw that the water was receding and we weren’t stuck.  We later heard that there were tent campers who found themselves in several inches of water. 

Mostly we were trying to figure out the details of traveling back to the UK, and storing our campervan so rodents don't make it their home throughout the winter.  What to bring home, what to leave in the van? How to transport said items since our rolling luggage didn’t fit in the van and was given away? 

There’s also the small matter of where we will be living until we can move into Dermot’s condo which is currently rented through February. Couch-surf? Extended-stay? Hotel? Temporary apartment rental? All these things required research and discussion.

We found ourselves on the road on Tuesday. It was a good thing we filled up our gas tank in Barcelona as this was the fourth day of a yellow vest protest in which the French were protesting high fuel prices and blocking toll plazas. We saw many people in yellow vests at the toll plaza nearest the Spain/France border and a huge traffic jam entering Spain (opposite of our travel direction).  We even got a break in the normally very high tolls in France. We only knew the origins of the issue when we looked up the news towards the end our our trip into Toulouse. However, the news also warned of protests in towns that were further along our route on the following days. It felt strange to be in the middle of news in a foreign country.

Wednesday was more driving punctuated by an engine warning light followed by the campervan going into “limp” mode  a.k.a. no acceleration several times. We spent a chilly night in a campsite outside Chateauroux - south of Paris.

Thanksgiving day found us concerned enough to stop at a dealership to get the engine checked. We drove past another protest site - this time, there was a log blocking one part of a roundabout, stacks of wood and burning tires surrounded by yellow-vested protesters waving us along. It didn’t seem dangerous, just strange. We arrived at 11:30 but the whole dealership closes down from 12:00 to 2:00 so we had to wait.  

After several hours, we were handed our keys and told that the computer was reprogrammed and we shouldn’t have the problem again. As we headed out of town we were stuck in traffic at a roundabout where the protesters were blocking traffic with tires at one part of the roundabout at a time. I was amazed that French drivers will honk at you if you hesitate too long at a roundabout but no-one was getting upset at this purposeful delay.  I guess the French respect the cause enough to bear this inconvenience. 

Next stop: Paris.

Goodbye France, hello Spain!

View from the Nativity Tower in Sagrada Familia

We decided to spend one night in Mandeliu-de-Napoule at Les Cigales to extend our time in the French Riviera since the lack of parking thwarted or first attempts. But rain forecasted all along our route delayed our plans by a day.  After our hair-raising journey through the mountains in Italy, we decided to play it safe.  When the rain stopped, we drove along the coast road towards St. Tropez.  As the pictures will show, the deep rust of the mountains is beautiful, even under clouds.  On the way we saw water streaming out of the mountains and small rock slides.  We wouldn't have wanted to be on the road when that happened! We made it as far as Antheor and turned back towards our campsite as we didn't want to drive along these roads in the dark.

The next morning we packed up and headed west and encountered only light rain.  We noticed that some trees sported yellow and red leaves but the mountains still looked green. The mountains play a huge role in ensuring sunny weather in those big name cities like Nice.  We waved as we passed St. Tropez.  We'll try to make it back in warmer weather and/or if we win the lottery.  

As we passed the national Parque de Carmague, we saw some of the famed wild horses but I was too busy looking to get a picture so here are pictures and more information:

Camargue_horse

Father down the road we saw signs that we were on Via Domitia so I looked it up and was enchanted by this history:

Via Domitia info here.

Dermot was excited to get to our intended campsite “Le Club Farret,” near Vias, France because it had many amenities including a fitness centre! When we arrived, the roads were nearly submerged in places and the gate was closed. We called the number on the gate and were asked to wait.  When the camp representative arrived on his golf cart he took us to a campsite right on the ocean with crashing waves but closed toilet block/showers for the bargain rate of 11 euros.  I asked Dermot if we shouldn't go find a place with our minimum requirements (which even many free aires have) but Dermot was happy enough to try this place.  It seems there was some kind of male-not-wanting-to-appear-weak dynamic going on that I was oblivious to.  

We found a site near the beach but not on it as the closest one had soft-looking spots and we were unlikely to get a tow from golf cart guy.  Our walk on the beach was relaxing but not very long as we reached an impassable inlet. That night we walked to the only open restaurant on eerily deserted streets past dozens of closed businesses. It felt post-apocalyptic.

