Last weeks

We're winding down here in France. I'm looking forward to seeing my family, the Aussie bush, BBQs and Vegemite.

Firenze

View over Florence from Fiesole

Pat's company gave its workers the day between Armistice Day and the weekend off so we took ourselves to Italy. We left at about 11 (the usual slow start) and had made it to the Rapallo exit of the motorway at lunchtime. We had camped here in 2000 and visited Portofino. After a small picnic, eaten overlooking the rocky coast and snowy mountains behind we did a drive to Portofino then hopped back on the motorway. Unfortunately we ended up in Florence's peak hour traffic in the rain and after the long drive all Pat wanted to do was get out of there. So we ended up in Finesole in the hills behind Florence and found a room. The room and the restaurant we ate at were rather overpriced. This was a product of high tourist traffic no doubt because the town had a great view over Florence, Roman ruins and an interesting history.
We toyed with the idea of getting the bus in to Florence but eventually caved in to taking the car. This turned out to be a quite expensive option as we parked in the main railway station carpark but easier for getting somewhere to stay.
The walk around in the streets was enjoyable although there seemed to be building or restoration works going on all over including the Baptistry. First stop was the Palazzo Vecchio, containing some ingenious Medici architecture and beautifully decorated state rooms. We walked past the Uffizi queue down past the Ponte Vecchio and had lunch near the Palazzo Pitti. Then we were resigned to a long wait in the Uffizi gallery queue - the main attraction we hadn't seen last time we were here. An hour and a half later of sitting and standing in the cold stone walkway we were in! I was disappointed by the paintings. I guess they were amazingly priceless but the repetition of Annuciation, Crucifixion and Madonna e Bambino left me cold. Botticelli's Birth of Venus was a consolation and the few Rubens and Rembrandts. I enjoyed the Amsterdam and Vienna galleries more.
Back at the station we were trying to find accommodation and were approached by a man just outside the hotel booking service who offered a nice Bed and Breakfast Pensione for only 5€ more than we paid for the poor place the previous night. We took it and the nearby free parking as well.
We had a lovely meal in a Trattoria recommended by the Pensione owner near the main market in town. We had antipasti and veal and steak with porcini mushrooms.
We drove back home the next day through Livorno and past Pisa, stopping in Genoa to walk along the seafront and have a hotdog.

Long weekend in Provence

We spent the weekend amongst ripening olives and autumn coloured vinyards of the Alpilles region of Provence. It was only a few hours drive by motorway and we were able to visit Le Baux de Provence on the first afternoon even though we only left home at 11am. We found a pleasant hotel in Maussane nearby. Since it was raining the following morning we went to Arles which was fairly close and did Nimes on the public holiday Monday (All Saints Day).


Roman arena, Arles