Pilgrimage to Lourdes

On Saturday we commenced a pilgrimage to Lourdes flying from Nice via Paris. We arrived safely mid afternoon. Unfortunately our bags did not join on us on the Lourdes leg. This was doubly unfortunate as the heavens opened while we explored the Lourdes sanctuary and we experienced the first rain of trip. Luckily we stayed relatively dry by strategically hoping between the basilicas on the site.

On Sunday we attended the international church service which is conducted in the six official languages of Lourdes: French, Italian, English, Spanish, German and one other. We felt confident we would find a seat in the underground Basilica as it seats 25000 people and there didn’t seem to be many people around on Saturday. As it turned out there were a few spots left for us in the last pew.

The rains continued on Sunday and we bought plastic ponchos in attempt to stay dry. We visited the grotto and joined the parade of the sick in the afternoon along with about 15000 others. Just as the parade was about to start the rain started pouring down and soaked the bits of us that the ponchos missed. We got back to the hotel hoping to be able to change into dry clothes, but alas the bags had still not joined us. They did eventually arrive, much to our relief. To celebrate, we joined the candlelight procession that is held every evening. It is supposed to be a spectacular sight but we cannot confirm this as the heavens opened again dousing most attempts at candle lighting.

Today (Monday) we travelled to somewhere near the Spanish border. Tomorrow we travel to Barcelona.

Cote d’Azur

We have had a relaxing time on the Cote d’Azur (the French Riviera). Our first impression of the beach front was that we could have been on the Gold Coast but on closer inspection the beach was made up of stones and the high rises were not quite as high. The weather was nice in the mid twenties but not quite warm enough for us to brave the Mediterranean. Whilst here we did a search but did not find any ‘Nice’ biscuits but the local fare looked nice.

We did find time to visit the Matisse gallery and the Museum of Modern Art and take a trip out to a nearby medieval village in the hinterland. Tonight, our last night here, Joy got a graving for some French pastries, the patisseries are everywhere during the day, but at night none are open. We wandered through the old town without luck, listened to the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra playing in a square and finally stumbled on a cafe with cakes and watched France V Uruguay play a nil all draw in the World Cup.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we fly to Lourdes.

Processions, Heritage and the Rest

We had something of a religious experience in Genoa. We had been walking the warren of caruggi and creuze (alleyways and cobbled paths) that make up the old town, when we came across a piazza with barricades circling the front of a cathedral. Sitting on the steps were assembled a gathering of nuns and other people evidently preparing for something. Guarding the barricades were men in Robin Hood hats.

We decided to see what was going on and found a table at a cafe and ordered drinks. Shortly afterwards Mass started, the nuns sung and our beers and chips arrived. After a few hymns along came children in white gowns, women in pink dresses, police in funny uniforms, nuns in all colours, white, brown, black, blue, grey and various combinations and other assorted priests, monks and friars. Before long the barricaded area was filled and then people carrying banners and led a procession of an object that looked like a treasure chest which was carried up the cathedral steps and surrounded by priests in purple.

The celebration of Mass continued: now presided over by a priest in yellow robes, incense pervaded the piazza and we drank our beer. It was a surreal experience. After the celebrations were over Joy button holed a friar and found out that it was the feast of the body and blood of Christ and on this feast day a procession between basilicas is held in Genoa. The priest in gold was the Cardinal. We didn’t find out what was in the treasure chest.

As well as religious ceremonies we also explored the streets that make up the UN World Heritage Area of Genoa, Christopher Columbus’s house, the port area and visited Europe’s largest aquarium.

Yesterday (Monday) we travelled to Nice, stopping at Monte Carlo for lunch. We had a rest day today and will be here until Saturday. So far we haven’t seen any biscuits covered in sugar but we are on the lookout.

From Chaos to Culture

The contrast between Naples and Milan was palpable. Naples was full of hustlers selling fake handbags, rubbish adorned the streets and it took us two days to find a blade of grass. In Milan the handbags were the real thing, the streets were clean and orderly and there were parks throughout the city (for us to take our nanna naps in). Milan was the place to marvel at the Duomo Cathedral and we even got to climb onto its roof. It was also the place to visit art galleries and we went to several and saw various versions of ‘the last supper’ including the famous one.

From Milan we travelled to Turin, famous of course for the shroud and chiccolato a panne (a thick chocolate drink that melts on the way down, yumm). We also toured a palace of the Savoy dynasty.

Tomorrow we head to Genoa, our final destination in Italy.

