May
1988

Spring in
Europe & Autumn in Australia
Sunday 1st May
PARIS - Day 8 Rain,
rain, rain!!! Cool
Metroed to Vincennes late on a mild and
interesting feeling morning lit by golden clouds. The Chateau
de Vincennes very quiet, peaceful, set in large open courtyards
with crumbling walls, a chalky clay ground rather nice to walk
on, and some beautiful tall horse chestnuts in bloom,
pleasantly random in alleys between the courtyards.
Before we had a chance to properly take in
the relaxed and almost rustic (if they were not so perfect)
proportions of this delightful place, heavy drops of warm rain
(at first) began to fall. By the time we had taken in the ruins
of the 'Donjon', walked around the squat but lovely cathedral,
and glimpsed the trees and perhaps woodland of the hazy Bois
below and across, it was raining so heavily that we had to
return home for a moderately successful siesta but a completely
washed out, and by now, cold day.
POSTCARD:
PARIS – '
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral'

[Written 1st May] Thank you for your
letters and for the birthday present. We have been having
excellent weather here for a week now, very warm after
Edinburgh with spring in full bloom. We have done most of
the tourist trails and have gone out of our way to get off
those well trodden tracks for the more pleasant market
going, people watching and park walking activities. There
are some marked changes since last I was here – notably more
tourists (1/10 of France's population!!!) and less native
wealth. TV is 100% imported programs dubbed into French,
compared with more like 30% 13 years ago. American culture
is all over the world. Some sights which I had not seen
before have been very rewarding, such as the Bois de
Boulogne – truly a wild forest, the church as St Sulpice
with its “egg” altar, and the Ronde Parc and late romantic
palace at the beginning of the Champs Elysees – French
people as always, very charming and helpful, tres gentils.
Notre Dame’s windows as beautiful as ever.
Monday 2nd May
PARIS - Day 9 Mostly
sunny and mild
Were to go to Versailles today and Jeu de
Paume tomorrow but Versailles was closed and Jeu de Paume was
closed tomorrow so we had to reverse the order. C's feet in a
bit of a mess due to overtight shoes, tinea and an infected
quick. Lovely bright big fleecy clouds on a bright azure blue
backdrop under a radiantly beaming sun in the early afternoon
as we reached the Jeu de Paume to find it boarded up. Went
instead to the nearby Orangerie and were not disappointed. Here
work from the early Impressionists, Monet and Renoir right
through the Avant Garde Paris School, Matisse, Utrillo to
Picasso and the early French Modernists, all absolutely
fantastic, including Cezanne at his most colourful, poetic and
brilliant. Neither were we disappointed with the incredibly
large Monet panoramas in the basement below, his famous
'Waterlillies' series, which demand the onlooker to participate
in the creative act. Also in the idea of the delicate and
robust, solid and reflected forms, and in the colour of forms,
before finally in the process of visual and artistic
construction.
Discovered tonight the little suburb of
interlocking streets where every single window is a cheap
restaurant. Metro St. Michel, rue de la Harpe, rue de St.
Severin, bounded by boulevards St. Michel and St. Germaine.
Gorgeous meal of Tunisian 'cous cous' (cracked wheat) with
vegetables cooked in a tomoto-paprika soup, chilli and the meat
of your choice, all for less than $10. Incredible value since
you can eat as much of this as you like. Unfortunately, another
dreadful night's sleep with incessant noise.
Tuesday 3rd May
PARIS - Day 10 Very
cold, changeable and wet with thunderstorms
Aerial view of Versailles
Formal garden
Another view of the garden
Royal bed chamber
Summer house
Choose an image to begin
Versailles. C hobbling about on an infected
toe - it took about half an hour just to get to our metro!
Despite this and the obvious difficulty of adverse weather, we
had an absolutely magnificent day at Versailles under a very
changeable but always dramatic sky. Lots of tourists but not
unpleasantly packed out. The highlights were:
-
The vast cobbled courtyard on which we had to
queue, now in a thundershower, now in piercing
golden light, the awesome spectacle of the world's
greatest palace all around, Baroque masterpiece of
Houduin-Mansart and Louis XIV (the "Sun King");
-
The Sun-King's private chapel, huger, more
magnificent and more uplifting than most of the
world's cathedrals;
-
17th & 18th century royal apartments, each room
more ornate, more lavish and more spellbinding,
until by the time one arrives at the Hall of
Mirrors, one feels an overawing dreaminess;
-
Fountains, trees, lakes, and woodland paths of
sheer enchantment at the height of spring's glory,
translucent new leaves glowing richly and warmly
green under a strong sun, every now and then
drenched by the heavy shower of a passing storm
cloud.
Saw Agatha Christies 'Appointment with
Death' starring Peter Ustinov - very entertaining.
Wednesday 4th May
PARIS - Day 11 Rain
clearing and cool
Moved to 'Hotel Claude Bernard', still noisy
but comfortably so and much more relaxed apartment and
attractively decorated. C unable to move about much. I spent a
pleasant afternoon at the Pompidou Centre exploring its
fabulous modern art collections including an exhibition of
Picasso's later paintings and etchings.
Thursday 5th May
PARIS - Day 12
Changeable
C now with a fever and continual pain from
foot infection. Doctor visited for 350FF leaving a prescription
for six medications including antibiotics. Unable to move about
at all today.
Friday 6th May
PARIS - Day 13 Mild,
sunny & 21 degrees
Much better night's sleep here at the 'Hotel
Claude Bernard'. What a relief and gorgeous coffee, orange
juice and fresh croissants brought up to our room and placed on
C's lap (who was still half asleep) by a very nice chambermaid.
View of Notre Dame from our balcony in pleasant though hazy
sunlight.
Went out briefly with C to buy him some new
Reebok shoes, flexible, casual and roomy. Infection still
incapacitating, if anything slightly worse although the
dizziness not so marked. Dinner in the room for the second
night running. Very pleasant melange of pizza, salad and
'sandwich'.
Saturday 7th May
PARIS - Day 14 Hot,
humid & 30 degrees!
The day we were supposed to meet A at the
Champs Elysees. In fact I ended waiting at the hotel with C
until 7pm, which A had suggested as a second point of
rendezvous - he must have forgotten to bring the address with
him. While we waited, we watched Pat Cash win the French Open
on our TV - what a coinicidence. By this time C was feeling
very slightly better so was able to slowly hobble to St.
Severin for an unforgettably delicious couscous at
Yasmins. Not such a good nights sleep tonight,
riotous celebrations and beeping of horns as Mitterand had won
the Presidential election. Luckily there was a great film on
late in English, 'The Runaway Train' starring Jon Voight in
which there is the unforgettable verbal exchange: "What are
you, some kind of animal?" His reply, "No lady, much much worse
- we're humans."
Sunday 8th May
PARIS - Day 15 Warm,
sultry & 23 degrees
Woken up at 7am by bells peeling in the
Greek Orthodox Church across the road. Very beautiful and
distinctive cadences in the bell ringing, slightly oriental,
and heavenly singing filtering up to our room.
Took our laundry to St. Paul and ate
strawberries while it completed its cycle, also took another
short look at the Column in the Place de la Bastille. Then
metroed to Gare d'Austerlitz to buy tickets and reserve seats
for tomorrow's trip to the Loire Valley. Beautiful roast pork
at the Gare Restaurant, as good as most we have encountered. A
simple French dinner right next to St. Severin Church, very
cheap but pleasant.
