Ravenna’s eight listings as UNESCO World Heritage Sites recognize the city’s unique collection of early Christian mosaics and monuments, dating back to the 5th to 8th centuries. As capital of the Western Holy Roman Empire and later, the Eastern (Byzantine) Holy Roman Empire, the mosaics and buildings constructed during this time have added significance due to the blending of western and eastern motifs and techniques representative of that era. We were awed and fascinated by the outstanding quality of the colourful detailed religious and funerary images, from the small Neonian Baptistry to the grand Basilica of San Vitale. It was sobering to go into the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista to find partially reconstructed mosaics recovered after the building was almost totally destroyed in a Allied bombing raid in 1944.
We also experienced a lively modern day Ravenna as there was a wine and food festival on. Booths in a number of plazas showcased Sangiovese and Romagna’s other wines, cheeses and street food, such as the delicious piadina – a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna historical region, which can be filled with cheese, meats or vegetables. We enjoyed more local cuisine at an enoteca and restaurant, Ca’ de Vèn, recommended by our B&B, which was so good we ate there twice.
Had viruses not intervened we had hoped to spend a few days walking part of the Way of St. Francis (Via Francigena di San Francesco), a pilgrimage route that follows an old Roman road between Florence and Rome. Instead, we boarded a train for Urbino, home of Raphael and another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The railway followed the coast of Le Marche, lined with holiday resorts and long sandy beaches, deserted now in late October despite the sunshine. Thirty kms inland, Urbino is, by contrast, bustling with university students. According to the UNESCO site, the small hill town experienced «a great cultural flowering in the 15th century, attracting artists and scholars from all over Italy and beyond, and influencing cultural developments elsewhere in Europe ». The Renaissance appearance of the town was preserved primarily due to its economic and cultural stagnation from the 16th century onwards! Fortunately, the University gained a different status in the 1920s, enrollment increased and it was able to upgrade a number of buildings for its use.
Urbino is also defined by Raphael, his father Giovanni Santi, who was a painter in the court of the Duke of Urbino, and the Duke himself. Disappointingly, the town has very little evidence of Raphael’s work. The only two original Raphael works in Urbino are La Muta, which has characteristics shared with the contemporary Mona Lisa, and a fresco painted by the young Raphaello on the wall of his birthplace. While we avoided including Rome in this itinerary, we now regret not having seen the Raphael rooms at the Vatican. It will have to be the object of a future visit!
The Palazzo Ducale is a triptych of museums.The rooms of the Palace are preserved and retain some of the original doors as well as amazingly intricate wood-inlay technique known as intarsia. On the exterior, the three storeyed loggia and towers are worth seeing.
Dinner at the Ristorante Antica Osteria De La Stella was Michelin worthy!
Casa natale di Raffaello
Raphael – fresco, birthplace
Palazzo Ducale – inlaid wood panel
Raphael- La Muta
Urbino – Palazza Ducale
View to south from Urbino
Coffee notes: River coffee 8.75+/ 10 (Urbino). Rio Rica coffee 8.75/ 10 (Urbino)
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.
– Saint Francis of Assisi, from The Canticle of the Sun.
From the train station on the Tiber River valley floor we got a good view of the historic hill town of Assisi with the Rocco Maggiore and Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi dominating the landscape. Indeed, Assisi’s Saint Francis, appears to be the biggest draw to this exquisitely beautiful medieval city, itself a UNESCO heritage site. Even in late October there were a large number of tours, seemingly of pilgrims, visiting the town. Some were led by priests and monks and individual devotions were very evident at the tomb of St Francis.
One of Italy’s patron saints and the founder of the Order of Mendicant Friars or Franciscans, Saint Francis continues to inspire with his message of compassion and peace. Born into a family of privilege in late 12th C Assisi, Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, informally named Francesco, rejected that life as a young man, choosing instead to follow the example of Christ by preaching the gospel and living a life of extreme poverty, chastity, love and obedience. Francis’ efforts to end the Crusader wars and achieve a rapprochement with the Muslim world had far-reaching consequences, long past his own death, since after the fall of the Crusader Kingdom, it would be the Franciscans, of all Catholics, who would be allowed to stay on in the Holy Land and be recognized as “Custodians of the Holy Land” on behalf of the Catholic Church.
Our stay in Assisi was longer than anticipated, as Lois came down with a fever and a cough, keeping her confined to the hotel room for a few days. By the time we got to visit the Basilica, we had had time to learn a bit more about its construction and the life of Assisi’s most beloved son. (We watched the somewhat simplistic but engaging depiction of the life of Saint Francis in Zeffirelli’s 1972 film, Brother Son, Sister Moon.)
The Basilica di San Francesco is built on two levels, with the lower one originally constructed for the sarcophagus of Saint Francis. This is now in a crypt below along with the tombs of some of his original followers. The wonderful elaborate frescoes covering the walls and ceilings of both churches, many by the innovative Giotto, and the light-coloured stone, give the church a friendly, welcoming feel, appropriate for the resting place of Saint Francis.
The town is steeped in history but within the many hostaria, housed in ancient buildings, local cuisine is alive and well. Wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cheese, truffles and meat are all sourced from the region. Paul especially enjoyed the pecorino cheese. We both savored the local red wine of Sagrantino and Sangiovese grapes.