No Napoli in Napoli

We had been preparing for the Naples culinary experience (the birthplace of pizza and renowned for the margarita) since before we left home. In preparation we had a margarita from pizza hut to contrast with the real thing. There was no contrast, the real one melts in your mouth and is full of the flavour of its 3 simple toppings. Adrian avoided Spaghetti Napoli, at every restaurant we ate at in Greece, in preparation for the real thing only to find you can’t get it Naples. All was not lost though, the pasta we have had is better than any we have ever tasted.

As well as eating we have also managed to fit in some sightseeing above and below ground, explored the ruins of Pompeii, and climbed Mount Vesuvius. We had a couple of nights in Rome before arriving here. We are heading to Milan tomorrow (Monday).

Mystic Meteora

We experienced something of the life of the monks and nuns who have journeyed to the monoliths of Meteora for centuries. After a seven hour journey from Athens (2 hours at a bus terminal along the way) we arrived in Kalambaka our base for exploring the hilltop monasteries. On Sunday we caught the bus up to the highest monastery and then started a trek to others.

The first monastery was very impressive and included museums of the monks’ role in various Greek wars throughout the ages as well as relics from the early Eastern Church. The next whilst equally impressive from the outside (perched on a rock column) but was less impressive within. A kilometre or so down the road, Adrian convinced Joy to take the left branch up to a nunnery. The sign said it was 2 km but an hour or two later we reached a road junction indicating the distance back to Kalambaka was 9km (there was no return bus from here) but we were in sight of the next monastery. That’s it in the picture (right) taken just after the road junction.

We reached the path to this monastery and could see that it was about 500m down to where the stairs up began. It was at this point that Joy spat the dummy and refused to budge. A lonely Adrian began the trek down and at the base of the stairs leading up he discovered there was a walking trail back to Kalambaka. A phone call to Joy convinced her to join him and together they made the climb up to the monastery before trekking back to town via the forest walk.

We are off to Rome in the morning (Tuesday)

Life’s a Beach

Well, the Greek domestic crisis finally caught up with us. A ferry strike left us stranded on Santorini for an extra day. It was terrible. There was nothing to do except lie on the beach and lounge around in coffee shops. Life’s a beach!

To the Islands

Our final days in Athens were spent climbing the Acropolis, walking the parks and seeing the changing of the guard at Parliament. Since then we have been on the Island of Santorini. We have decided to stay here longer than originally planned and will be here until Thursday.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are also here on the Island but we haven’t caught up yet. They must be eating in different restaurants. We saw their yacht when we went on a cruise (its the grey one in the pic) out to climb a volcano today. Yesterday we hired a quad bike and travelled from Perissa Beach (where we are staying) to the other end of the Island. Adrian drove the outward leg calling in at all the scenic highlights along the way and Joy took over for the return journey with a non-stop trip of about an hour and half.

Apart from lazing around we have also managed to fit in some Greek dancing, wining and dining and have walked the famous black pebble beach.

We are changing our plans for the rest of our time in Greece. We had planned to visit the archaeological sites at Mycenae and Olympia but we are all ruined out and will now travel to Meteora to see the hilltop monasteries and then fly to Rome to commence the Italian leg of the trip.

It’s all Greek

It’s all Greek: mousaka, souvlaki, giros, spaghetti Napoli; or at least these were some of the items listed in the traditional Greek cuisine section of the menu at the restaurant we ate at tonight. And we’ve eaten all of them (except the spaghetti) since arriving in Athens yesterday.

The streets are abuzz with noise but fortunately there has been no sign of the civil unrest that has featured on recent news reports. This is especially good as unlike the TV in Turkey there been no CNN or BBC world news at our hotel (we could have watched McLeod’s Daughters though).

So far we have wandered the streets of Plaka (the original village that surrounded Acropolis Hill prior to the establishment of Athens), visited the Greek Archaeological Museum and the Ancient Agora to wonder at Hellenic arts and architecture. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we are off to the Acropolis.

Ancient Anatolia to Gallipoli

From Cappadocia in central Turkey we headed west and eventually reached the Anatolia region. Along the way we called in at a Caravan Park but could not stay as we didn’t have any camels (it was used BC to protect the Egyptian caravan trains from Barbarians). We ended up staying in Pamukkale which has been a tourist resort in Asia Minor since roman times due to its stunning calcite cliffs and hot springs. It was then onwards to the Marama Sea at Kusadasi from where we stayed 2 nights to visit Christian pilgrimage sites of the house of the Virgin Mary and church and tomb of John the apostle; as well as ancient Hellenic/Roman sites including cities, temples and a healing centre.

On Friday the tour continued on to Canakkale where we visited the site on ancient Troy and viewed the Dardanelles. Saturday we explored Gallipoli and returned to Istanbul. Tomorrow (Monday) we fly to Athens provided there is not another general strike. Turkey has been a delight (we’ll get some more Turkish Delight later).