The heat of the afternoon eases and neighbourhoods come to life. Whether in a city, town or small village, the beauty of an unfolding summer evening is magical.
Folk, young and old slowly appear. The elderly gather in groups sitting on benches in piazzas for a leisurely chat, young adults congregate in corners of the same piazza with their beverages of choice, middle-aged couples meet up with friends for a pre-dinner cocktail spilling into the piazza from restaurants and bars while young couples, some pushing perambulators, take their evening stroll around perimeter of the piazza.
It is a gentle time of the evening which eventually extends into the night. The piazza can become crowded, however, each is respectful of the other. Unspoken respect for the senior members of the community is evident, respect of space and privacy is apparent, the conversation is barely audible while the tinkle of laughter is pleasant to the ear. There is none of the familiar loud, rowdy behaviour of gatherings that we’re used to at home. There is an obvious air of civility!
However, there is, something else that has captured my attention. My eyes were drawn to the vibrant orange aperitif that all the Milanese seem to be drinking.
We continue to appreciate the beautiful wines as we drive south through the Italian countryside over the next few weeks. By the time we arrive in Arezzo, I am intrigued. Even the Tuscans have embraced this aperitif. Surely they haven’t lost the taste for their fine wines!
And so it is, after a hot summer day jaunt through the rolling countryside, winding our way through backroads among vineyards and stopping to purchase a few bottles of renown Montepulcian wine to savour on our journey further south that we arrive back in Arezzo in time for cocktails before dinner. And, everywhere I look the locals sitting down with those orange drinks!
I prod him, and he bravely asks the couple sitting across from us what they are drinking. Aperol Spritz, they say. We are none the wiser and it’s time to order.
We are hooked. The most wonderful way to start an evening joining the locals and tourists alike, sipping our refreshing Aperol Spritzers mixed with watching an evening slowly unfold in a small Italian town. Is this La Dolce Vita?
It costs Euro 8! Aha yes, but that includes olives, cheese and focaccia pieces to nibble on.
Fast forward a couple of years and back at home, Aperol Spritzers are in vogue. And, here we sit on our balcony on another hot summer evening sipping on our Aperol Spritzers watching the locals going for their evening walk along the riverfront.
You don’t have to be in Europe, have one of these at home this summer. The recipe is below. Be warned – Aperol Spritzers can be addictive!
3 parts Prosecco 2 parts Aperol 1 part Soda Water Add a slice of orange, load with ice and enjoy!
Ah, but the beauty of a summer evening in Europe! We cannot wait to see what they are drinking in Europe this year.
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Christmas is the season of goodwill and kindness to our fellow man.
Random acts of kindness are even more important and appreciated when travelling. The patience of the restaurant waiter who takes pains to explain a menu written in a language you don’t understand, the kind grandmother in our compartment who smiles and nods continuously while offering our teenage sons lollies during our three hour train journey, the hospitality of the owner of our apartment who takes us for coffee to explain the area where we are living in, things that we “must do”, the buses to take and those to avoid, and the intricacies of traversing the city are the things which demonstrate the goodwill and kindness of everyday people.
The ruins of Pompeii are captivating. Having wandered through them a few years before as part of a group, we were keen to visit again to see more of it. For the record, it was not a disappointment going back for more in-depth look. In fact, we realised that we had only skimmed through the first time.
Before, we got to Pompeii however, we had plans to stop and have a look at the smaller, less visited but better preserved UNESCO World Heritage site, Herculaneum in which the town of Ercolano now stands.
Our trusty TomTom which we take with us whenever we self-drive did a good job of making sure we took the right turn off. It had trouble, however, recognising “Herculaneum”. With no signage directing us to the ruins visible, we played a guessing game resulting in driving up and down the main street a couple of times entering from different ends after circumnavigating the central town area.
The main street of Ercolano
Ending up on a dead end street we decided to do the sensible thing of stopping to ask directions. A group of men are having a lively and animated discussion outside a cafe. They are gesticulating at each other. Fisticuffs are about to break out! We decide to distract them. In our limited Italian we asked the way to the “scarvi” (it means excavations In Italian).
They all looked at each other. We know what they were thinking “How to explain?”. Obviously we were nowhere near where we were supposed to be!
They looked at each other again and had another animated discussion between themselves, some smiling and some laughing. It looked like they had come up with a solution. Their argument is forgotten.
Two men directed us back into our car, put their motorbike helmets on and summoned us to follow. These two men guided us through the streets to the site of the ruins, directing us to where the entrance was before leading us into the public car park, ensuring we knew how and where to pay and then disappearing like genies before we had an opportunity to thank or give them a token of our appreciation.
Left to our own devices, it would be safe to assume that we would have given up our search for Herculaneum and missed out on spending a wonderful couple of hours wandering through this ancient city. Excavations have unearthed better preserved buildings and artefacts than Pompeii giving visitors a better idea of how life was lived in Roman times.
