• France

    The French Riviera

    May 12, 2016 - By 

    Funny how this region sees on average 300 days of sunshine per year, because we saw plenty of clouds and rain during our visit.  But even with the less than stellar weather, even with my California-spoiled eyes, and even with my unfavorable opinion of beach resorts and glamor, I still found this place to be too beautiful for words. The Côte d’Azur (or French Riviera in English) has attracted celebrities and the filthy rich for quite some time now, making it a tourist magnet.  Private yachts larger than military ships proudly bob in the marinas, grandmothers dressed like teenagers confidently strut…

  • France

    Les Calanques

    May 10, 2016 - By 

    Just before reaching the notorious French Riviera, we spent time hiking in one of France’s relatively new national parks, Les Calanques.  According to Wikipedia, a calanque is a narrow, steep-walled inlet found along the Meditteranean coast.  Five calanques make up this national park between the port city of Marseille and the resort town of Cassis, and the beaches at the end of each calanque were pristine and breathtakingly beautiful.  It is said to avoid weekends in order to escape the worst of the crowds, so we thought arriving on a Thursday would be fine. Ha. Little did we know that…

  • France

    Nimes

    May 9, 2016 - By 

    Nimes and its surrounding area has some of the best-preserved Roman sites in the world, including an arena, a temple, and a spectacular aqueduct. Due to its convenient location between Spain and The French Riviera, we made the detour to view these stunning yet seldom visited sites.  At the time of writing, the arena is awaiting UNSECO site status; I do wonder if the ruins will be tainted by tourists in the future. It is not recommended at all to drive into the city center.  We parked in one of the many giant parking lots not far from the arena, and took…

  • France

    Carcassonne

    May 8, 2016 - By 

    The medieval, walled city of Carcassonne is exactly what comes to mind when you think of classic fairytales.  With its crenellations, cone-shaped roof tops, and spiky turrets, Carcassonne poses dramatically for the classic panoramic shot from a distance.  Films have been shot in this fortified city, and even a popular board game bases itself in the setting of Carcassonne.  However, everyone knows about Carcassonne.  Reviewers and guidebooks warn that Carcassonne can be a tourist hell, as it attracts an annual 4+ million visitors!  I stressed over whether or not we should see Carcassonne on our way from Barcelona to The…

  • Spain

    Montserrat

    May 6, 2016 - By 

    Less than an hour’s drive, the monastery retreat to mountaintop Montserrat is perhaps the most popular day trip from Barcelona. With all the options of transportation (train, cable car, funicular, private car hire, and bus tours) it’s no wonder that this excursion is a touristy one. To the Catalonians and Catholic pilgrims the monastery is a significant site, and to the tourists like me the monastery’s setting of rock formations is a day trip of scenic hiking. In order to experience Montserrat in peace, we opted out of the cable car and funicular. We could have driven up to the…

  • Spain

    Barcelona

    May 5, 2016 - By 

    We fell in love with Barcelona. I mean, how could we not? Beaches. City life. Perfect spring weather. Fantastic eats. Dance music and parties. Hospitable and laid back Spanish culture. And finally, Antonio Gaudi’s psychedelic architecture. Several motorhome parking lots lied in the heart of the city but due to their hefty price tags of €30/night, we opted for the free motorhome parking lot 9 miles away in Colonia Guell. And unlike the expensive parking lots in the city, the free lot even had free water and dump! Although the nearest metro station (Colonia Guell, a Zone 2 stop) was…

  • Spain

    Benidorm (Serra Gelada)

    May 3, 2016 - By 

    Breaking up the lengthy drive between Granada and Barcelona meant random short stops along the Spanish coast, which meant seeing more of tourist-free Spain.  Upon looking at the map, the coastal park of Serra Gelada caught my eye and we ended up spending some time in Benidorm and its park.  Unfortunately more time was needed to hike across the entire park (8 km, 4 hours, 1-way only), so we opted for a short walk instead.  Fortunately, there were still awesome views. Walking through downtown Benidorm reminded us of a spring break getaway…for the Brits.  English pubs and young British people galore, dressed…

  • Spain

    Alhambra de Granada

    May 2, 2016 - By 

    Remnants of Islamic rule can be seen throughout Andalusia, and nothing says it more than the defining piece of the grand Alhambra. Originally the structure was a small fortress built on top of Roman ruins in the 9th century, and then later those fortress’s ruins were rebuilt into a palace in the 13th century by the Moors. This renovated palace became a royal palace, but by the end of the 15th century after Christian reconquest, the royal palace became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. By the 16th century, the palace/fortress was given a bit of Renaissance flair. Although further renovation…