Monday 9th May
Paris to TOURS - Day 1 Overcast, foggy &
19 degrees
Our first train trip in France on the
'Grandes Lignes' through hill country south of Paris, then up
onto a flat grassy plateau before descending to the Loire at
Orleans. Baggage heavy and difficult, so we were lucky to be
sharing a spacious compartment for 8 with only 2 others, one an
eccentric old mum with plenty of spirit and lots to say on her
way down to Tarbes. She told us the English were "tres severe"
and "tres grave". Magnificent scenery in the Loire Valley, rich
dense forests with lots of vines and creepers not unlike
jungle. Countryside a patchwork quilt, sometimes with extensive
vistas of maize or corn to the horizon, sometimes variegated
squares of rich, red-brown earth, of waving grass, and of
fields of flowers, each square bordered by the most superb rows
of ancient trees, set against a constant backdrop of wild
woodland never far away. Houses and villages also very
attractive, well kept but very old and earthy.
Our hotel room at Tours a little plain but
with extraordinary panorama of the main railway square below.
In late afternoon walked through the 17th and 18th century
quarter to St. Gatien's Cathedral, with its superb late Gothic
spires. Some beautiful gardens in spring bloom and lots of
narrow, winding, sleepy, cobbled streets. After walking to the
river, very wide and fast flowing here, we visited old Tours
near the ruins of the huge cathedral, St. Julien begun by
Charlemagne in the early (Byzantine) Middle Ages, wandering
through ancient rambling alleys flanked by medieval townhouses,
mud and beam construction, mostly 3 or 4 storeys and in very
good condition though with amazing tilts and leans!. Delicious
meal of Poulet Normandy at Restaurant
Normandie near the station.
Tuesday 10th May
TOURS - Day 2 Changeable, mild & 21
degrees
After a very poor night's sleep due to
traffic whirling around the station square, went up to the
station restaurant for delicious local variety "straight"
croissants and very strong coffee, then took late morning train
down river to the sleepy village of Langeais with its imposing
fortress chateau,
Château d'Ussé. Before visiting the chateau however, we
had to pay a visit to a local village doctor because C had a
bad reaction to penicillin this morning, coming up in red weals
and some difficulty with breathing. After a very lively
consultation in French, an antihistamine injection and iodine
and silver nitrate treatment for the infected toe, we hobbled
up to the chateau. This turned out to be absolutely fantastic.
It is a lordly residence famed for its elaborate furnishings
and formal gardens, a vast meandering maze of sumptuous rooms
and stairways with gorgeous 15th century tapestries, a
disarmingly lifelike array of wax figures in equally gorgeous
medieval apparel (representing a frieze of a wedding that took
place here between Anne of Brittany and Louis VIII), and
magnificent views of the lovely old town below, a bevy of
terracotta roofs.
Our guide was a lively brown-eyed, straight
black-haired elfin type, intelligent and sensitive and who
reminded us both very much of my niece, S. Although her guided
tour was completely in French, she spoke so beautifully that
most of it was quite intelligible and extremely interesting. It
did help having an excellent English, room by room book as
well. Is this the Gothic type that settled the Loire and
Burgundy? After visiting the chateau we took a picnic lunch to
the station, a very sleepy place indeed, then walked beside the
river looking very rustic and pictureresque here.
Returned to the old town quarter of Tour
near Place Plumereau for a superb dinner which was ridiculously
the cheapest in six weeks of travel. Being the Pay du Vin, the
waiter (and host) was not content to give us a superb veal in
white wine sauce, pate lapine terrine and sorbet meal (all
local specialities), but also shouted us two full to the brim
glasses of the best local Vouvray! Incredibly, we had change
left from 40FF, meaning that this banquet for two cost (with
two glasses each of wine), a mere $10 in Australian
currency!!!
Wednesday 11th May
TOURS - Day 3 Mostly overcast and
warm
C already much better after starting the new
treatment prescribed by the eccentric village doctor yesterday,
although we both had a pretty bad nights sleep again due to
noise and so changed to a much better and truly delightful room
- very quiet with elegant chateau style antique furniture and
charming views over the untidy back streets. Very nice
management here, warm and friendly though formal and
courteous.
Took a mid-morning train through a wild,
densely wooded part of the Loire Valley to a point where the
road from Tours to Chinon is intersected by the Indre near the
town named Azay-le-Rideau. Arriving at midday rather famished,
we decided to lunch at the nearby 'Care de la Gare',
about 1.5 kms from the town and surrounded by fields, wooded
hills and pretty low lying swampland. This was once again a
true find as every lunchtime, a banquet is prepared here for
the local railway workers and farm labourers, including as much
wine as you care to drink, a selection of delicious entrees,
gourmet hot lunch of veal, potatoes and onion (a very popular
local dish this), cheese board with a selection of gorgeous
cheeses, four pieces of fruit (or dessert) plus coffee, all for
a fixed price of 36FF for the two of us.
A most enjoyable, rather long walk
along a rustic tree lined road, flanked on one side by steeply
wooded hills, on the other by low lying fields, giving way to
reedy swamps with some scattered magnificent huge and ancient
trees. Lots of birds in full song. Outskirts of the town
deliciously rustic yet elegant, including the home of dramatist
poet Rabelais. Very slow pace here, very sunny atmosphere.
Château d'Azay was built by Phippa Lesbahy, wife of
financier Gilles Bertholet, while her husband was away between
1518 and 1529, and is notable for its beautiful setting
surrounded by a small lake (or large moat) in whose still
waters its fairytale turrets are mirrored. It is one of the
great c
hâteaux of Francis I and contains accordingly, a fine
Musee of Renaissance furniture which we could easily have spent
an entire day, or perhaps a week delighting in. A truly
magnificent Renaissance interior, splendid timber ceilings and
heraldically carved fireplaces, every room exquisitely
proportioned and with its own unique constellation of
characteristics and colours perfectly offsetting the
others.
Thinking we had plenty of time to get back
to the station, we bought some delicious home-made yoghurt and
went for an increasingly boggy walk down an ancient avenue of
giant trees evidently for public use since a sign "pur la
chasse" (literally, for hunting) was placed at its entrance.
Some very beautiful flowers amidst river reeds and scattered
trees in wetlands supporting much birdlife. However, on
reaching the station, were told by the rail attendant that the
return trip was a bus from town - we ran all the way back
collecting two English girls on the way who had made the same
mistake. Dreadful dinner, our first in France, at a very cheap
and nasty cafeteria near the station run by a scar-faced
character with an infectious grin who reminded us acutely of
caricatures depicting the French Revolution, e.g. smiling or
even leering peasant guardsmen dispatching aristocrats to
Madame Guillotine.
A delightful uninterrupted sleep in our
charming new room at 'Hotel de l'Europe'.
Thursday 12th May
TOURS - Day 4 Clearing to a sunny
afternoon, hazy but very warm & 26 degrees (?)
Fantastic breakfasts here, the best we have
had in France with lots of fresh orange juice, croissants,
bread rolls and lovely coffee complete with starched linen
napkins.
Decided to take a bus tour today in view of
yesterdays nearly appalling consequences by train. An excellent
decision as we were able to fit in an enormous amount of
sightseeing without any logistical worries, including guided
tours in English of three superlative c
hâteaux at a ridiculously cheap price. Another excellent
reason for taking these tour buses in France is that here they
work out their routes in a way calculated to give maximum
aesthetic pleasure from sights, countryside and wilderness
along the road. Nor were we disappointed this morning as the
bus took us through some of the most exquisitely beautiful
parts of Touraine, following the Indre between densely wooded
hills from Montbazon to Loches. Built on steep hillside
overlooking some of the prettiest pastoral countryside in
France, now beginning to be dotted here and there with bright
red poppies, the cobbled, walled and ancient village of Loches
offers the tourist from its high terraces within the chateau,
some glorious vistas.