Naples to Praiano 70 km (train & bus) & 7748 Fit Bit Steps
2 days – 29513 Fit Bit steps
Our first espresso of the day was taken standing at the bar of Leopardo’s, Italian style. A regional train took us past Herculaneum and Pompeii to the city of Sorrento, perched on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. From here we boarded a crowded bus that runs along the 80km coastal highway between Sorrento and the port of Salerno. Originally a Roman road, the Amalfi Way, barely wide enough for two cars to pass, is carved out of the side of the cliffs, giving spectacular views of the sea on one side and the towering cliffs on the other.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, as “an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape”, this stretch of rugged coastline on the southern coast of the Salerno Gulf on the Tyrrhenian Sea, is breathtaking, with its sheer cliffs falling straight to the sea, whitewashed vertical villages and terraces of lemon trees and olive groves.
Our hotel was half way along the coast in Praiano, a pretty cliffside village that has retained its atmosphere as a quiet fishing town, despite the draw of tourists. From the terrace of our hotel room, we had panoramic views of the coast and the sea. With temperatures still in the mid-20’s it was a relaxing few days, reading, exploring hiking trails, small pebbled coves and cliff-edged restaurants.
To reach the “Walk of the Gods” we had to climb up 1500 stairs to the Chiesa Convento S. Maria and then ascend a rough track for another 30 minutes. One writer says that the name of the trail is not Italian hyperbole. Indeed, the views were stunning, although the path was precipitous and vertiginous. The Li Galli Islands off the coast of Positano are said to have been the home of the Sirens who seduced sailors with their voices. According to Homer, Odysseus protected himself and his crew by filling their ears with beeswax.
Pisa to Naples – 550 km (train) & 12,391 Fit Bit steps
3 days – 46,717 Fit Bit steps
Even, or perhaps especially, after the restorative peace of the Cinque Terre, we were not prepared for the assault of Naples, which was to serve as a base for visiting Pompeii and other sights south of the city. We had booked an Airbnb in the middle of the vibrant chaotic old town. As one travel writer noted,
“No one would accuse the centro storico, the old historical centre, of being pretty, but she is darkly and ravishingly beautiful. She is also raw, passionate, secretive, generous, dilapidated, glorious, vibrant, and unabashedly corrupt and corrupting.”
The entry to our apartment was through a courtyard behind a huge wrought iron gate off a narrow dark cobblestone alleyway. Inside, we found a bright and modern flat with stone door frames and vaulted ceilings, located on the first floor of a 15th C building. Likewise, behind small doorways on the littered narrow streets with their graffitied walls, were smart coffee shops, pasticcerias, restaurants and clothes shops. Our morning espresso stops favoured Leonardo’s, whose traditional pastry, sfogliatelle, was exceptional.
A highlight of the city was a visit to the Cappella Sansevero, with its breathtaking marble sculpture of a veiled body of Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino, one of the most stunning works we have seen.
Gino Sorbillo’s pizza, recommended by Lonely Planet was an experience, not only for the perfect Neapolitan pizza, for which we lined up outside with dozens of others, and the story behind his elevating the reputation of the dish, but also his refusal to bow to the demands of “organized crime”. In 2015, Naples was reported as being a city people do not want to visit, partly because of a history of poor infrastructure and services. In addition, there are stories of the local mafia dumping tons of toxic waste, for profit, in surrounding communities for years. The adverse consequences are more than anecdotal.
Coffee notes: all the espresso that we drank in Naples (Caffé Kenon, Caffé Partenope and Caffé del Rei) was good but had a slightly powdery (?Turkish) taste. Apparently it is usually taken with sugar, which perhaps makes a middle eastern connection more likely. Given that it was less bitter than we prefer, the overall score was 8.25/ 10.
The main purpose for our stay in Naples was to visit the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and to see the crater of Vesuvius, the eruption from which in 79 AD completely buried these two Roman cities under 10 metres of volcanic ash and mud. Not discovered until the 18th C and only properly partially excavated in the 20th C (most of Herculaneum remains buried under the present city of Ercolano and excavations in Pompeii were discontinued in the 1980’s for cost reasons), the cities were nearly perfectly preserved under calcified layers of ash, providing a fascinating glimpse into life in the early Roman period. Assisted by very able guides we explored both sites, walking down stone streets where the ruts made from chariots were evident, peering into shops still containing terracotta urns from which were sold items such as wine, olives and grains, and wandering through houses and public baths with plaster and frescoes still apparent on the walls, mosaic floors, remains of marble furniture, lead piped water and sewage systems, fountains, and even political campaign graffiti painted on an outside wall. The excavations of Pompeii have uncovered two theatres and an amphitheatre.
The presence of plaster casts of victims in Pompeii and plastic replicas of skeletons in Herculaneum was chilling. (As excavators in the mid 1800’s continued to uncover human remains, they noticed that the skeletons were surrounded by voids in the compacted ash. By carefully pouring plaster of Paris into the spaces, the final poses, clothing, and faces of the last residents of Pompeii came to life.) For those who were unable to escape, death from the hot gases was very rapid.
We saw examples of carbonized grains, lentils, olives and fruit and, in Herculaneum, wooden beams, doors, shutters and furniture carbonized so quickly they remained in place. Many artifacts and frescoes had been removed from both sites to museums, or looted, in earlier times.
