Imaging a square with a side length of about 400 m. Inside there are streets and alleyways lined with houses, some places … all in a checkerboard pattern. In Southern France this type of city is called bastide. The square resp. the bastide is bordered by a high wall with impressive defense towers and 10 gates. A village in this area was mentioned for the first time about 100 B. C. It expanded into a…
There’s a long & winding road – at least for the last part of the route – from coast level to L’Abbaye Saint Félix de Montceau resp. the ruins … The abbey was founded in the 11th century and abandoned end of the 18th century when it became state-owned. Only parts have survived until nowadays. The main entrance to the church is in the shade – and well locked. Inside there are some events every…
Almost 900 years ago almost in the midst between Béziers and Montpellier the abbey Sainte-Marie de Valmagne was founded and thrived for the next centuries. Of course after 1789 the abbey was desecrated and became a state property. Nevertheless the abbey was preserved and sonn became a famous vineyard. It is a historic landmark attracting lots of tourists as well as oenophiles. A tour of the abbey always will lead to the wine shop ……
Next to Arles there is Nîmes. (Ok: Arles has got about 50 k inhabitants while Nîmes counts almost 150 k … Btw: this is a reason while it took us about 30 min to enter the city centre by car and another 30 min to leave it. My better half & I recommend to take the TGV – earnestly.) Both cities were flourishing during Roman times – and the Romans left an impressive footprint. Most…
Arles, in the South of France, goes back about 2500 years to the era of the Greek and the Romans. It became an important centre for commerce and a military base at the crossing of main Roman arterial roads. So it’s no surprise that also cultural interests came up and Arles got, about 2000 years ago, sites for entertainment. Until today these sites are used for events. There is the Roman Amphitheatre which could be…
When our stay in Mallorca came near its end we decided to do – finally – a trip into the mountains: Serra de Tramuntana. Our first stop was Lluc with its church and monastery – however, the first impression you’ll get is the big parking ground and the services. Obviously it’s a place popular with tourists and locals; we learnt that it is an established venue for workshops etc. all years round (… and there…
In the north of Mallorca there is the Serra de Tramuntana – peaks up to more than 1400 m. In the south? There are only few points emerging from the plains. One is Sant Salvador, only 510 m high, but allowing breathtaking views all around Mallorca. Near Sant Salvador a cross (14 m high) called Creu d’Es Picot was mounted at 478 m. You may spot the northern mountains as well as the large bay…
Imagine a sunny day in October … My better half & I are in Port de Sóller (Mallorca) walking along the beachfront from lighthouse to lighthouse. (I’m honest: we made about 2 – 3 km each way …) You may catch sight of the lighthouses – they are somewhat isolated. While the bay spoils us with a nice sandy beach, beyond the bay there is a rough coastline. We started somewhere at the beach and…
A village on Mallorca … My better half & I did sightseeing in Mallorca for quite a while now and we came across some villages. When talking about a village I think of small cities with about 3000 … 5000 inhabitants somewhere on the island. Of course there is a center meaning that there is a Plaça Major with a church and some cafés, some bars, restaurants … When looking for some information I found…
My better half & I, staying in Mallorca for about a month in 2021, happened to be in Santa Maria del Camí on Sunday. Sunday is market-day. So we strolled along the market, a big market stretching from the Església Parroquial to Església y Convento de la Soledad – almost, the last part means walking along a small alleyway, one of these typical small, deserted streets in Mallorca’s villages. (As soon as 2 cars happen…
We are back from a fortnight trip to Zandvoort in the Netherlands. We stayed in an apartment in front of the beach, walked along the beach, enjoyed the sun & the sand & all the beach bars. (Yes – there are lots of beach bars allowing an extensive beach bar hopping all day long …) The sky was blue, the sun was blazing, the sand was fine & warm – almost as if walking along…
All of you may have noticed by now that in 2021 my better half & I went to Rhodes … unfortunately only for a week! What did we plan to do? We planned to relax, to enjoy delicious food, to swim, to do some sightseeing … It is always difficult, especially when only on holidays for a week, to do all the things you plan – and normally you even dream about more. Furthermore all…
This is the Acropolis of Rhodes … The still upright columns are the remains of the Temple of Apoll. Halfway to the Acropolis there are the remains of the Theatre – and the village at the bottom. (Fyi: we didn’t clamber up to the top – therefore there are no photos of the ruins.) As you know by now my better half & I spent a week in Rhodes. We not only made a trip…
My better half & I went to Rhodes for a week – only a week. We stayed at a gorgeous resort on the east coast relaxing, swimming (in the pools – only gravel beaches), enjoying wine & cocktails & excellent Greek food. Of course we made a trip to Rhodes, the city … roaming Old Town Rhodes. Old Town Rhodes, a car-free area (concerning non-residents), surrounded by strong walls … Our navigation system tried to…
Last month when in Egmond aan Zee last we made a trip to Alkmaar, about 10 km from the coast. We took an express bus to city center of Alkmaar i. e. next to the Old Town with its many narrow alleyways and also narrow channels. (However, there are channels of any size all over Alkmaar – and Old Town has got its modern touches here and there!) Let’s start with the cheese market ……