It was in Loches
Château that Joan of Arc incited Charles VII to leave
the beseiged castle for Rheims where he was crowned. Afterwards
he returned to his residence in Loches where he spent his
happiest years "ravishing" Agnes Sorel, Frances most favoured
royal mistress who encouraged a lavish and sumptuous court of
her own in an individual stye between High Gothic and Early
Renaissance. Marvellous flamboyant fireplaces, gorgeous
tapestries, rooms of perfect proportions and fine paintings,
not to mention the extraordinary view from the battlements,
made this a memorable visit. The most spectacular dungeons in
Europe are also at Loches built by France's last truly Gothic
King, Louis XI (1461-1483), who made a prison out of the very
rooms where his father Charles VII had led such an ostentatious
life. Here we saw dank, dark, damp, dripping corridors hewn
from the stone cavities that yielded the building material for
the old chateau, now given up to torture and detention, in some
places, 50 feet beneath the earth. Some of these rooms and
passageways actually had a kind of sad beauty, a perfection of
form and craftsmanship strange in such a dark place, and
especially evident in the beautifully arched subterranean dome
in which an Archbishop, fallen from favour with the King, was
suspended in a wooden cage (which we also saw). Coming out into
the dazzling sunlight we descended through the narrow cobbled,
but very stately streets of old Loches, for a brilliant lunch
of Pate de Campagne, local trout a la Touraine, gorgeous Prune
Tart and simply astounding bottle of local sparkling wine
Mousseau, which we shared with an American friend, Norman, a
doctor from San Francisco writing plays in his spare time.
From Loches we then headed north and a
little east across wider hills growing what appeared to be
corn, and punctuated every now and then by rustic villages and
wild forests, until we descended again after not many miles to
the valley of the Cher, and the fairytale castle of Chenonceau
(often known as the
Château of the Six Women). Coming down into the Touraine
from the hills of Poitu, the rich, brown, fast flowing waters
of the Cher are over spanned by the six perfect arches of this,
the most beautiful c
hâteau, which became a royal castle in 1531 but is now
owned by an absentee 'Chocolate Baron' industrialist. This was
the most crowded of all the c
hâteaux that we had visited, and on a balmy, hot golden
afternoon these milling throngs added to, oddly, the colour of
an already most colourful Renaissance marvel. Although some of
the decoration reflects the magnificence and taste of Francis
I, the truly splendid alterations and furnishings were mainly
due to first, Diane de Poitiers, to whom Chenonceau was offered
by Henri II as "his perfect friend", and secondly, due to the
brilliant and artistic Catherine de Medici, wife of Henri II,
who envied her husband's mistress and eventually chased her
from the c
hâteau. Nothing more serene or dreamlike could be
imagined than standing here in one of these most beautiful
rooms on earth watching the Cher rushing inexorably below - and
not far below either. After a brief walk in the bois near the c
hâteau, and watching incessantly falling blossom blown
in the warm mid-afternoon breeze and forming a white dew on one
of the pretty canals, we left for Amboise on the Loire, a short
10km drive through lazy countryside.


Bird's eye view of Chenonceau
Chateau Chenonceau
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After marrying Anne of Brittany at Longeais,
Charles VIII, son of Louis XI, the first Renaissance King,
spent most of his life at Amboise employing the best architects
and craftsmen to construct the St. Hubert chapel and to
transform the fortress into the most attractive post-Gothic
residence for his discerning wife, herself a learned artist and
patron of the Arts. His life's work was devoted to making her
stay here more pleasant, and in the process it has been said
that the pre-Renaissance was conceived at Amboise at the court
of Charles and Anne. On his return from a victorious Italian
campaign, the King brought back painters, Italian artisans and
gardeners, and everything was set in motion to make Amboise the
most beautiful palace in France (and a setting for magical
celebrations) when the young King accidently knocked his
forehead against the lintel of the great gate whilst riding in,
killing himself and Anne of Brittany (who also married the next
King, Louis XII) moved her court and attentions to Blois, never
to look on Amboise again.
After this, Amboise fell into gloom and
decay, except for brief and tragic episodes, such as the
hanging of the French Protestants (Huguenots) from the terrace
battlements by Catherine de Medici. However its beauty
persisted as we saw today especially the cobbled entrance ramp
leading from the town, the delicate and petite Gothic Chapel in
which Leonardo da Vinci is entombed, the glorious royal
apartments and terraces with views miraculously high above the
Loire flowing broad and fast below, the superbly proportioned
tower and spiral ramp with its perfectly restored great gate
and lastly, the wild garden of ancient trees high up within the
walled battlements with views to distant parts of Touraine in
all directions.
On our trip back along the Loire to Tours,
we passed many caves used for wine storage, some very high up
on the precipitous south bank and obviously quite extensive. A
full and interesting day, and for dinner wer simply bought a
pizza rond and patisserie, some fruit, and flaked out in our
room.
Friday 13th May
Tours to AMBOISE - Day 1 Clearing to sunny,
mild & 24 degrees
Raced to Banque de Change to get some money
as our hotel didn't accept credit cards, then ran to just catch
our train to Amboise where we had a very friendly taxi ride to
'Hotel Choiseul', our best hotel in France - rather expensive
but very aristocratic and lovely with our bedroom overlooking
the Loire and close enough to catch its rushing sounds from the
nearby sandbanks and bridge.
As I was just getting over and C was just
getting, a very bad head cold and cough, we decided to have a
nice, easy, relaxing day, pottering up to the
Château d'Amboise again, this time mainly for more time
to drink in the atmosphere. We sat at the top of the
battlements overlooking the town away from the river after
walking through the truly beautiful and ancient trees of the c
hâteau garden, basking in a quite hot sun which is now
bringing out red poppies everywhere, including the crevices of
the tall battlement walls above the old town. Very hazy today
and becoming hazier although always sunny.
Aerial view of Amboise
Amboise Chateaux
Amboise Chateaux from the road
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Absolutely sumptuous banquet at Le Choiseul
next to a huge window 30 feet from the Loire, watching every
eddying ripple passing by. Afterwards went for a gorgeous
twilight walk to the Loire bridge after a delicate sunset.
Colour of the sky looking up the river toward Bourges, the
deepest of dark purple, to the west toward Pays-de-la-Loire and
Anjou-Maritime, just the slightest hint of pale golden orange
in a slowly silvering and beautifully textured sky - these
colours the more beautiful because reflected in the river,
which is very broad, and through the arches of the great bridge
to our west.
Saturday 14th May
AMBOISE - Day 2 Very warm, hazy but sunny
& 27 degrees
Last night we made the mistake of leaving
our windows open to listen to the gurgling sounds of the river
below. A thick fog descended over the river, cold and very
damp, and accordingly a poor nights sleep and C's cold turning
into bronchitis. Despite this we rose early to catch the train
to Blois, the next major station along the Loire line, putting
together a delicious breakfast of cold local salmon in a white
sauce from a local charcuterie. From the station at Blois it
was a pleasant sunny walk (about 1.5 km) to the glorious
Italianate c
hâteau, on the way stopping for coffee and croissants.
No c
hâteau has a longer history associated with the fortunes
of the Kings of France than Blois, nor such a rich, varied or
successful architectural history, including the most perfect
ktichen and the most perfect staircase (Leonardo da Vinci). All
of the most brilliant Courts prior to Louis XIV were held here
including those of Anne of Brittany (after the tragedy at
Amboise), Francis I, Catherine de Medici and Henry III, each
brilliantly building on the work of their predecessors until
Blois became (before Versailles and excluding the palace at
Fontainbleu), the jewel of France. A very interesting guided
tour here through the gorgeous rooms of Francis I, Catherine de
Medici and Henry III with very spirited historical commentary
in French.