Riomaggiore to Pisa – 100 km & 19445 Fit Bit steps
We were delighted to find that Pisa is not just a tower that is leaning from centuries of engineering, architectural and hydrological mishaps. The Piazza Dei Miracoli which comprises the tower, the Duomo, Baptistry and Camposanto are a beautifully impressive whole, and despite the crowds, our visit to the Piazza was a very cool experience. The walk from our hotel also took us along the River Arno, with the wonderful Santa Maria della Spina church perched on its banks.
We recalled having learned in our youth that Galileo (then professor of mathematics at the University of Pisa) was said to have dropped two spheres of different masses from the Tower to demonstrate that their time of descent was independent of their mass. It is also reported that Galileo’s late drawings of pendulums in clocks to achieve more accurate time keeping came from early observations of the swing of lamps in the Duomo. It is interesting that there was no mention of Galileo in any of the information that we read while visiting the Piazza.
We visited two simple eating places recommended by Lonely Planet, both wonderful: L’Ostellino, for inventive paninis and Pizzeria il Montino, for great pizza and chickpea torte.
Coffee Note: La Citadella (Pisa) 9/10
Parkinson’s note: Researchers from RMIT University, Australia, have developed a test that may be able to detect early Parkinson’s – before physical symptoms appear.
Manarola to Riomaggiore – 1 km/ 17822 Fit Bit steps
Before the 2011 floods, it would have been an easy 1km walk to Riomaggiore along the Via dell’Amore (named after the increase in marriages between the two villages when the coastal path was first opened). Instead, we had to navigate very steep trails above the villages, some of which were also closed, taking us even higher up on ancient trails which were clearly not maintained. We both made use of the new poles!
Another long steep descent on a rocky uneven path through active vineyards brought us down into the railway station side of Riomaggiore. The old town and harbour are through a long pedestrian tunnel parallel to the rail tracks.
We decided to treat ourselves to a nice lunch on the terrace at Ristorante Dau Cila, looking out on the Ligurian Sea – marinated swordfish with orange, smoked tuna and lemon, salad with fresh aragula, local sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, a glass of Cinque Terre white, pannacota and espressos.
Restored, we spent the afternoon sitting looking at the sea and exploring the town. Even dinner, which we planned to be “just pizza” was another culinary experience of fresh, local ingredients.
Tomorrow, we travel by train to Pisa and from there we will head to Naples and the Amalfi Coast. We are already getting into a new rhythm of travelling. We miss our bikes, but are enjoying the new opportunities being without them allows. For Paul, the last four days have shown him that he can now hike as well as before (while carrying his full pack), although the following morning it takes a time for the joint stiffness to ease up! It has also been the kind of experience that we had hoped for; a combination of natural beauty and cultural learning. The lovely weather is an added bonus!
As the main trail between from Corniglia and Manarola is still closed, we took Sentiero #586, a path of the Paessagio Del Vino, up among the vineyards. It began with a long climb up steep steps among partly abandoned vineyards and olive groves and through a lush wood of pine, oak and Mediterranean scrub. The trail then flattened out through a long stretch of active vineyards, with the vines on one side of the narrow, uneven path and a drop to the sea on the other! The grape leaves were turning, but the olives were still being harvested. Wild boars do severe damage to the stock and walls and are kept at bay by electric fences.
While winemaking has been a significant aspect of the region’s economy for centuries, by the 1960’s wine production was decreasing and the vineyards were being deserted. As a consequence, the dry stone walls were also in disrepair. Efforts are underway to reverse that trend. For example, A new generation of younger vintners in a cooperative, the Cantina Sociale Cooperativa Agricultura Cinque Terre, supported by government, have since rejuvenated the culture of the Cinque Terre. White wines are the mainstay of the region, made primarily from Bosco, Albarola, Vermentino and Piccabon/Pizzamosca grapes. Red varietals include Gamba Rossa, Bonamico and Canaiolo. Cinque Terre is also known for its sweet, Sciacchetrà dessert wine, made from grapes dried for up to 40 days. We didn’t sample the wine, although we tasted delicious Schiacchetrà-flavored gelato.
At a coffee stop in Volastra, a village on the trail high above Manarola, we met a couple from Vancouver who told us that one of their reasons for their current trip to Europe was to visit a friend in Berlin who has Parkinson’s. We also chatted to a German couple from Munich who have a summer cottage in Laurentians!
Descending into Manarola provided great views but some difficult terrain. As a result Lois decided to buy a walking pole. They only come as a pair so Paul will carry the other. They are collapsible and very lightweight. Supper was take-out gnocchi with walnut sauce which we ate in the comfort of our apartment.
Vernazza to Corniglia – 2.1 km (elevation 269 m). 14465 Fit Bit steps
We had vouchers for breakfast at a restaurant in the harbour and watched the town come to life. On the path again, from the steep steps up from Vernazza we had a great view of the village and Monterosso in the distance. Passing through tiered vineyards and olive groves, some abandoned, and Mediterranean “scrub”, the trail was less demanding (and less busy) than yesterday, although it did involve some steep climbs. A bar and coffee shop half way to Corniglia served 8.5/10 Segafredo espresso and provided great views down to the village.
Corniglia is the only village of the five not directly beside the sea, sitting on a promontory 100 mètres above, surrounded by vineyards, and from which all of the villages of the Cinque Terre can be seen. It is the smallest and least touristy village. But, like all of the others, Corniglia contains an impressive 13th Church, the Chiesa Di San Pietro. Also, it offered the same quality gelato, this time local honey and walnut.