Back at the campsite, we enjoyed the sound of the rough surf but not the wet sand we brought into the van with each foray. The next morning we fired up the boiler for the very first time and were delighted to have hot water for dishes and face washing but we still preferred no shower over a cramped campervan shower.

As we set out for Barcelona, we had to stop for gas but several places did not accept our credit card.  Less than two miles up the road we came to an Aire where we bought gas.  To our chagrin, it had all the amenities our campsite lacked plus a restaurant and mini market. Sigh.

We made it to Camping 3 Estrellas in the late afternoon and got settled in.  The on-line reviews were mixed but we were happy to find hot water in the showers and a beachfront camping spot.  The campsite is a good hour away from the city by bus but we really enjoyed the beach view and sounds of surf right outside our door.  

Barcelona is a joy to explore.  It has good weather, good public transportation, lots of interesting sights, stunningly unique architecture, good food, and its pedestrian and bike-friendly. Catalan pride is on full display here after many years of repression.  We did Rick Steve’s walking tour of Las Ramblas, toured the Sagrada Familia, the Picasso Museum and more. 

El Cap de Barcelona is a surrealist sculpture created by American Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It's English title is The Head of Barcelona. The sculpture was Lichtenstein's first outdoor work using ceramic tile. 

Lichtenstein Sculpture

The Sagrada Familia is incredibly different from any other church we’ve ever been in. Gone are the conventions of stained glass and statues conveying the stories of the Bible. The sculpture and words are on the outside of the building. The whole experience inside is infused with colored light and tall palm-tree like columns supporting the roof. It has been under construction for over 100 years and is expected to be complete in 2026.  We rode the elevator up the Nativity facade and walked the enclosed bridge between two towers then walked the tight spiral staircase back to the ground floor. 

Barcelona is famous for many Gaudi buildings (there are several in the photo album).  Here's a link with more info and pictures on the:

Illa de la Discòrdia

Click here for our pictures.

Goodbye Italy, hello French Riviera

We next set our sights on the Nice, France. Since we couldn’t find an open campground in the area, we had booked a room in the lovely Hotel 64 Nice for two nights and planned to find a secure parking spot for the camper. Taking the main roads, we hugged the coast through the mountainous region. The deep ravines were traversed by bridges high above the towns that seemed to be tumbling out of the mountains into the sea. I was driving but judging from the brief glimpses I got of the towns below - they were very pretty. However, the rain, the lateral, gusty winds and sharing the road with many trucks going on dozens of bridges and tunnels made the drive nerve-wrecking!

Once we hit France, Dermot took over driving and struggled navigating the city traffic to find parking that could accommodate the height of our van! He circled the train station but the parking all seemed to be either height-restricted or under construction. We finally found a place under an overpass and somewhat nervously left our van hoping the battery would last. The hotel was a real treat and we indulged in meals out in atmospheric old Nice, walks, and shopping. In the mornings, Dermot would walk to the van to pay for parking (even though we could pay by phone) and to ensure it was okay, then we'd grab almond pastries for breakfast. Yum!!

Nice is a much bigger city than I remembered but it’s very walkable. Each time we're in France we notice that the residents are generally much more stylishly dressed than in other areas of Europe - and much more so than in the states (ourselves included).

Our photos here.

I had been here years ago and there were many new barriers along pedestrian areas. We visited the memorial to the victims of the terror attack in which a truck drove along the seaside Promenade des Anglais hitting and killing 86 people on Bastille Day in 2016. 

We tried to visit the Matisse Museum in the morning on our way out of town but we couldn’t find a parking space anywhere. It was the same story when we drove into Antibes. So we gave up and headed for our campsite outside of Cannes. Here we were met with a closed reception area and ran into problems which could have easily been solved if there had been any staff in the campground.  Since we had no code for the gate, we couldn't even leave to get change for the washer and dryer until we convinced a kindly couple camping nearby to give us the code. We're chalking this up to one more of the things we've learned in our first multiple month campervan life - both the high and low season have their share of difficulties. It's just that in the low season, it's also chilly!