Aerial view of Blois
Street view of Blois
Staircase at Blois
Salamander
Choose an image to begin
Disappointing lunch although with much
conversation in French and a good local wine suggestion from an
ex-patriot Valencian. Then a fascinating walk through the
Saturday markets of old Blois to wile away some time on the
grassy verges of this huge, sunny, sleepy river with a good
view of the most beautiful stone bridge over its wide waters.
Before returning on what had now become quite a hot late spring
afternoon, we also paid a visit to the marvellous Gothic
Cathedral in the heart of the old town, and were not
disappointed - slightly foggy inside with shafts of sunlight,
diagonal pillars of gold setting off the dark
perpendiculars.
Wonderful little local train for the return
trip, nice and slow stopping at every little village to drink
in the atmosphere of a perfect afternoon in rural France. Put
together our own banquet tonight from local shops, and dined in
our room after getting the hotel bar waiter to bring up a
beautiful bottle of the best Chinon red, opened and tasted and
served with extraordinary graciousness.
Sunday 15th May
AMBOISE - Day 3 Very hot, late
thunderstorm, humid & 30 degrees
A fabulous, almost mythical day which was
for me at least, the best day of our entire trip so far. It is
difficult to determine exactly what it was that made it so
heavenly, except to say that the weather was pleasantly hot and
relaxed, yet also with a dramatic humidity, almost tropical in
intensity with equally dramatic thunderclouds developing. The
river was even more luxurious than ever; the old cobbled town
even lovelier, slower and more tranquil than usual; the fields,
the gardens and untidy hedges ablaze with sun, flowers, insects
and timelessness. Picnicked in the grass by the river today,
very brown and warm at the moment, fast flowing and noisy yet
with an intangible languidness - superbly timeless and
restful.
After a brief semi-siesta in the mid
afternoon, with our gorgeous hotel room windows wide open to
catch the tranquil fluttering of the warm breeze, and to
continue watching in a casual sort of way the river rushing by,
we set off on our most lovely walk since we climbed the
mountain in the Lakes District. Our aim was to traverse the
tall riverside hill on which the c
hâteau is built, via a narrow and winding path to its
east, and then to descend to the Clos-Luce, home of Leonardo da
Vinci but built as a country home of Anne of Brittany. No
lovelier country lanes could be imagined than the ones we
traversed today, beginning on a cobbled path beneath the wine
catacombs beside the river, then quickly climbing in haphazard
fashion to a tranquil track verged by long green grass and
thorny hedges bordering serene market gardens.
Near the c
hâteau under a hot bright sun and in incredible humidity
we began to descend again via narrow zig zagging stone
alleyways and steep staircases into the heart of the old town
which has a very mediterranean flavour. Stumbling on the nearby
Clos-Luce villa and gardens not long before closing time, we
were quite spellbound by the highly unusual but relaxing,
almost informal design of this pre-Renaissance villa with
numerous alterations by Leonardo himself, some practical such
as his light, airy studio overlooking the garden, some
experimental such as his balcony wing and spiral staircase,
others purely aesthetic such as his addition of numerous
classical arches. Also fascinating were Anne of Brittany's tiny
chapel, Leonardo's machines (brilliant, radical engineering
plans mostly fulfilled centuries after their conception), an
absolutely beautiful wine cellar comprising magically
proportioned arches, and a very magical and extensive garden
through which a stream runs flanked by reeds and spanned by a
lovely arched bridge.
Returned via the same heavenly route this
time under soaring thunderclouds, dimly rumbling, and with some
warm heavy drops beginning to fall on the sun-warmed clay of
our path. Another banquet at Le Choiseul, this time preceeded
by Pernod with Cinzano as an appetite stimulant ("apperitif"),
which the waiter thought looked rather disgusting but which
tasted nice. Then another twilight walk before a restful
sleep.
Monday 16th May
Amboise to PARIS - Day 1 Cloudy, sunny
periods, cooler & 22 degrees
PIGALLE
Returned to Paris and much lower
temperatures. Not a good day. Spent most of it muddling with
difficult railway bureaucrats trying to book seats. Did however
have a very nice, simple lunch of fruit, wine and chevre (goat)
cheese - delicious, next to the radiantly lovely fountains, lit
by clear afternoon sun in a park in front of Trinite Church - a
Rococo church in the very best tradition right in the heart of
Pigalle. 'Hotel Navarin d'Angleterre' nice and quiet, our room
with views over inner courtyard with two giant acacia trees
full of birds chirping. Both feeling rather unwell (hangover
from last night????) so an early night.
Tuesday 17th May
PARIS - Day 2 Very hot, humid, sultry &
30 degrees
A terrible day, out of heaven in the Loire
into the hell of Pigalle. This was in fact the worst day of our
entire trip, after C's coughing precluded any possibility of a
restful nights sleep. After breakfast with the Damned, no one
spoke a word, we left our strangely unnerving hotel with its
respectable veneer but seedy atmosphere, for a day of sheer
hell trying once more, unsuccessfully, to book seats.
Eventually we were thrown out of the booking office by the ogre
who managed it after a point blank refusal to do any bookings
for us at all on the basis that it would take up too much
time!
C with symptoms of flu at this stage on a
stifling hot afternoon. High point of the day was a brief late
visit to Sacre-Coeur and Montmatre, a delicious but dirt cheap
Tunisian souvlake and salad "sandwich" and glass of house red
from a corner cafe in Pigalle, sitting, watching this seedy but
bustling (some of the bustle quite innocent) area from a park
bench in the middle of Pigalle's Quai d'Orsay. Slightly better
but still bad night's sleep.
Wednesday 18th May
PARIS - Day 3 Bitterly cold, dank, misty,
rain, grey & 6 degrees
Raced to Gare de Lyon, just managing to
catch the last morning train to Fontainbleu. A pleasant train
trip through some extensive and rich forests, very dark and
misty on this grey day in weather that quite suits them.
Different from the warmer Loire forests, darker, taller, more
variegated, more continental in appearance but still very
lush.
On arrival at Fontainbleu, had to walk some
distance to the c
hâteau, perhaps 5 kms, buying ingredients for lunch at a
supermarket on the way. This took some time and in this lousy
and increasingly severely cold weather (our coldest in France),
we really would have been better off eating in a cosy
restaurant and bussing to the palace. Ate at a carrefour
(crossroads) under a huge tree in the beautiful but freezing
cold park near the chateau. Spent several hours in this ornate,
colourful and enormous palace concentrating on the Renaissance,
Baroque and Classical rooms exquisitely restored to their
former splendour by the Emperor Napoleon I, King
Louis-Philippe, and Napoleon III. Incredible maze of rooms,
some so beautiful and intricate that they completely
overawe.
Returned late, cold and very tired. Another
Tunisian dish for C, a simple middle-eastern salad comprising
tuna, salad, olives and green chilli in a bread roll, then
another early night with poor sleep as C's head cold had got
worse at Fontainbleu.
Thursday 19th May
PARIS - Day 4 Overcast, cool & 12
degrees
Simple, pleasant day revisiting the
Pont-Neuf for breakfast at our cafe near the river then walked
to Notre-Dame, St. Michel, and metroed to Parc Montsouris for
another charming picnic on our park bench there. Dinner at
Montmatre at Chez Eugene Restaurant, desserts truly
magnificent, chocolate ice cream for me, Peach Melba for C
astounding, but these desserts radically expensive - $20 each!
We also bought a watercolour from a fellow who had been
painting there for 35 years.