Monterosso to Vernazza – 1.8km (elevation 217m)/ 14190 Fit Bit steps
Although the trail between Monterosso and Vernazza appears short on the map, it is described as the most rugged and physically demanding section of the coastal trail, with lots of steep steps and rough sections, but worth it for the stunning views! Today was sunny and warm and the trail was busy. We crossed paths with a couple from Kansas City we had met the night before and also people from Peachland who had been on our train. We also chatted with hikers from Saanich, Port Moody and Michigan as we edged past each other on the narrow path, which generally had no protection on the side of the sea!
With the only natural harbour of the five villages, Vernazza is picturesque, and was particularly so in the evening light. As the sun went down, we sat in the main piazza and chatted by FaceTime with our grandchildren in Victoria. Later, Paul sampled the traditional fare of fresh anchovies, quite different from the pizza variety. Lois did a wine tasting of Cinque Terres wines. On the wall of the restaurant at dinner there were photos of the wreckage from severe floods of 2011 which caused significant damage to the villages of Vernazza and Monterosso as well to the main (coastal) trail. Parts of that trail between Corniglia and Manarola and between Manarola and Riomaggiore remain closed.
Genoa to Monterosso – 74 km ( train 72 km, walking 2 km)
Monterosso to Madonna di Soviori return – 2.5km (elevation 465m)
The next four days we will be hiking the Cinque Terre, a rugged stretch of the Italian riviera. The coastline, the five villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Isolated for centuries, the villages only became accessible with the arrival of a rail line in the late 19th C. Even now, while a highway now runs high above, the villages themselves are connected only by ancient trails, a train line or by sea.
The main feature of the steep and uneven landscape is the extension of terraces, called “cian” or “piani”, that are often so narrow that they can contain only one grapevine row. Constructed over the past 1000 years are thousands of kilometers of dry-stone wall supporting these terraces.
October is still high season and the train to Monterosso was packed with tourists. We were able to leave the crowds behind to climb up to the Santuario della Madonna di Soviore, where the view was worth the trek. Our visit to the church at the Sanctuary happened to coincide with the arrival of members of a small mixed choir in preparation for the 5:00 pm sung Mass. We sat for a while and listened to beautiful 4-part harmony (small recorded excerpt below).
Back down in Monterosso we sat by the beach in the late afternoon and then climbed up to the Convento dei Capppuccini, the chapel of which houses a Van Dyck depicting the Crucifixion.
Finale Ligure to Genoa (3km walking, 70km by train*) (Fit Bit – 13851 steps)
Genoa – Day Off (Fit Bit – 12984 steps)
Genoa is a big bustling port city with abundant evidence of its long history. Some interesting points: It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, who is described by Wikipedia as “an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer”. Marco Polo was imprisoned here after returning home to Venice to discover that it had been taken over by the Genoese. Polo used his time in prison to write about his travels. Genoa’s emblem is St. George’s Cross, which is also the English flag, having been adopted by England and the City of London in 1190 for their ships entering the Mediterranean to benefit from the protection of the Genoese.
Highlights of the city for us were the Via Garibaldi (a UNESCO heritage site), the Porta Soprana, the 12th Century Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (an unexploded English WWII bomb lies by the nave), and the lavish 16th Century Chiesa del Gesú, with its two paintings by Rueben. We also visited the grand old stock exchange building which houses the post office. The visit to the post office followed a decision to reduce the weight of both our backpacks by sending home items that no longer seem as indispensable as we had thought!
And, of course, there is the food and wines!Foccacia and pesto are from Genoa. Paul had chestnut pesto last night and we were told that locals eat foccacia morning, noon and night.
The espresso in Italy is of consistently high quality, 7.5 + (but nothing yet to eclipse Discovery of Victoria or Moja of North Vancouver!)
Porto Soprana
Cathedrale de San Lorenzo (12th C)
Via Garibaldi
Piazza de Ferrari
*distances by road or walking on Google Maps used as a proxy)
Pietre Ligure to Finale Ligure (2 km walking, 6 km by train) (Fit Bit steps – 11537)
It was strange to be back in Nice without our bikes. The Promenade d’Anglais was as busy as before, but, as a reminder of the 2016 attack, there were new steel bollards along the sidewalk. We explored previously unvisited sights,including the Palais Lascaris, which is remarkable for its baroque style and fine collection of musical instruments.
Our platform at Nice Gare was chaotic this morning as we waited for our 8:30 departure to Ventimiglia. Throngs of commuters heading to work in Monaco dealt with apparently not atypical delays and platform changes. One commuter told us that only “Monegasque” can live in Monaco and even if one had the help of someone with a “bras longue”, rents are prohibitively high.
Much of the route from Ventimiglia to Pietre Ligure was through long tunnels, with stops at new stations. This explained the long stretch of bike path on the old coastal rail line we had cycled in May. At Pietre Ligure we headed first to the Restaurant Beluga for lunch, then to the Ospedale Santa Corona for a reunion with Dr Lorenzo Viassolo, the head of trauma who had treated Paul. We had a warm chat about Paul’s recovery, family and our plans. That visit marked the restart of our adventure.
A short train ride to Finale Ligure later and we were checked into the Hotel Florenz, an old monastery where we had been booked in May. The remarkably preserved medieval gates, wall and churches of this town warrant more attention than they are given in the Lonely Planet Guide. The town is now the centre for many outdoor pursuits in the hills, especially mountain biking.
