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Post by solaria on Jul 21, 2015 3:52:53 GMT
OK folks, here's the start of the next Tour we took - Here Can only do this in fine, warmish weather as my studio is out in the garden and 1. I don't want to run out in the rain to get here, and 2. if the sun is shining through the north facing windows its nice and warm - no heating in here. sun is going down towards the West now so that's me for now. Inside the house for a coffee and our nice warm gas fire! Cheers ,or should that be 'au revoir' ?!  |
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Post by tiffany on Jul 21, 2015 11:46:12 GMT
I also went on this tour in 2012, so I’m looking forward to reading your tale and comparing tours.
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Post by californian on Jul 21, 2015 13:38:54 GMT
I went in September of 2011, and we had totally different weather, I went a few days earlier, France was having a heat wave and in Paris the temp was over 90 and humid, not too great for walking! These past few days I have been remembering and looking at the pictures, my daughter is in the Bordeaux area on a wine cruise, the ship just docked in Lebourne and they were bicycling to St. Emilion. Today is her birthday, can't think of a better way of celebrating it. I would love to go back. Looking forward to the rest of the tale, Solaria, thank you.
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Post by marielouise on Jul 21, 2015 14:52:40 GMT
The first part of your tour is very similar to the tour I took with our daughters 10 years ago at Christmas. We also stayed at the Boscolo hotel in Nice that time. I preferred the location to the Radisson with Insight tours which was quite a long walk from the centre.
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Post by californian on Jul 21, 2015 15:46:47 GMT
Yes, the Boscolo location is perfect for exploring Old Nice, take a cruise, walk the promenade, and it is a very nice hotel. I can't remember the name or location of a previous stay, but it was not nearly as good.
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Post by kiwigrandma on Jul 22, 2015 4:59:39 GMT
OK folks, here's the start of the next Tour we took - Here Can only do this in fine, warmish weather as my studio is out in the garden and 1. I don't want to run out in the rain to get here, and 2. if the sun is shining through the north facing windows its nice and warm - no heating in here. sun is going down towards the West now so that's me for now. Inside the house for a coffee and our nice warm gas fire! Cheers ,or should that be 'au revoir' ?! Will enjoy reading this. We just did tour of France with globas but you seem to be going to different places. Always interested to see what other nzs like and don't like when they tour. Looking forward to next part. (Beautiful day today) |
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Post by solaria on Jul 22, 2015 5:20:07 GMT
Hello Kiwigrandma - me also!
yes, a beautiful day but I was out and about so no time for 'typing' in my studio. also have to be away from home tomorrow that's also predicted fine. hopefully the weekend will be OK !?
cheers Jay
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Post by plane2catch on Jul 22, 2015 10:20:49 GMT
Solaria this was one of my favorite trips as a solo traveler. The hotels were great the food superb and optional activity list diverse. Loved the Mt. Range near Spain and setting foot in each country. Carcassonne was beautiful as well as Berlitz, Enjoyed all hotels but one night and really enjoyed the night in the old manor house, Looking forward to your travel tale. Did you get to Mt.Michael and the Normandy beaches. So much history a nice included stop at the Monet Garden made a nice ending into a once in a life time trip. I almost missed the cream de le crumb at the farewell dinner in a nice basement of a dinner with much ambience, Looking forward to your impressions of the Chateaus. Can't wait to finish reading your tale.
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Post by tiffany on Jul 23, 2015 11:44:54 GMT
I just finished reading the first part of your tale, and so far it’s very similar to the tour I did I 2012. The only difference is we had a lot of rain!
I too loved Nice and St Paul de Vence. I would go back to both places some day.
Looking forward to reading the rest of your tale.