Aerial view of Notre Dame
Night view of Notre Dame
Front facade
Side view of Notre Dame
Back view of Notre Dame
Choose an image to begin
Friday 20th May
Paris to LYON Clearing, hazy, mild
afternoon
One of the main features of Pigalle which we
forgot to mention before, apart from its very elegant,
sometimes exquisitely beautiful apartment buildings which are,
whether rich or poor, in the most elegant, charming Parisien
style (all with shutters and balconies) is that this is the
middle-eastern quarter with Tunisians and Algerians along Quai
d'Orsay, Turks on the east side and a large Jewish population.
Because it is one of the poorest areas of Paris, it is also the
quarter for prostitutes, pick-pockets, mercenary shop-keepers,
and fleecing hoteliers as we discovered this morning when
knowing that we had a train to catch and had no time to argue,
our beady-eyed landlady grossly overcharged. Also the quarter
for music students and musicians (a conservatoire nearby and
there is much cheap student accommodation) and some very rich,
well-to-do Jewish gentry living in elegant, Baroque style
townhouse apartments. A dear old Jewish gentleman, immaculately
dressed, held us up for over 15 minutes extolling Paris'
virtues and also those of the Italians, "very kind" he
said.
Running late with dreadfully heavy suitcases
(despite unloading some weight at the Post Office this
morning), and battling with them through the metro on a very
long trip to Gare de Lyon, we finally arrived at our train hot
and flustered in the nick of time. Had to fight with the entire
carriage however, to get our luggage on the rack above the
seats we had reserved - we were most unpopular.
Extremely fast two hour TGV train to
Lyon through picturesque, sunny hill country, many of the hills
crowned with woodland, south of Ile-de-France, then ascending
steeply south of the Seine valley to the broader hills and
rolling high country, much of it very rich and some of
it quite wild, of Burgundy. Very low clouds and some areas
in thick mist until we reached the end of this hill country
descending to the Saône Valley at Macon and crossing a barrier
of hills marking the beginning of its flood plain toward Lyon
where its waters join these of the Rhône. Despite its size, we
both like Lyon very much, an ancient (known as Lugdunum to the
Ancient Romans, it was their capital in Gaul), interestingly
situated and vast city built around the two rivers. Lots of
golden hazy sun this afternoon and more than a hint of the
mediterranean in the buildings and street plans, and especially
the friendly cobblestones underfoot, mass of friendly
terracotta roofs, and delightful Italianate-Baroque
fountains.
Our cheap Michelin hotel opposite the lovely
Place Bellecour offering exceptional value and comfort, and
sheer aesthetic pleasure with its cordoban and medieval
furnishings, spaciousness and tranquillity due to double-glazed
windows. Gothic cathedral and Old Town with pedestrian precinct
absolutely fantastic nestled between the great river and a
precipitous hill. Lots of mediterranean alleys, dark corridors,
medieval plazas, superb stone arches and sandstone stairways
leading away and up to the Roman ruins atop the hill. We were
both sorry not to be able to spend more time here.
Saturday 21st May
Lyon to LAUSANNE Sunny, mild & 19
degrees
Beautiful, sunny breakfast in the lovely
'Hotel Bayard', hot chocolate and croissants served up on an
ancient carved oak table in our bedroom. Slept very well last
night. Ravishingly beautiful train trip through the idyllic
lyonnais and the spectacular Rhône Alps on a brisk clean
morning with low fleecy clouds and white mist yet lots of
sunshine. The train followed the Rhône Valley all the way
up to Geneva, a beautiful river of constantly changing
character. Until Amberieu it is a rich floodplain with
occasional steep volcanic hills, densely wooded, suddenly
springing from the plain. foreshadowing the vast high marches
of the southern Jura and Rhône Alps which almost magically loom
up just a few miles east of Amberieu.
Wide meadows of grasslands and flowers,
especially poppies, in these lowlands giving way suddenly to a
wild rugged country of soaring rocks including walls of white
sandstone with incredibly gnarled, densely packed trees above
and below, the river becoming a fast flowing, boulder strewn
channel of pale turquoise waters flanked by reedy marshes. At
Culoz, the mountains to the north are particularly dramatic,
discreet rugged masses of great altitude bearing down on the
imagination with great force, giants holding back the southern
uplands of Burgundy.
Finally the train, following the river,
passes up through a narrow gap onto the low plateau of Geneva
flanked to the north by the southern Jura, to the south by the
Pre-Alps. This plateau after Geneva widens considerably to
become the vast 'Mittelland' of Switzerland.
SWITZERLAND
Customs at Geneva very quick and efficient,
and we noticed spotlessly clean (sterilised?) floors everywhere
at the station. Following the north shore of Lake Geneva,
almost an inland sea whose southern side barely visible on a
hazy morning in spring, is dominated by the spectacular alpine
massif of Mont Blanc (4807 metres), past lovely vineyards and
holiday villas on the gentler northern shores to Lausanne. Very
nice student hotel accommodation in a light and airy, sunny and
extremely quiet room of an old building just up the hill from
the station. Lausanne a rather sleepy, quiet little town built
on a very steep slope above the lake which is sufficiently wide
at this point to give something of a seaside atmosphere.
Very pleasant afternoon exploring Lausanne's
three major attractions. First the winding cobbled streets and
alleys of the extensive medieval town, very steep with
beautiful classical squares and cobbled plazas. Today being a
Saturday, there is a carnival market atmosphere complete with
bottle jugglers, contortionists and other medieval sideshows
attracting much attention. Secondly we visited the huge Gothic
Cathedral built high up on a ledge overlooking the city and the
lake, magnificent proportions though interior decoration much
simplified since the reformation. Thirdly, after a rudimentary
dinner of spaghetti flavoured with some admittedly delicious
'saumon fume' (horse was also on the menu at this filthy, dirty
but interesting establishment in a very sleepy corner of town),
we went for a steep walk down a winding tree lined boulevard to
the lake shores. Very romantic in a sunset glow.
Fantastically beautiful gardens and
parklands full of rich displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and
camileas amidst towering trees of countless species, some in
rather theatrical wild looking groves, and the most gorgeous
sloping lawns of lush green grass perfect for rolling on. Also
some magnificent modern Neo-Classical sculptures in this
idyllic garden (in which we saw hardly a living soul except
ourselves), and a beautiful and very romantic promenade by the
lake complete with classical stone coves at regular intervals
and a delightful c
hâteau silhouetted against the sunset glow at its
westernhead. Across the wide waters in a slight but constant,
pleasant breeze, we watched the myriad of lights appear in the
deepening twilight, now making out unmistakeably the dark
silhouette of Mont Blanc. Lights seemed to twinkle even up to
about half way from the summit of its huge dark form, and as
the sky turned a darker purple we decided to slowly walk back
to our peaceful room. An excellent and undisturbed night's
sleep.
Sunday 22nd May
Lausanne to ZERMATT - Day 1
Clear, sunny, bright, crisp & 17
degrees
After a delicious early breakfast, Lausanne
very peaceful on a Sunday morning, relaxing in crisp full
sunshine outside the charming breakfast cafe opposite the Gare,
we continued our rail trip up the Rhône River. Some magnificent
views at the end of Lake Geneva towards the Vaud-Alps on the
left, and then following the Rhône towards St. Maurice through
a beautiful sun drenched valley thick with vineyards and
forests with excellent views to the right towards Mont Blanc.
The two mountain massifs almost meet at Martigny where the
Rhône flowing rapidly through a gap, turns abruptly north
towards Lake Geneva from its upper course in the Valais-Alps.
This also marks a boundary between the Protestant Vaud and
Catholic Valais cantons, the former, French speaking, the
latter bilingual with German predominating in the valleys east
of Siere.