Nearly five months after the collision in Italy, we are returning to Europe to resume our trip, but without our bikes for now. While Paul continues to improve with the able support of his GP, neurosurgeon and physiotherapist, he has been advised that a full recovery may take up to 12 months. Neuropathic and musculo-skeletal symptoms continue to be managed with gradually reduced levels of pain medication. We are hoping this can soon be eliminated. It will likely also take some time for both of us to no longer relive the experience daily. However, we are anxious to get back to some sort of “normal”, which for us at the moment is being in travel mode.
We very much appreciated the opportunity this enforced break gave us to reconnect with friends and family and to spend precious time with our children and grandchildren in Vancouver (now Victoria) and Paris. We were pleased to be around to see our daughter and family get settled in their new home and neighbourhood in Victoria, which also prompted us to sell our Vancouver condo, with the expectation that we will follow them to Victoria on our return to Canada. So, if we weren’t feeling sufficiently dislocated with the interruption of our world trip, we have added a self-imposed sense of rootlessness!
After a day of recovering from jet jag in Nice, we will travel by train to Pietra Ligure, Italy, where we will meet up with the emergency medicine specialist who took care of Paul and who has texted us twice to follow up on his recovery! We will then carry on to Finale Ligure, our planned destination of last May 10. While we are still working out a revised itinerary, we plan to spend a month in Italy before heading further east in Europe. The increased flexibility of travelling without our bikes and the approaching fall in Europe are new factors to consider in planning, along with the need to ensure a level of fitness and well-being that we normally enjoy from being on our bikes all day.
Meanwhile, Parkinson’s Disease will be uppermost in our minds as we think of our friends in Vancouver and continue to raise awareness of the disease wherever possible and encourage donations for PD programs and research (Please see “Donate” button below). We are thrilled that the film “Never Steady, Never Still” written and directed by our talented young friend Kathleen Hepburn has had such positive reviews following its premiere at TIFF and now, at VIFF. Marg de Grace, the dear friend behind our PD fundraising efforts, is Kathleen’s mother.
Paul continues to make a good recovery after being hit by a car while cycling near Pietra Ligure, Italy (see post May 13th). An assessment at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre at Vancouver General Hospital determined that no surgery will be required, but that recovery can take 6-12 months. Paul is still experiencing some pain in the upper back and shoulders, but this is gradually improving. Not that this is stopping him from resuming his exercise regime, which includes 2-minute planks, much to the astonishment of his physiotherapist. Lois has drawn the line at him returning to running quite yet!
Encouraged by Paul’s excellent progress, we have embarked on a training regime together, with the aim of continuing our trip around the world, initially by foot and public transportation. We expect to return to Italy sometime in the fall. We would hope to be back on our bikes again by the time we reach Australia and New Zealand.
In the meantime, we are enjoying precious time with our grandchildren. August will be spent hanging out with 2-year-old Alice and 5-month-old Eliot in Paris, and then we will be back in BC to support the family here with a move and adjustment to a new community and schools, including starting kindergarten for 5-year-old Rhys.
The PSBC website remains active and we encourage donations at any time! We will blog again once we have a firm departure date for Italy. We wish to express our thanks again for all the supportive comments on the blog, emails and phone calls that we have received. We are sure this has helped speed Paul’s recovery!
We are back in Vancouver after a safe and uneventful flight. Paul reluctantly agreed to wheelchair assistance between gates at Frankfurt!The ER physician who looked after us in Italy texted this morning to see how we are – impressive aftercare!
Although still experiencing some shoulder pain and general discomfort, Paul is ambulatory and regaining his energy. He will be seeing his GP on Tuesday to get further medical advice and assistance. While recuperating, we will be planning our next steps which will be dependent on recovering and possible surgical intervention.
An upside to this unexpected turn of events is an earlier than expected reunion with Maritia, Steve , Jade, Rhys and Emme on this sunny long weekend in beautiful Vancouver.
We will blog again when our plans are firmer. In the meantime, thank you to everyone for your thoughts and best wishes. This means a lot to us and to our family.
Sanremo to Km 631 Via Aurelia – 41 kms. Site of collision
Unfortunately today’s blog post may be the last one for a while, as our trip has come to an unfortunate and unexpected halt. While cycling up a hill on a relatively calm road on a sunny day, Paul was suddenly hit from behind by a car. After being thrown from his bicycle and landing on the road, Lois, who had been cycling behind and witnessed the collision, feared the worst. In the minutes and hours following, a terrifying trip to a local trauma centre and hours of tests and waiting began to reassure us that we were incredibly, incredibly lucky.
In fact three days later, Paul is sitting up in his hospital bed, smiling, and looking forward to continuing our trip in one form or another.
Paul and the best espresso since Spain!
Given the potential for a far, far more tragic outcome, coming out smiling is quite simply a marvel. This is not to say that Paul emerged unscathed, as he has cracked three ribs, had two small pneumothoraces and one crushed vertebrae (D5), numerous cuts and abrasions and has been dealing with some quite significant nerve pain across his shoulders and arms from oedema of the cervical spinal cord. While this has improved in the days since the accident, it will be a while before we can consider getting back on the road. We are grateful for the very high quality care that Paul is receiving at the Ospedale Santa Corona in Pietra Ligure.
We will be flying home to Vancouver in the next few days where Paul will likely face spinal surgery and some time to recover.