That evening He discovers that his watch keeps falling off his wrist. The watchband needs a replacement pin. Next morning we wander into a jewellery shop close to the Pompeii ruins. Using sign language we indicate the problem. The older gent takes a while. Hello. How much is this going to cost? We have heard of unscrupulous locals who take advantage of travellers. He hammers away with a little hammer. I hope he hasn’t broken the watch. Then he walks over from his workbench smiling. There you go! It’s all fixed. How much? No charge. Come on, He is happy to pay. No, you are visitors to our country! It’s our duty to be hospitable. Enjoy your travels!
These are all small gestures which allows us to see the good in all the people we meet, appreciate and fall in love with travel.
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Basilica Sacre Coeur – worth strolling up the beautiful streets of Montmatre to end up at this stunning monument.
We’ve visited Paris before and we could never tire of the historic and beautiful city centre. This time though, we want to see more and lose ourselves in the backstreets where we can really see the life of this city.
One of the monuments we’ve decided to visit is the Sacré-Coeur on the hill of Montmartre, just outside the city centre and our morning walk is the perfect time to do this.
It is, however, the route to the top of the hill which is the highlight for us.
While our self-guided walking tour begins at Place Pigalle taking us past more well-known sights like the legendary Moulin Rouge and the windmills on Rue Lepic we are soon walking up with steep and winding cobbled streets which take us past the pretty vine-covered houses where many acclaimed artists and writers have lived and through beautiful small parks.
We are excited to follow an out-of-the-way alley, walk down some stairs to see the strange statue of a man’s hand, leg and torso emerging from a wall and vow to make sure we read the short story Le Passe-Muraille by Marcel Ayme which inspired this sculpture.
A little further and come across the little vineyard Clos Montmartre, on a street corner. This working vineyard is one of the last vineyards in Paris and still produces a small amount of wine every year which is auctioned off for charity.
As promised, the grounds of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica provide some of the best views over the city of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower. The Notre Dame in the centre Paris attracts longs queues of visitors for its architecture, but this stunning white stone monument holds a commanding presence at the top on Montmartre hill and is well worth taking the time to venture out to.
Our favourite little find after wandering down the hill past little cafes and bistros in this eclectic neighbourhood is the small beautiful square at the base of the hill in Place des Abbesses. The shady enclave holds Le Mur des Je t’aime (the wall of love). The tiles which make up the wall are covered with the word “I love you” written in 250 languages. It’s fun to scour the wall to find the phrase written in languages you know and a lovely place to sit, reflect and soak in the atmosphere of this unique part of this unique city of love.
Travellers note:
We designed our self-guided walking tour with the guidance of a number of online sources and the Lonely Planet – Paris, DK Eyewitness France and Frommer’s Walking Tour 1 in Paris.
Le Passe-Muraille (the Passer-through walls) is located in Place Marcel Aymé just off Rue Norvins – see the map here for the location.
Ale Mur des Je t’aime is located in Place des Abbesses –see the map here for the location.
More interesting self-guided walking tours are offered here – we have completed all of them.
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We’ve had our fair share of rain here in Brisbane! Almost non-stop for the past couple of weeks. Unusual for southeast Queensland at this time of year.
As I go about my daily life under the protection of my over-sized golf umbrella, I see tourists walking about with their backpacks, rain jackets and mini umbrellas trying to make the most of their stay in our city.
It reminds me of a rainy day in Spain.
It was the middle of July and we’d arrived in Barcelona having spent ten days leisurely driving south from Madrid to Andalucia and then up along the coastal route taking some time to join the Spanish holidaymakers in the beach towns of Denia and Peniscola.
We had already spent a couple of days exploring the city. It was our first visit to Barcelona and the city was living up to our expectations. A fantastic blend of cultures, Mediterranean influenced cuisine and amazing architecture.
Throughout our time in Spain, the weather had been hot and dry, just as it should be in July. Perfect conditions for those of us who like to travel to warmer climes when winter is upon us at home.
In a city which only experiences, on average, 55 days of rainfall in a year, with July being a month when wet weather should be rare, we are surprised to wake to the sound of heavy rain. We take our time over breakfast hoping that the rain will ease. As simple travellers, we are in no hurry. We do not have a train to catch or tour group to meet. We have no agenda, we are free to decide how we want to spend our day.
We are, however, tourists and the last thing we want is to waste a day sitting inside! We don our jackets and arm ourselves with our little travel umbrellas and head outdoors with no particular destination in mind.
Rain changes a city. A sense of urgency replaces the relaxed atmosphere of the previous day. Everyone is fighting for their space on the pavement dodging the splashes caused by cars in the narrow streets.
As if by chance we end up sheltering from a heavy downpour across the road from Palau Guell. The interesting wrought-iron work on the façade of the building has caught our attention. While this place had not been on our list of places to visit, it’s time to go in somewhere dry.