Made friends and exchanged addresses with a
delightful old Romanche couple, the Butty's, retired to Gland
on the shores of Lake Geneva. Monsieur Butty who could speak
only French and Romanche, originally came from the Grisons, a
tough, stocky former red-head with freckled skin who seemed to
have climbed the summit of nearly every mountain in
Switzerland, and who became especially familiar with the
spectacular Valais-Alps we were now passing, during his service
in the second world war. Both extremely charming and friendly
and waved us goodbye vigorously when we left the train at Visp,
having given us an excellent road map of Switzerland and a
standing invitation to stay with them at Lake Geneva.
The soaring sublime beauty of the snow
capped peaks in the rugged and permanently glaciated Walliser
Alps is indescribable, the upper Rhône Valley one of the most
romantic places on earth. From Visp it is a breathtaking 1.5km
steep climb by rack-railway to the picturesque village of
Zermatt under the ever watchful eye of the exquisitely
beautiful towering form of Europe's most spectacular mountain,
the Matterhorn (4477 metres). As Zermatt is reached only by
rail from Brig or Visp, the resort is traffic free and
exceptionally tranquil and serene.
Our room at 'Hotel Mischabel' right in the
middle of town, a gorgeous old, rambling place in the best
Swiss style, has the most perfect permanent panorama from its
balcony on the 5th floor of the mighty Matterhorn, today
against a blue sky, a jagged dazzling white. Also from our room
we look directly across to the Parish church with its typical
and lovely Swiss spire and beautiful set of bells pealing
loudly every 15 minutes and today with bell-ringers for
services.
Having booked in and discovered that neither
of us knew much German, we went for a walk up the street of
hotels and shops in Valais timber style, past the tragic
Monte-Rosa Hotel where Whymper stayed (Englishman who first
conquered Matterhorn but losing most of his party in June
1865), to Old Zermatt on a little hill past the Church with its
true Valais chalets and delightful burnished mazots, a kind of
small barn. At the south end of Zermatt we then crossed a
bridge over the Vispa Matter, a rushing torrent over a bed of
smooth pale boulders, and followed a steep winding track
through lush mountain pastures and rocky woodland, to the
Gorner Gorges, spectacular gorges which are viewed from a ledge
platform built out precariously from the sheer rock faces - at
the foot of the ravine, a ferocious, surging mass of white
water. Magnificent clear blue sky and a very warm sun as we
continued our walk from the gorge to Blatten, a little village
of mazots and a small whitewashed chapel built in the 1600's,
nestled amongst the old timber huts with slate roofs surrounded
by very fertile green pastures sprinkled with spring
wildflowers just beginning to bloom. An exquisite, relaxing
walk to finish of a perfect day in this wonderful place.
Monday 23rd May
ZERMATT - Day 2 Crystal
clear, sunny & 17 degrees
Woke up to another brilliant blue sky with a
breathtaking look at the Matterhorn from our balcony before
descending four floors to breakfast - delicious ham and old
swiss fiume (cheese). Main trip today took us on the highest
open air, rack-railway in Europe to Gornergrat (altitude 3131
metres). Very slow, steep climb on the way up with incredible
views of Zermatt in the valley below moving further away as the
snow capped mountain peaks drew closer. The Matterhorn of
course, more stunning than ever perched against a brilliant
blue backdrop.
Saw a beaver type animal running on the snow
which we found out was called a "marmot". Gornergrat absolutely
stupendous with its glaciers, snow and mountain peaks all
around and a warm sun shining down on this expansive snow
country so high up. Both of us had some difficulty with
shortness of breath at this high altitude and felt a little
light headed. Very tranquil, peaceful scenery which made you
want to take up skiing, mind you, not being in the height of
the tourist season helped also as there weren't many people
around.
POSTCARD 1: ZERMATT 1616 m – 'Matterhorn 4478 m Mt.
Cervin'

[Written 23rd May] A further note to say that we loved Lyon
and Laussanne! But had an awful 3 days in Pigalle, no longer
old quarter now given up to very seedy types indeed! We
walked up the “Gorner” gorges yesterday to a lovely alpine
meadows and still dotted with spring flowers. Poppies
everywhere in France over the last fortnight, especially in
Loire Valley. We had real heat wave, several days over 30
degrees C, and one cold spell less than 6 degrees C at
Fontainbleau five days ago, which did not do my cold much good.
Cold but very healthy air and sunshine here. Every language
spoken! Very expensive place to eat though cheap to stay.
Mountains unbelievably tall and beautiful all under thick
snow.
POSTCARD 2:
ZERMATT - 'Stellisee 1627 m, Ried 2503 m'

[Written 23rd May] Just to let you know a very relaxing
sunny few days in Zermatt although I went up too quickly to the
Gornergrat (1313 metres) on the rack
railway – highest railway in the world – and felt a bit light
headed. The snowline is still quite low, extending down to not
far above Zermatt. Hotel Mischabel
is quite cheap and very tranquil with a balcony opening
out to a staggering view of the Matterhorn. Not that you
have to do anything much to see it, just lookup. The
DMark exchange rate is terrible, an effective loss to us
of 28% of the original value of our traveller’s cheques
(in DM) so I have been using American Express and
Mastercard to maximise our savings – they operate
directly with Aus$ which are quite good at the
moment.
Tuesday 24th May
ZERMATT - Day 3 Mainly sunny
with some cloud & 18 degrees
Decided to take a picnic lunch and go for a
walk today. Intended to go to Furi but decided that the track
leading the
Schönbielhϋtte (2694 metres) looked more
interesting. Humidity quite high in Zermatt at 1616 metres and
the sun felt very hot. A steep climb at first until we reached
Zmutt, a small village on the edge of green pastures, looking
down onto the Matter Vispa. We basically took our time and had
a lovely relaxing hike.
On the higher side past Zmutt, the track
became narrower and twisted its way closer to the edge of the
steep ravine which fell away sharply towards the water. Once we
were up in the high pastures with the goat's bells clanging and
tinkling away with every move and looking at the snow capped
peaks above them, the story of "Heidi" came to life before our
eyes, a most idyllic scene. This was the closest we got to the
Matterhorn staring straight at it from across the river
(aprroximately 2400 metre altitude). We would have gone most of
the way to
Schönbielhϋtte except that the track was still
covered in snow in many sections and we did not fancy slipping
and sliding all the way down into the Matter Vispa. By the time
we returned to Zermatt, five and a half hours of walking was
pretty good going. The day was wonderfully romantic and
relaxing.
Wednesday 25th May
ZERMATT - Day 4 Mostly sunny
& 24 degrees
This was going to be our cable-car trip to
the Klein Matterhorn (3886 metres - 12,684 feet). The main
reason for going up was because of Schwarzsee where the
Matterhorn is reflected in a small lake in a rocky verdant
basin. This section was closed until mid-June however, and not
having enough cash anyway, we walked back into town and took
the Gornergrat train again. Just as beautiful this time around,
possibly more dramatic with fantastic white clouds billowing
behind the Matterhorn.
On the way down, we only went as far as
Riffelalp where we continued the last part on foot. A
picturesque walk descending quite steeply through forests of
fir, larch and spruce trees with views of the Matterhorn at
various points and the sun shining through the branches with so
much warmth, all we felt like doing was to flake out on a patch
of beautiful grass soaking up the sun, the smell of the
countryside and the trees and the lovely clean air.
Finished the day with a gorgeous meal in a
local Taverna* style restaurant - very cheap but beautifully
presented, especially the dessert. Our last night in Zermatt
and feeling sad that we cannot stay a bit longer.
*"Jungerstube", usually parly a cellar,
often with underground basenent and bench-type seats.
Thursday 26th May
Zermatt to STRESA - Day 1 Hot, humid with
thunderstorms (in late afternoon)
After arriving at Brig for early lunch (or
late breakfast), we left Switzerland via the Simplon Pass
through one of the longest tunnels in the world, and descended
into the beautiful post-glacial valleys of Northern Lombardy.