It is a frustrating and disappointing end to a journey that we felt had really just begun. If you’ve been following our blog over the past weeks, you’ve experienced with us the lows (struggles against hills and winds) and the highs (delightful conversations with locals, wonderful food, and gorgeous landscapes). We had reached the point where we had settled into our daily routine, once again feeling that waking up to another day of cycling was normal. It will be a difficult adjustment.
Yet this is not the end. Though the next few weeks and months will be a challenge, we will spend much of it looking forward to picking up where we left off. That may not include bicycles, but it will still include circling the world, exploring those countries we’ve never had a chance to see, raising awareness of Parkinson’s, chasing the perfect espresso, and enjoying the life that we have once again been reminded is so vitally precious. Thank you to all of you who have followed us on this journey, we hope you’ll pick up with us again when we’re ready to go once again.
This evening we were called “strange” grandparents by our waitress at the La Porta Verde, which she corrected to “unusual”, as she intended it as a compliment. Anyone who saw us pushing our bikes for two hours up narrow roads out of Nice onto the Grand Corniche may have agreed with the “strange” description! The elevation picture above tells all. The views that we eventually got looking down at the Mediterranean, however, were breathtaking. In Turbie, where we stopped for lunch, we saw the Trophy of Augustus, which dates from 6BC. Later, as we came back down towards the sea, we got great views of Monaco, just below.
We were anticipating an easier afternoon, but instead had to contend with four scary tunnels, the longest of which was over 800m. Our prize at the end of the day was cycling on the Parc Costiero del Ponente, a marvellous old rail line bikeway into Sanremo. It also has a very long tunnel but was much quieter, with only cyclists and pedestrians.
As we were leaving the restaurant this evening, our server gave us a small plastic octopus and asked us to take a photo of it when we get to Auckland. We have nicknamed the octopus “Sanremo”.
A link between exposure to pesticides and PD has been previously suggested and a recent study* from France, first presented at the International Congress on Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders in 2016**, provides strong evidence of such an association in men and women, including non-farmers.
While association is not proof of causation, France had recognized PD as an occupational disease in 2012 because of this association. France is the third highest user of pesticides in the world and the highest in Europe.
Although the studies do not quantify the proportion of PD cases that might be related to pesticides, clearly in relation to exposure to pesticides the incidence of PD is preventable.
*Kab S, Spinosi J, et al. Eur J Epi. 2017; 32: 204-16. Agricultural activities and incidence of Parkinson’s disease in the general French population.
**The 18th International Congress is being held in Vancouver in June 2017.
Today’s route was an undemanding and thoroughly enjoyable short ride along the Mediterranean, almost all of it on dedicated bike lanes, primarily the EuroVelo Route 8. We spent the afternoon wandering through Nice, sending postcards, having tea and sitting on the pebbled beach. Dinner at La Tapenade included pesto-stuffed sardines, ratatouille niçoise and crème brûlée.
SUN! With our still-sopping cycling shoes drying on the hotel windowsill, we joined throngs of others heading to the beach to nab a rented sun lounger (a steal at 15€!). After weeks of grit, wind, rain and trucks, a few hours reclining on the beach at Cannes was a little surreal, but wonderful!
We had more time to wander around Cannes as le résponsable at the Hotel Mistral very kindly offered to do our laundry (for free, as it turned out!) The preparations for the 70th Festival de Cannes are in full swing and the Croisette was crowded with tourists and the well-heeled.
As the forecast was for heavy rain in the morning, easing off in the afternoon, we had planned to look around Frejus while waiting for the storm to pass. Sunshine was expected for Sunday and we wanted to enjoy it on the beach in Cannes. When it hadn’t begun raining by 9:00, we decided to head out. Although the rain held off for the first hour or so, the winds were strong and gusty from the east. At one point, Lois’ bike came to a complete stop! When the rain did arrive, it was hard and heavy and accompanied by thunder and lightning. With nowhere to shelter on the highway, we carried on until we found a roadside cafe with a covered patio. With the rain splashing in beside us, we tried to warm up with multiple cups of hot chocolate, cheese omelettes and fries.
It is in the nature of cycle touring, especially alongside a coastline as dramatic as the Côté d’Azur, that hills, heavy rain and thunderstorms were quickly forgotten as we rode beneath the dominating red cliffs of the Massif de l’Esterel, rolling down to small pebbly beaches that today were pounded by surf. It was still spotting with rain as we pedalled along the seashore into Cannes, but by early evening the Promenade de la Croisette was bathed in sunlight.
Last evening, Yves, one of our hosts at the Au Puits de la Fontaine, kindly gave us a lift into Barjols for dinner at the eclectic La Part Des Angels. In the car, we identified that Nina Simone was on the CD and on the way back and sitting for a time in the car park, we had a delightful conversation (in French) about “golden oldies” and jazz. Yves is a great vinyl enthusiast and has a large collection of all genres, which unfortunately we did not have time to see. Both Veronique and Yves made us very welcome in their beautifully restored house in vieux Tavernes, which shows off a number of other items collected by the couple, such as around 40 wine-corkers made of Boxwood. They obviously like to join their guests at breakfast and we had another interesting conversation this morning. It touched on many subjects, including concerns about this weekend’s presidential election and the implications for France and the EU of the polarization in France, and the disaffection of the youth. Yves told us that his father had Parkinson’s and he was very interested in our trip. We took a group photo before pedaling off on a chilly morning.
