Santorini

The lovely hostess decided I needed one of everything! A big step up from Ryanair.

Quad bike to Oia and beaches

Great what you do for the camera on sun sets

A little church attached to our accom. Since it was our 30th anniv K decided repeating how she would 'honour and obey' for the next 30 years would be appropriate.

Teenagers heading off for cruise on Caldera to celebrate big day!

getting to know the locals....gets real personal on these 500 steps to port!!!

Well there have to be some pretty photos of this region! What heat makes you do!

Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore)

Florence

Leonardo's museum was full of interactive inventions, munbelievable the variety of things that man played with.

Duarmo square kept us busy, doors are an amazing feature .....everywhere!

People cleared out of our way, we were the best add this company has ever had! Both unscathed, just.

Pisa

Tower definitely on a lean

Managed to straighten it up though.

Baptistry, out the back now has the problems!

Venice

Part of the Dukes palace which leads to the famous "bridge of Sighs"

Venice in the sunshine is good, day one of dirty canals, rain annd storms did nothing for us.

Strong men everywhere, the heat must have got to them back in the day.....


Much more relaxed on DAY 2

Roma

Is it to late to be turned into marble? or papacy.


Rome requires maps, even in piles of ruins.

First job was searching out a Post Office where our lost Travel Diary was forwarded to. All done by 9am and into a massive day.
Vatican Museums do have some mod bits among the thousands of bits of marble and big time murials!

Luxuary camping, fridge and a/con and places for picnics. Only E35 and you have a pool, restaurant, pub and supermarket on site.


fast loads now as time limited:
Cuppa at Vatican Museum,watching the queue

St Peter's Bascillica blows them all away.....'upon this rock.....'

We hit benediction and Reconciliation times but no sign of Bene.

Trevi fountain was another surprise to us, the unresearched.......

Panthenon was a surprise, we appproached from the back and it looked like anothe old ruin, but used still, great condition....

Murray and Katrina in Monte Carlo

Another massive day: Monaco, Monte Carlo and a glimpse at how the other side live. Boats the size of houses, restaurants, exclusive shops, the Palace and view to die for. We went swimming beside the marina in a wonderful salt water pool. At 36 degrees it was a welcomed relief after climbing to the top to watch the changing of the guard at the Palace gates.

South Of France Heaven

We arrived in Canet en Roussillon ( a small seaside village we thought/not)
Our accommodation was 100 metres from the beach. We spent 3 hours sunning and swimming in the Mediterranean. Murray rather distracted at times!!!!!!!!!!!! The beach front is lined with luxury high rises, markets and restaurants. We walked out to the point to see more beaches as far as the eye could see with thousands of swimmers.

That night we walked the streets and found an amazing shop which we think we should report to the Otago rugby union as it is called, OTAGO RUGBY and has NZ in some logos, Maori designs, All Black posters etc etc............. We were very amused!



We had a wonderful night wondering the streets, sat and listened to a band as we drank and soaked in the ambiance. Thousands wondering yet no sign of over indulgence just everyone together enjoying themselves.




Monte Carlo photos by mistake but as it takes so long to upload them I shall leave them here. Farrarris everywhere that you can drive for 85 Euros!!! Note the Kings guardes are in white.

Trip across Spain

Our biggest day, leaving San Sebastian and arriving in Pamploma; amazing roads with top speeds, 130. Hills at last and very green. Tapas for breakfast which Murray loved, however the smokers put me off as they sit over the food blowing smoke over the food laid out along the bar top. Walked the route of the bulls, visited the museum which had a display of paintings about the bull runs. My highlight was seeing a display by??????(1903) the most amazing modern sulptures.
From Pampoma to Zaragosa (41 degrees C). Siesta time so shops closing as we arrived. The streets lined with fantastic sulptures;

The rest of the trip was hot, long, dry, and very unimpressive. Tried to pull off road and see real villages when we found them they were so depressing and it was so hot and each detour took so long we decided to hit the speedway and get to Bacelona.

Barcelona was amazing too. Tube station 100 metres from our hotel. As we arrived an English couple had just been pick pocketed and lost all their money and cards........We learnt them some money and in exchange they shared all the gems on Barcelona.
We had a huge day..... From tube to tour bus which we used to travel around all the sights. The beaches are amazing. This was Murrays day; topless beaches, nude beach, gay beach and then befriended by a group of guys who love rugby. Then after a fab meal with Spanish dancing he was hit on by pick pocketers!!!!!!!!!!! Great excitment from several onlookers who stopped us and told all that had unfolded..........Luckily he had no money in his pockets.
Barcelona will be remembered for its Gaudi architecture especially the unfinished church, Sagrada Familia which he started in 1882 and wont be finished until 2041. We toured one of his family homes and viewed a number of his marvels. BUT Barcelona is stylish and forward thinking and the effects of hosting the Olympics obvious. They have so many areas for people to sit and meet and enjoy being alive.......... We loved Barcelona.....

Eze Coazes Pearched Villages

Eze is a historic village pearched on a hill and transformed into an amazing maze of shops, restaurants, gardens and an exclusive hotel. Views over Monaco and Monte Carlo. Truly the most amazing views of the grandeur, cars, boats and private beaches. At its highest peak a church..........leaving us wondering why, why did they and how did they build these so many hundreds of years ago! Eze is easily has the most unbelievable streets.





We travelled another 17 miles up to Coaze..........up up up! This one famous for its sundials and like every other village it too has a church at its highest point. Unlike Eze it has not been given a second life and although very cute with surround views it has little to offer........ except to ask, why? Why did they build it up on the hill and why do they still live there today!

The end of another wonderful day in the sun with temperatures averaging 35 again.........