Following a broad but cascading river down through some
incredibly steep, beautiful and densely forested ravines, most
peaked with sharp volcanic pinnacles, we immediately noticed an
intense increase in humidity and warmth and also in the variety
and richness of the vegetation, clearly a very much wetter and
warmer climate prevailed.
ITALY
As we descended, still in ravines but now
less sheer than before, we noticed palm trees and citrus fruits
together with all manner of vines around the first little
Italian villages (very isolated) through which the line passed.
Sitting in front of us a little old Italian redhead in an
oversized hat and tartan coat, offered the lady next to him a
sip of red wine from a bottle he was carrying for the journey.
As we descended further, the valley we were following flattened
out somewhat and a thick warm haze rose up before us, growing
thicker as we reached the the little town of Stresa beside the
glorious shores of magical Lake Maggiore.
This was one of the nicest towns we visited
in Europe, rustic yet elegant, eccentric yet homely, relaxed
with no need to hurry. Many of the older houses or "villas" are
in a style virtually unchanged since ancient Romans built their
villa resorts in what they called Cisalpine Gaul, straight
classical lines and generous proportions, elegant often carved
overhanging eaves, warm earth-coloured stucco walls, sometimes
decorated under the eaves with a classical geometric pattern
painted in a ribbon (and always at the front a cross, crucifix
or "virgin enshrined").
The walk from the station in a sunny,
winding, cobbled alley under parrot palms and past quiet
country gardens full of virginia creeper, roses, wisteria, and
citrus groves made us feel very much at home. After unpacking
in our lovely fourth storey luxury room with huge windows and
balcony overlooking the spectacular lake dotted with tropical
islands, we decided to go for a lakeside walk to explore and
within two minutes flat were sitting in an otherwise empty
cruise launch being taken for visits to the major islands -an
absolutely fantastic afternoon. Most beautiful of these was
Isola Bella, where the Borromea Palace and gardens are one of
the most spectacularly wonderful sights of Europe, both
eccentric and artistic beyond comparison, a flavour to be
savoured for many hours although we had but one and a half. As
the island of Isola Bella can only be visited by boat from
Stresa, it has a deliciously isolated feeling, especially today
in this intense close heat and humidity, and under a gathering
and very mighty thunderstorm. We found the palace and gardens
of the Borromea family as stunningly beautiful and also as
strange as anything we have seen with its hundreds of rooms,
multitude of grotto rooms built from shells, and its beautiful
Baroque-Italianate banqueting halls, all with superb views over
the lake from generous, though sometimes haunting, windows and
balconies. The town, although tiny, very beautiful with its
fishing villas, cobbled alleys and tropical outdoor tavernas
with lakeside vistas.
Just arrived back in Stresa as the storm was
breaking and watched it, complete with forked lightning, all
around and on the lake itself, with heavy drops of warm rain
falling from a very dark sky. Reached the hotel just in time to
hear an American lady on being told that dinner was at 7.30pm,
exclaiming "Gosh that's incredibly LATE!" and being told in
reply, "You ARE in Italy now Madam!!!"
After some initial difficulties with the new
language, managed to order a very nice meal at the hotel,
finishing with the best item of all - magnficently decomposing
Gorgonzola cheese - tons and tons of it!! After dinner we were
able to fit in a warm evening walk beside the lake where we saw
lots of fireflies (actually beetles and also known as
'lightning bugs') in the lakeside bushes.
Friday 27th May
STRESA - Day 2 Hot, humid, late
afternoon thunderstorm and very hazy
In Stresa as in the rest of Italy, we found
a dualism between impatience and serenity: a charming, romantic
courtesy and chivalry on the one hand, and a vulgar, brutal
rudeness, sharp or sloppy, on the other hand, not infrequently
in the same person. This morning we decided to take the train
to Milano, ancient capital of Lombardia where we found these
qualities and this dualism in abundance. Lomardy, known to the
Romans as Cialpine Gaul, has been a well defined area of
political, cultural and racial identity since Pagan times, and
before 1848, was for many centuries a separate country with its
own rulers. Its population of Italicised Celts or Celticised
Italians, was hemmed in and defined by the Swiss Alps to the
north and mountains of Liguria to the south, to the west by the
war-like hill country of Piedmont and to the east by field
marshes west of Venice.
We found this morning's train trip from
Stresa to Milan very enjoyable and interesting at first, along
the idyllic shores of the lake then down into a smiling sunny,
undulating country of forest, gardens and plantations (mostly
poplar). Very tranquil and inviting,, something of an earthly
paradise in fact and reminding us both of Vivaldi's "Seasons".
Closer to Milan in late morning the train entered the flat
plain of Lombardy, growing appreciably hotter and hazier on an
airless, stifling day, and we began passing mile after mile of
factories and poor high density housing, humanised to some
extent by the colourful, haphazard sight of countless loads of
washing strung out to dry between windows and balconies.
Milanese on the train, rich and humble alike, very respectably
turned out in generally beautiful clothes. Magnificent looking
creatures too, if somewhat haughty, as evidenced by the
princely looking fellow in our compartment who walked out every
time an American lady opened her mouth. Very much like Lawrence
Olivier in 'Pride and Prejudice' we thought!
At Milan we walked from Mussolini's
Neo-Romantic railway station's modern classical lines with
Romantic references to ancient Roman architecture, a fine
building despite the Fascist connotations, to the magnificent
Duomo (cathedral) in the centre of town. As the city was
severely polluted, the air close and stifling, we had to take
many stops and at first detoured through some beautiful public
gardens with glimpses of utterly superb gardens not unlike
rainforest walled in near the Villa Belgioso, now a Gallery of
Modern Art. Finally arriving after nearly passing out from
petrol fumes, we were not disappointed with this marvellous
white marble cathedral (affectionately referred to as the
"Wedding Cake") with its countless delicate spires bristling
from a broad Gothic hall commenced in 1386 under Duke Visconti.
Very dark and rather oppressive inside - perhaps too broad
after French cathedrals.
Ridiculously long bus trip back to the
station which took us all through the city, and then
stony-faced bureaucrats impatient and unhelpful at the station.
Missed our train and had to wait hours for another, in the
intervening period, noting the aristocratic beauty and pleasant
speaking voices of the locals, many of whom have dark red wavy
hair and serenely beautiful features - almost lithe and elfin
like. Returned to our deliciously peaceful lakeside hotel for
another devastatingly dramatic thunderstorm with lashing rain,
forked lightning and booming thunder under a black sky - all
watched from the huge window of the dining room where we once
again had an elegant dinner finishing with Gorgonzola
cheese.
Saturday 28th May
Stresa to PISA Hot, humid, late
afternoon thunderstorm and very hazy
A long but fascinating day of train travel
today, changing at Milan after a hasty railway pizza, for a
beautiful trip through increasingly sunny land across the
Ticino and the Po rivers into the gentle north sloping
vineyards and pleasantly untidy pastures clotted with red
poppies of southern Lombardy, bounded by the sudden wall of the
Ligurian mountains. Also saw much lowland, some flooded
and all very beautiful and green, given over to rice fields,
especially in the area between the Ticino and the Po. This time
shared our cabin with a very serious looking older pair of
Italian women and in complete contrast, a pair of very
high-spirited, wild tomgirls heading for a weekend by the sea,
one with the wild, youthful beauty of a gypsy waif, the other
with a more ordinary, classical Italian beauty. Both more full
of mischievious energy than anyone we had encountered in two
months of travel, yet also with a sunny, Italian
helpfulness.