The three long hills Veronique had mentioned were OK and the route otherwise descended to the coast, with lots of hairpin turns and spectacular views of the forested countryside. The traffic was light until we got close to Frejus, when it became awful. When we stopped to consider whether there were other options, a cyclist around our age pulled up to ask if we needed help. He said an alternative route would take us far around the city, is very hilly and would add another 10km. We persevered for a while longer until the constant barrage of traffic and lack of shoulder finally forced us off onto side roads, some no more than a tough track, but peaceful!
We continue to face challenges with the Garmin. It seems it doesn’t like it when we load a route from Ride with GPS and then go off it, e.g., to look for coffee. The Garmin suddenly shuts off and we lose the tracking it has done. This problem has been identified by others.
The unexpected: the nationalistic writing above the door of the church in Salernes; perhaps from the Revolution?
You win some, you lose some. This morning was everything yesterday wasn’t – gloomy, cold, drizzle and a heavy truck route with absolutely no shoulder. However, it is still Provence and the scenery is stunning. While it remained cool (this is not the weather we expected to be experiencing in the south of France!) and overcast, the rain did stop by noon. We are now cycling through the Parc natural régional de Verdon with its hilly woodlands of oak and other deciduous and olive trees, vines, cereal crops and a scattering of sheep. Tall cypress trees are planted near Provençal farmhouses (mas), traditionally a symbol of hospitality.
Today’s surprise was the Château of Verdière. Originating from 980, it has a commanding view of the countryside.
Tavernes, our stop for the night is a small town built as a circulade which served as a style of defence for communities before the bastide towns were built two centuries later. From above, the streets form an “escargot”.
Parc du Verdon(explained in the blog!)Chateau de La VerdièreOur bikes were well protected during lunch!Church of Our Lady of Nazareth – Varages
Paul Gully: The unexpected is the essence of travel.
When we were suddenly confronted with 2km of steep hills before we had even left Aix city limits, we momentarily questioned the wisdom of our route change. Thankfully, that turned out to be the worst of it and we ended up having an absolutely delightful day riding on quiet roads, mostly with a wide shoulder, and had spectacular views of the Alpes de Haut-Provence. We passed through limestone and sandstone landscapes on the eastern edge of the Parc natural régionale du Luberon, covered with vineyards and fields of barley and artichokes.
A particular surprise was coming upon the remains of the Pont de Mirabeau. This was a suspension bridge built in 1845. The span was destroyed in WW1, replaced by another bridge which was destroyed in WW2. The bridges cross the River Durance which feeds the Canal EDF (Electricité de France), important for irrigation, potable water and power.
A view of the Alps on our approach to Manosque was also unexpected!
“Milestone”: Since Lisbon, we have cycled over 2000km.
We awoke to a cold rain and decided to spend the day in Aix-en-Provence, the home of Paul Cézanne. Everyone keeps remarking on how unusually cold it is, “comme Novembre”. The hotel receptionist said people are normally wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts by this time of year.
After catching up in a few things – haircut for Paul, sending a parcel off to Vancouver – we did most of a Cézanne walking tour, which gave an insight into the life and times of the painter but also a good sense of the city centre. We did not get to see the Cézannes in the Musée Granet. Although the hours for the gallery indicated it was open until 7, when we arrived at 5:20, we were told they were closing. We would have gotten there earlier, but were enticed into Monsieur Chou for 2 petite, but heavenly, cream puffs!
Dinner at Le Petit Verdot (thank you Lonely Planet) was Michelin-worthy! A salad of fresh asparagus, Parmesan and poached egg, followed by tender seared tuna on a medley of exquisitely cooked and seasoned local vegetables, ending with rhubarb crumble with honey ice-cream. Wine by the glass was a delicious blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah.
We also succeeded in creating a Garmin route for the morning using Ride with GPS. We decided to go inland for a couple of days, to see the hills of Provence (yes, we know, we are suckers for punishment!)
Place des Quatre DauphinsWhere Paul Cezanne and Emile Zola used to meetFontaine de la Rue des Bagniers
May 1 in Arles marks the Festival of the Gardians and Election of the Queen of Arles, an event that celebrates the traditions of the herdsmen who have followed the bulls and horses in the Camargue. A candidate for the 3-year tenure as Queen of Arles must be knowledgeable in Provençal history, literature, architecture, arts, traditions and language. We delayed our departure to watch the procession of the Gardians and their partners riding on horseback past the Roman arena on the way to Mass at the Cathedral. Later in the day, equestrian games would be held in the arena, organised by the Brotherhood of Guardians (for photos see this page).
The city of Arles, which we had visited earlier in the week by car, is the site of extensive Roman ruins, including a largely intact coliseum and partly-preserved Roman baths. It is also where Vincent Van Gogh spent 15 months, during which time he produced over 180 canvasses, which include some of his best-known works. The Fondation Vincent Van Gogh was currently exhibiting 6 of his paintings, among which was his self-portrait. An accompanying exhibition of many of the works of the American painter Alice Neel was very interesting.
The proprietor of our B&B (Villa M – highly recommended) told us to look out for a new building going up, designed by Frank Gehry. It will house a cultural centre supported by the Luma Foundation. The construction is impressive, even now.
Approaching Maramas, we cycled alongside a vast intact prison camp of rows of essentially windowless huts. We read later that this was used by the US Army to house German prisoners of war from 1944-45. On the opposite side of the highway, a race track, the sight of the French Grand Prix in 1926, is now used by BMW to test cars.
