It’s weird to be home, but not be in our home. It feels like walking over soft ground on a foggy morning. When I wake up at night, I’m not initially sure where I am, a temporary disorientation as my memory catches up with my senses. With my wits dulled…
Travel
Europe Phase 1
After a brief stop in Southampton to visit family, we made it back safely to Canada in time for Christmas. We’re still dealing with the jet lag and trying to get used to the cold. We have our car insured and cell phone activated and we’re staying with generous friends…
Chez Diane
We eat most of our meals at Chez Diane, the restaurant in the S&M Motel. It serves an excellent variety of delicious local specialities and old favourites made with fresh ingredients. Always close at hand, it offers European flavours and homemade charm. And the service is excellent. STARTERS Cauliflower Soup…
Impressions of Europe
Here are some common items that we’ve noticed about the 10 European countries we’ve been to. There is an obvious sense of history here. Public buildings and churches can be hundreds or even a thousand years old. Families often trace their roots for hundreds of years and may live in…
Traveling by RV in Europe
We’ve been roving across Europe for over 3 months now and have learned a fair bit about traveling in Europe by RV. Here are some of things we’ve been experiencing. Terminology Our vehicle (affectionately known as the S&M Motel) is a self-contained recreational vehicle (RV) known in England as a…
The Best and Worst Kinds of Tourism
The Best Getting off the tourist track. Often this only requires a few steps, but finding the right ones can be difficult. Eating what the local people eat, street food, what is fresh, or what is recommended by your server. Free coat checks in museums. Free wi-fi at McDonald’s. Morning…
Impressions of Spain
The central part of the Iberian Peninsula, where Spain is situated, is a large, open, wind-swept plain dotted with small hills. It looks like Nevada in the old Westerns. Between the major cities like Madrid, located in the center of the country, there is a lot of open space between…
Sobrino De Botin
Sobrino De Botin was established in 1725 making it the oldest restaurant in Madrid. Indeed, it is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest, continuously operating eatery in the world. It is said that the famous Spanish artist Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) worked there while trying…
Le Marseillaise
Le Marseillaise is the national anthem of France. It was named after the city of Marseille, which sits on the southern coast of France on the Mediterranean, and which has never been the capital city. I wondered how this came about. Le Marseillaise was written and composed by Claude Joseph…
Driving in Europe
I’ve been driving around Europe for over 2 months now through 8 countries and finally feel ready to make some general observations about driving in Europe. Here is a taste of what we’ve been experiencing. Route Planning Once we’ve decided where we want to go (an entirely different process), we…