Blogs from Calais, Nord-Pas de Calais, France, Europe - page 4

- history: tied between Roman ruin Volubilis, and the Fes medina, in Morocco - beautiful architecture: Glaoui Palaces in Marrakesh and Telouet. Those Glaouis had some cash. - bizarre architecture: Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's cathedral in Barcelona, a truly extraordinary sight, albeit not necessarily a beautiful one. - unusual sight: tannery in Fes. - view: glacier blanc, French Alps. - beautiful journey: Tizi'n Tichka between Telouet and Marrakesh. - hotel: Perle Du Dades in Morocco. Beautifully put together place, wonderful hospitality. - food: La Lanterna in Riomaggiore, Italy. - hospitality: wine and snacks in Pat and Alan's garden in Treignac. - enclave: Gibraltar. - meal on a boat: at the marina in Barcelona. Nothing on a boat that was moving (i.e. from Tanger to Genoa) was anywhere near. - touts: Marrakesh. Steer as clear as possible. - ... read more

Last day today, off to Calais in readiness for our ferry home. Not a good night’s sleep as large family occupying the static behind us, as the night before, made a terrible noise, banging and shouting until 4am. I promised the lady from the caravan across from ours that I would report at reception so did as we left. Felt very sorry for the other people in the statics round about if they get that every night and we wonder if that is why the family left us their pitch ! As it is so very built up, motorway wise, round The Hague and all points south we decided to go with the flow and take the motorways. Through The Hague and round Rotterdam where on one stretch we counted 14 lanes of motorway. At some ... read more

Thursday - Back to Bois-en-Ardres Thursday - The Green Room It’s time to move on. I have to be back home for a family wedding on Saturday. So it’s “thank you”s and “goodbye”s to Nick and Anne who have put me up and put up with me and showed me around the local area for the last week. I load up the car and head for Calais. Fortunately this time Ken and my Satnav don’t want me to go through the middle of Paris and I have a fairly uneventful journey back to Bois-en-Ardres. The roads are almost empty. But the roads are expensive. It costs me about €40 in tolls for a journey of about 350 miles. On the next day I drove from Dover to Mansfield, a journey of just over 200 miles - ... read more

Ok! For ANYONE who thinks about traveling on a uk bus 2 days straight I advise to think again!! Aircon kept going off and on, and as a result I was sweating like a bitch on heat, PLUS the nite before I had a few sherrys, so I had the drink sweats as well! Add that to sitting on a solid coach seat for 4 hours then again for 8 hours = a very chaffed and sore arse! So I advise getting a train, maybe more expensive but far less problems! And OMG I nearly broke my own neck by trying to sleep sitting on those bus chairs :() I think everytime the bus slowed down ( which was alot) while I was dozing my head would suddenly flicked forward and it 'sseriously not a nice ... read more

we parked up at the same place as last year in calais. as soon as we parked up, an unmarked police car pulled up beside us and decided to search us. they even wanted to know what the metal pole was for. when we told them it was the table leg they said ok. they only decided to search me and made me empty out all my pockets. they asked us if we had any drugs then they told us there was a political stir going on and there were riots in calais that night we seen a gang of people shouting and making loads of noise, walking in the streets. when police arrived they were still shouting and making loads of noise right outside the police car, at the police. we ended up in a ... read more