After crossing the mountains it is a vey
sudden, steep and short descent through the terraces of Liguria
and some very long tunnels to the salt smelling port of Genoa,
at the head of the Italian Riviera. This ancient
seafaring town was once a powerful city state which
numerous colonies and its people still have an air of proud
independence about them. A lovely old town with rambling
streets and a beautiful harbour, reminding us a little of
Sydney's Rocks area due to its mouldy, cobbled alleyways, some
quite steep, between well built but crowded terraces. In one
such winding alley we discovered a damp and deteriorating
little trattoria offering an excellent and highly distinctive
local "green" minestrone (tasting like Genoa's harbour). At
another table in a corner the curly headed, crusty natured and
rather swarthy proprietor was engaged in animated conversation
with his family over their own lunch, pleasantly oblivious to
us.
The trip from Genoa to Pisa along the
mediterranean coast is absolutely and spectacularly
magnificent, particularly the Ligurian section along a very
rugged coast to La Spezia. Grey turquoise waters, rocky
promontories, numerous tunnels and rich, warm vegetation. Soon
after La Spezia, a range of mountains marches down to and then
away from the coast and the coastal plains of Tuscany begin,
surrounded by high ranges and rimmed with peaks. Here we began
to see many olive trees and also a type of cane grass not
unlike sugar cane. After the densely forested Apuan Alps of
southern Liguria, Tuscan countryside around Pisa is strangely
flat and sandy, although closer to the Arno a harmonious
mixture of vineyards, cypresses, olives and Tuscan pines meet
the surrounding wheat fields in a very pleasing way, and the
leaning tower of Pisa rises up in union with this scene to be
viewed from the train for some miles before the town itself is
visible.
We were greeted at the station by a deluge
of rain and a storm which passed over during our taxi trip
(some distance) to our incredibly beautiful, dusty, rundown
hotel right next to the piazza adjoining the tower. Overjoyed
with our superb room in this former palazzo and now a budget
hotel, and after dinner, a marvellous evening walk to
photograph the tower against colourful post-storm and sunset
sky. We returned to our room and fell asleep looking at the
marvellous hand painted frescoes on our Renaissance ceiling.
Very quiet, dark and peaceful, hence a fantastic night's
sleep.
Sunday 29th May
Pisa to FLORENCE - Day 1 Sunny, cloudy
periods, hazy in late afternoon
A clearer morning after yesterday's rain and
our first goal was to climb the stairs to the top of the
leaning tower before catching our early afternoon train to
Florence. Extraordinary feeling walking up the spiral staircase
inside the tower as you perpetually felt your weight being
drawn towards the downhill slope which changed constantly as
you circled your way around. Magnificent views of Pisa from the
top. Looking at the tower from outside, the structure was also
a strange sensation as your eyes felt as though they were
playing tricks on you with your mind trying desperately to
straighten the lean or the landscape. Finally dragged ourselves
away from the tower and briefly looked into the cathedral,
confronted by a beautiful sound of Italians singing in Mass on
Sunday morning.
POSTCARD: PISA –
'The leaning Tower seen from the Museum of "The Opera del
Duomo"'

[Written 1st June] Thank you very much for your
letter sent to Zermatt. Zermatt and Stresa both absolutely
magnificent and in great contrast – from ice and snow to palm
trees, wisteria and today in Pisa sugar cane (!) and olive
trees. Milano beautiful but unbelievably stifling and polluted.
More red hair in Milan and Lombardy than in Scotland and lots
of Welsh looking people with fair skin and
freckles.
Returned to our budget
(yet magnificent) hotel hoping to have a taxi ordered for
us. The proprietor instead giving directions to C for a taxi
phone, 500 metres down the road where we could phone for one
ourselves. No luck with this as the phones were not
connected. We were then told to wait across the road where
we could hail one down as it came around the corner. As I
stood there for one hour or more, C tried across the road at
another hotel but our proprietor refused to let them ring!!!
The proprietor then resorted to riding his bicycle down the
road to see if he could find one but to no avail. Eventually
we had wasted so much time without any success that the
proprietor (feeling his honour was at stake), was prepared
to drive us to the station himself. Meanwhile, C had been to
another hotel who rang immediately for us. Just as the car
had been reversed out of the garage, the taxi rolled up. We
thanked the hotel owner for all his trouble and managed, one
and a half hours later, to reach the station in time to
catch our train!!!
Fast train through increasingly pleasant
Tuscan landscapes at the zenith of their beauty in transition
from spring to summer, in some places a mass of wildflowers, in
others, fields of waving grass bordered by tall poplars under a
hot sun. Increasingly undulating. Florence on the Arno, a flat
dish of ancient buildings surrounded by verdant hills and
ridges. Dragged our suitcases through this ancient city
of narrow cobbled streets to the delightful 'Morandi
Hotel' and a lovely room with classical proportions. This
afternoon visited the huge Renaissance Cathedral with its
glorious dome and climbed to the top of the campanile (bell
tower), some 400 steps and the equivalent of an eighteen storey
building with a marvellous sunset panorama of Florence and
the surrounding hills.
Our first suspicious experience involving my
camera occured while taking photos of the Duomo. Two Italian
boys came up to me begging me take their photo in front of the
Baptistry. We had some difficulty shaking them off until a
photo was taken so I took one, and then they wanted to
take a photo of us. Intuition told me to hang on to my camera
and when we discovered they weren't Florentines but
Neopolitans, C explained that we only had one photo left and we
wanted a picture of the cathedral. Eventually they walked off
much to our relief. They appeared very friendly which is also a
cunning trick to run off with your camera as soon as it is in
their hands!!!! You were hard pressed to tell if they were
genuine or not. Thank goodness for intuition!
Monday 30th May
FLORENCE - Day 2 Very
hot
Ran out of steam to some degree today and
spent a leisurely day meandering our way around Florence,
stopping at various sculptures and buildings for closer
inspection. Lunch was in a small restaurant, pleasant and
uneventful until two American girls arrived. The waiter
immediately handed them a menu and asked them what they wanted
to order. When they said they weren't ready to order in
Italian, the waiter replied in English as he turned and stomped
back to the kitchen, "No need to hurry - take all the time you
want. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow morning." A true example of
an Italian waiter.
Tuesday 31st May
FLORENCE - Day 3 Hot,
humid, hazy with some rain
Because of our lazy day yesterday, we had
some catching up to do with sightseeing and laundry. First stop
was the Piazza San Marco with its cathedral, Fra Angelico
Museum and Galleria dell Academia containing Michelangelo's
'David' and his magnificent series of monolithic studies in
marble and his staircase in the Lorenzo Library.
Spent the afternoon in the Uffizi Palace
built by the Medici's for their civil administration and now
housing Florence's most celebrated, extensive and brilliant
galleria of paintings from Early Gothic right through to
Romantic, and particularly notable for its Renaissance
collection (arguably the best in Europe and perhaps in the
world). We concentrated on the Botticelli room and that of
Leonardo da Vinci with some time also spent with Lippi,
Tintoretto and, as a diversion, the corridor of Julio-Claudian
heads (ancient Roman). The tourist season has well and truly
begun with e.g. the loud American in the Fra Angelico museum,
proclaiming that the 'Coronation of the Virgin' was "just
another christmas card"; a yound GI (crewcut) type having hands
on experience of every painting he passed; and Japanese taking
flash photographs especially when they were specifically told
not to. It is a wonder that there is anything left for us to
see.
Bought some interesting watercolours from a
Gypsy girl which reminded us of Chagall and also of 'Madeleine
and the Bad Hat' (circus figures). This evening I developed a
headache so C had dinner alone at an outdoor taverna near the
Uffizi with the first stars just coming out, reporting a
particularly clear, deep purple night sky with comparatively
clean, brisk air.
Next:
June
1988
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