The grand entrance
As it turns out, this ends up being the perfect place to spend a rainy morning. The house was designed by Antoni Gaudi in the late 1880’s for industrialist Eusebi Guell. We were lucky, the townhouse had just re-opened after undergoing extensive restoration. This was not just any city dwelling. Ornate carved wooden ceilings in some rooms, doors infused with gold leaf, intricate stained glass were all examples of the riot of styles characteristic of Gaudi creations to create an impressive dwelling.
The sun was starting to peek through the clouds as we reached the pinnacle of Gaudi’s play on our senses. If the inside of the building was spectacular in its own peculiar way, Gaudi had decided to make sure his rooftop was a creation in itself. The twenty weird and wonderful chimneys and spire were worth the climb.
An extraordinary “by chance” find for us on a rainy day in Spain.
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The quiet lane outside our apartment in Old Town, Arezzo, is a far from the hustle and bustle of the larger and more well known towns and cities of Tuscany.
I scroll through the emails in my “inbox” luring me to spend money and time in luxurious spas, hotels and resorts at truly affordable rates offering inclusions and options too good to knock back. I stare dreamily at the screen seeing myself lying back on a sun lounge by the pool reading my favourite book in one of these exotic destinations.
It doesn’t take long to be shaken back into reality! Who am I kidding? Two days of this type of holiday and I will literally be running out of the place!
Advertising and rigorous competition amongst hotels and resorts make it easy to be convinced that we need to get away from our hectic daily lives. It is easy to be convinced into making travel decisions which include being pampered so we can relax and rejuvenate in accommodation which include offers to indulgent gourmet meals and luxurious facilities. It is no wonder that we can easily be swayed to incorporating this type of accommodation with our travel.
For the simple traveller, it is more about what the world has to offer; an opportunity to see the many natural and historic wonders, experience different cultures, traditions and food, interact with people who live in the countries which are different from ours and observe people in their daily lives.
Travelling simply has allowed us to experience all of the above and more by choosing to stay in accommodation where we become part of the local community, even for a short time. This does not mean that we compromise our comfort or the facilities available to us. We often save a few days for indulgence at the end of a holiday but make the most of the rest of our time away to really experience what our destination has to offer.
From past experience, choosing to see a country by travelling as part of a tour group doesn’t provide room for choice. The decisions are often already made for you. The only dilemma you may on occasion be faced with is the choice of which “star” of accommodation you want to pay for if this option is even offered. You’ll generally have breakfast and dinner in the hotel, eat lunch on the run between stops at places of interest with the occasional themed group dinner giving you an opportunity to test the local cuisine.
Making the conscious decision to avoid hotel accommodation as much as possible by staying in self-catering style accommodation has provided us with a feeling that we are truly seeing a city, region or country. Not to mention, leaving us with many unique memories and connections along with an abundance of stories to tell.
Choosing to stay in apartments doesn’t mean that you will self-cater every day by cooking and eating the same type of meals that you would have at home. It does mean that you stay in local neighbourhoods, have the opportunity to eat and drink where the locals do, watch the locals go about their daily lives, and option to sometimes shop at the local fresh food markets to try some of the delicacies in the comfort of your apartment when you’ve had enough of eating at restaurants and cafes and are craving for some simple food.
Booking an apartment has become so much easier in recent times. A large number of websites and apps are available to do the research for you providing comparisons and deals at a “click”. Apartments are plentiful, more often than not providing all the luxuries of a hotel room with the added benefit of extra space.
The smart thing to do is choose a neighbourhood in the city area where the sights you wish to visit are within walking distance or accessible by public transport. Stay for a few days or longer if you’re lucky enough to spare the time to give you the opportunity to really feel like you are a local and drink in the atmosphere. Take the time to make expeditions into neighbouring towns and areas off the beaten track. This is what will make your holiday truly memorable.
If the travel aim is to rush from one sight to another ticking them off your “Bucket List”, this style of travel may not suit. Take a tour which will take you from sight to sight, and join the throngs of other tourists on the same tour plan. See the same tourists from the last hotel you stayed at as they step off their tour bus into your hotel and join them for dinner in the same restaurant.
What you will miss out on is meeting the people of the country you are wanting to see, eating where the locals eat which is often an experience in itself as well as a chance to observe and create your own view of the people.
Don’t get me wrong; not all of our accommodation choices have ended up being as good as they appeared in the photos. Hotel chains have high standards to live up to and apartment owners are not accountable to anyone. However, if you take note of reviews and make a little time to diligently research the property and area you wish to stay in you will be rewarded with wonderful hosts, lovely accommodation and a chance to live like a local.
The highlight of choosing to stay in smaller, localised accommodation is the interesting local people you will meet who give you an insight into their locality. Often, this starts with your hosts who are a mine of knowledge and advice on when and where to eat, unique places to visit, special activities or events taking place around the local area and the best place to shop! A great number of our hosts have gone out of their way to obtain tickets to events, provide us with detailed information on what to see and do, assisted and recommended places to stay in onward destinations. One has even vacated and provided their own home to us for our stay when all their apartments have been “booked out”.
There is no real dilemma: there is little excuse to stay in hotels if you want to really want to have an authentic travel experience.
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