The Pensions and Zimmers gap year

We had a wonderful and restful time at Paul and Debbie´s house in Sierra do Piscarea. Memorable times were the magnificent sunsets from the terrace, the wild wild waves of Praia do Sago, sundaylunch of Cozido at ´Ó Auzol´, the charming hilltop town of Obidos,´Shrimps in Garlic´, sunbathing and swimming Sao Martino ......and of course the company of old friends, 2 of whom we took to Lisbon airport and two more who left to brave the strikes and revolts of france en route for Calais. Now we are two! Tom and I stayed for a couple of days in Potrugal, then ventured into the hinterland of Spain. What sights we have seen! Forests,plains, mountains, vineyards and scrubland with huge precarious boulders eruptingfrom the ground.We have seen Kites and eagles. boar in oak forestsand black cattle roaming ... read more

Day 24 Time to leave the city and make our way south to our next resting place, Can Gordei. Slight problem, after eating breakfast and packing the cars, Tom’s car is hemmed in, the owner of the offending vehicle has parked and gone off into the city. Phone call from reception and a promise to return, coffee and endless waiting eventually results in success, the owner returns and is surprisingly mystified as to the problem his parking has caused. We leave the city by a slightly different route to that selected by Tom Tom and make our way to our villa with pool. The journey is easy but not if you ignore the instructions of both navigator and TomTom. However, a successful phone call back to England confirms we are sitting outside our destination, as if ... read more

Very special day today as we crossed the pyrenees...very winding mountain road affording stunning views and the sound of cow bells...stopped at 5500 feet to take in air and mountain water from a spring. Descended into Tossas for a coffee before continuing to our destination...Sant Quirza del Borosa- a one-horse town with no eateries. Little did we know what was to follow. Having booked into the hotel,two of the three rooms allocated were not cleaned. This was rectified, only to result in water pouring from the light socket in the bathroom of one room...meaning a change of room. The newly allocated electronic keys then failed to open the door...oh what fun!!! Having ascertained that there was absolutely nowhere else to eat in town, we had great fun, after a bottle of cava, convincing a genial barman ... read more

Day 10 After the disappointment of Cap D’Agde the stay at Peret restored our vision of rural France. Having left Peret we quickly came across a local wine cooperative and bought boxes of red and rose wine without traditional tasting. Drove through Languedoc to Bedarieux for coffee, followed by lunch, three ‘platters’ of tomato, ravioli and cheese. Arrived at La Celeste, our accommodation for the next week, just after 4pm and later cooked our first meal for some time after a swim in the pool. Covering the pool at night will be a military operation! Day 11 First none driving day so far after late breakfast and early morning swim. Weather rather cloudy at first but eventually the sun came out and allowed us all to swim and enjoy the sun. It’s exciting to watch the ... read more

Day 7 Just thought, you don't know who's writing do you? Here's a little quiz, you have to guess each day who has written what! Last night we got to be about as rebellious as we get now we are in our dotage. In the sixties we joined the revolution and manned the barricades, now we giggle as we break hotel rules and picnic in our room! Last night was another one of incredible thunder and lightning with the concomitant floods in the carpark and garden. We walked into the nearest village and had coffee beneath plane trees in the square then walked through a tunnel up the hill behind the village - the views were stunning down to the Rhone.{ See Sue Bish- we can do tunnels and views too! Later we drove to Le ... read more