holidays

Aching balls and butter pats…

Walked this far, might as well continue

Balls of my feet are aching. A walk from Villefranche-Sur-Mer around the Bd Princess Grace de Monaco, down to Lympia and on to Port Riquier Le Port of Nice will do that. One of those ‘walked this far might as well continue’ moments followed closely by ‘how the feck do I get home’ angst.

Situation needed serious contemplation, and obligatory fortification. Sidestepped into a petite bistro, ordered a vin Rouge and what I assumed would be a cheese platter equivalent to the desperately small cube of cheddar, slither of blue vein, dot of goat’s cheese guaranteed to remain attached to roof of mouth ’till Tuesday, a grape and three small biscuits; the nature of which my beloved homeland is inclined to serve for a mere $20.

Nope…€8 offered up half a side of Roquefort, four dollops of non stick goat offering and two huge gherkins piled atop a salad accompanied by five slabs of Baguette. Holy taste buds batman! What really intrigue20130830-203711.jpgd was the two butter pats in the mix; usually only proffered after one has begged, cajoled and thrown a small but noisy tantrum for the French just don’t get it. Mon dieu! Voulez vous le beurre??? Oui I bloody well want butter! But this time I didn’t, gave that fight up a while ago – I’m an undercover local now remember?
In the interests of upholding my ‘eat everything in site before the budget limps away sobbing soon’ mantra I fulfilled the duty, all the while chortling at the memory of Rossy ordering a four cheese Pizza (when Jen, Ross and I were last in France) and receiving a 5cm deep pile of melted cheese under which a tiny crust tried in vain to uphold its duty.

Rossy’s gallant effort was well rewarded with applaud from we girls and the crusty old codgers nearby. Mine with discovering Bus 81 went right past my abode, the stop just ten meters away and all for €1.20. Merci dieu!!

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20130830-203925.jpgArrived home and discovered this gorgeous woman (and her inherited side kick) atop the Citadel. What can I say?

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Now that’s my kind of camping!

‘Camping’ and ‘Jane’ simply don’t go in the same sentence as many will attest, thus when BJ declared that a camping trip would be just the ticket for his birthday treat, the response was a frosty stare and stony silence. Fully expecting such a reaction and having done his research, the dear man had actually found the perfect compromise…Glamping!

Plug my hair drier in? A cosy bed with fluffy pillows? A real loo? And shower too? And are you absolutely sure the tent won’t blow away at the first gust of wind? A yes to all and I’m in!

Ketchups Bank Glamping does indeed provide the perfect compromise, my essentials PLUS the beauty that comes with wilderness…spectacular views across taupe velvet rolling hills, Rosellas and King Parrots jostling for seeds, a petite Wallaby with joey peeking from her pouch mooching in nearby grass, Bilbys and Bettongs scuttling too and fro, the sparkling scales of Silver Perch rising from the dam’s surface to snatch fish pellets in the dappled sun. BBQ for the steaks, a roaring campfire, marshmallows for toasting, a mellow merlot and a good book…ah bliss! Glamorous Camping indeed!

Long days exploring the walks, a nearby winery and basking in the warm sun concluded with us snuggling our freshly showered selves into fluffy bathrobes in a big warm, cosy bed slap dab in the middle of our solid Eco Tent to watch DVDs, hot chocolate in hand. Later, marveling at the silence, the brilliant stars above and fresh mountain air, we drifted into heavenly sleep…only to be sharply woken by gale force winds whipping themselves into a frenzy around us. But then we smiled in sleepy confidence…it’s gonna take much, much more than that to blow this here tent away!

Gracious hosts, lovely weekend, heartily recommended.
http://www.ketchupsbankglamping.com.au

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Umbria…Castello di Petroia

I’ve always wanted to sleep in a Castle…preferably right up there in a turret…how about you? Well I got to do exactly that in a hauntingly beautiful genuine medieval castle in Umbria, Italy.

The Castello di Petroia, dating back to the Middle Ages, around 1163 to be more precise, is right up there on my ‘magical experiences’ list. And that’s why it rates in my continuing  ‘fabulous accommodation finds’ theme.

20120401-214708.jpgMy Rapunzel moment was not without it’s challenges I must add. A flight of steps up to the front door, bathroom down a flight, bedroom up two flights, rooftop vista yet another. Not for the faint hearted yet affording the most magnificent 360 degree view across a tapestry of rich green undulating valleys.

Walls a meter thick, barely space for my big feather four poster bed, moonlight to guide my way I was completely entranced and all thoughts of being haunted by the turret’s ancestry were replaced with the luxury of pleasant dreams…until a Wood Pecker tapped on my window to wake me. I’m glad he did. Watching the sun rise across the misty valleys was absolutely breathtaking. It felt good to be alive!

Oh! If the thought of the turret is just too daunting, there are similar evocatively atmospheric rooms in the main castle, and just a single flight of stairs.

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http://www.petroia.com

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