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Post by solaria on Jul 24, 2015 4:30:26 GMT
I got the chance to get some work done in my studio today (Friday) before the predicted bad weekend weather sets in. no sun at all today so rather chilly out there and I only stayed an hour or two. Managed to complete part two of our tour. You can read it Here |
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Post by kiwigrandma on Jul 24, 2015 5:25:07 GMT
Loving your tale. We too went to Lourdes and stayed the night. I went to candlelight procession and thought it very moving. (I'm not catholic) but didn't get to see water or things you saw. I was just too tired to walk around when we got there and so missed it. Wish I'd made more of an effort.
weather dull and cold today in Auckland. Look forward to next bit of tale.
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Post by solaria on Jul 28, 2015 1:52:27 GMT
Well, I managed to get out to my studio between showers this morning and then had to remain there for nearly 3 hours while it bucketed down! however,not cold and I finished the third and final part of our French tour. Hope you enjoy it. you can find it Here |
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Post by kiwigrandma on Jul 28, 2015 6:22:19 GMT
So nice to read your travel tale and see your photos. We too went to lots places you went to on our globas tour this year. Our tour didn't go to Monet gardens so we did on our own. We too went to moulin rouge. amazing show. Sounds like you had better weather than us. Rained every day we were in paris so that was little disappointing. Got very wet and cold. But can't do anything about the weather. Some of your hotels sound lovely. Glad you had such a good time. Have you got any other travel tales or are you planning any other tours.
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Post by solaria on Jul 28, 2015 7:35:49 GMT
Hello KG  yes I have one more tour tale to put on line. after France we went to Asissi & Umbria with Globus. no more trips/tours in the pipeline. while we were buying & shifting into our new place our passports expired. I then heard (and now its so ) that NZ was going back to 10 year passports next year so I'm waiting until then and then see. I'd like to do Canada/Akaska and also a cruise from Vienna to Amsterdam, but all just dreams at the moment. then, of course we diud throw our coins in Trevi again so we'll be going back to Italy some time as I never had enough time in Florence. so much to doin the meantime - we have to replace the roof on our beach bach! Then the inside needs repainting, so ..... Lotto win?!! |
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Post by tiffany on Jul 28, 2015 11:48:01 GMT
So nice to read your travel tale and see your photos. We too went to lots places you went to on our globas tour this year. Our tour didn't go to Monet gardens so we did on our own. We too went to moulin rouge. amazing show. Sounds like you had better weather than us. Rained every day we were in paris so that was little disappointing. Got very wet and cold. But can't do anything about the weather. Some of your hotels sound lovely. Glad you had such a good time. Have you got any other travel tales or are you planning any other tours. I went on this tour in Oct of 2012, and it rained almost every day on my tour too. There’s not much you can do about the weather though! My friend and I tried not to let the rain get us down, and still enjoyed this tour. |
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Post by californian on Jul 28, 2015 16:48:13 GMT
When I took this tour in 2011 it was too warm, in the 90's in Paris, so hot I had to skip a walking tour, I returned to the hotel for a few hours, went out again and it rained a little, lovely, the next day I went to the Luxemburg gardens among other things and enjoyed the rain immensely! Loved Paris in the rain!
Solaria, it seems you didn't go to St. Jean de Lux, near Spain and south of Biarritz, to me it was one of the highlights of the Best of France. And of course Omaha Beach, we stayed there for a few hours even watched how a couple of our group participated in the ceremony of lowering the flag at the end of the day, an uncle had died in the battle of St. Lo and was buried there, that made the whole visit to the Normandy beaches even more personal.
Enjoyed your tale and you pictures, thank you, Solaria.
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Post by tiffany on Jul 29, 2015 11:31:36 GMT
I didn’t go to St. Jean de Lux on my tour either. Maybe they removed it from the itinerary in 2012.
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Post by marielouise on Jul 29, 2015 17:15:00 GMT
Thanks for your tale, Solaria. I have enjoyed reliving the our, our winter tour was much shorter, from Lourdes we went to Bordeaux, and then to Tours, Chenonceau and Chambord and back to Paris. A few years later DH and I went on Insights Country roads of France which was great but did not include Normandy.
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