At a pizza restaurant in Maramas, one of the few places open for lunch on the holiday, our journey generated a lot of interest amongst the patrons. The Vancouver license plates prompt questions! As we got further away from the marshes and rice fields of the Camargue, the land became drier, with pine forests, olive trees and vineyards beneath limestone hills with strange outcroppings. We stopped to admire the Pont Flavien, built in 10-12BC. It has been repaired many times, but remains a remarkable sight.
We arrived late in Aix-en-Provence, partly as a result of mistakes in finding our route and having to backtrack. We agreed that we really do need to take more control of our route-planning and be less ruled by Garmin and Google!
(River Lez bike path, D21 – bike path, D59, D255, D62, D46, D58, D38c, D570)
Raindrops and tears were falling as we bid farewell to our Paris-based family after a wonderful week together sightseeing, eating, playing with and cuddling our 7-week old grandson and 21-month old granddaughter. Despite unseasonably cold weather and broken nights, our son and daughter in law were determined to make the most of this vacation, for which we are in awe and hugely appreciative! We were also pleased that our nephew, Marius and his wife, Helen (aka as “Team Twite” from previous cycle trip blogs) flew from Derby to join us at the end of the week. Unable to accompany us on their tandem this time, Marius and Helen took the train to Arles, where we met up again later for a superb meal together at Le Criquet.
The route from Montpelier was on bike paths almost all the way to the coast and on to La Grande-Motte. It should have been an easy ride, but to the coast we cycled into a strong blustery on-shore wind, which blew sand and salt into our faces. The waves were high and apparently too dangerous for wind surfing. The wind continued to be a challenge for the rest of the day as we traversed the northern part of the Camargue past rice fields. We saw Camargue Horses beside the road.
Parkinson’s note: This is the last day of Parkinson’s Awareness Month. For those who are thinking of donating to PSBC, we encourage your support!
It was one of those days where cycling conditions alternated between the sublime and the ridiculous. On leaving Beziers, we made a mistake and found ourselves on the N112, which was extremely fast and busy with returning holiday traffic. We exited when we could and a short time later realized we were near the Canal du Midi and could cycle on a paved and peaceful path for a few kilometres. Close to Portiragnes, as we left the canal, the map showed that we were only 500m from the coast. A short detour took us to the shores of the Mediterranean! This was a landmark as, since 2013, we have cycled from the Pacific to the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. We savoured the moment. We also stopped at a patisserie near the beach for a second breakfast. We asked for fried eggs and were served 4 each!
We continued on winding quiet roads just inland, past camp sites, trailer parks and amusement parks. At Agde, we spotted the interesting Cathédrale Saint-Etienne across the river. Constructed of black basalt in the 12th C, it served also as a fortress. The local hotel is built right up against the walls.
After Agde, we rejoined busy roads. Apart from a short stretch on a bike path near Bouzigue, we had to contend with heavy traffic into Montpellier. As on previous days, stretches of road were bordered by tall Plane trees, which may have been planted by nobility to line roads leading up to their estates, or by Napoleon, who apparently ordered extensive planting to shade his marching armies from the heat of the midday sun. Whatever the history, the trees complicate life for cyclists, as they narrow the road, preventing any possible room for hard shoulders (something already sorely lacking in our experience cycling in France so far), the roots push up the pavement, while the shade from the canopy disguises the bumps!
We had good views of the Étang de Thau, into which both the Canal du Midi and the Canal du Rhône enter to access the sea at Sète. The lagoon is the source of large amounts of shellfish, in particular, oysters.
Encounters: – A young women who walked up to us as we were having a final coffee outside our hotel in Beziers. After asking about our trip, she said our family and friends must be very proud of us (we said they are), that she would love to do the same sometime and wished us “bon voyage et bon courage”;
– By the beach at Portiragnes, we were approached by another women, Jutta, who had cycled with her husband in South and central America and was envious of our journey;
– Last evening at dinner we were served by a young women from Venezuela who had completed two years of law in her home country and has just been accepted into law school here. She wishes to practice international humanitarian law (we gave her our card);
-On Sunday in the Place royale du Peyrou, we met a couple from the Netherlands who were with their 6 year old son. They were experienced and enthusiastic cyclists and were starting a week’s trip from Montpellier to Barcelona. Their son was able to pedal on the trailer towed by his father (see picture below).
We are now signing off until April 30 as we are taking a break to visit again with our newest grandson, his big sister and their parents.
Wildlife notes: Glossy Ibis and Greater Flamingoes
The Canal du Midi (again)The MediterraneanAgdeÉtang du ThauPlace royale du PeyrouAqueduc Saint-Clément
It was cold and clear again this morning. The temperature is not much above 0 degrees C when we head out, climbing to around 9C by afternoon. During the previous two days cycling we had had a strong, cold tailwind, which continued to blow in Carcassonne. From the references to local winds made in the presentations in the Cité, we have probably been experiencing Le Vent Tramontane, which brings dry, cold air from the north.
As we cycled east over the Pont Neuf, we had a lovely view of the Cité and Pont Vieux, and probably our last of the snow-capped Pyrenees in the background. We were soon in the midst of the vineyards of Minervois. The terra-cotta roofs and olive groves indicated we were getting closer to the Mediterranean.
We met up with the Canal du Midi a fews times, in particular at Azille where it is carried by an aqueduct. We confirmed that the tow path was not suitable for our bikes.
We had lunch in Cabezac at an unpretentious bar/brasserie/gas station, with a great sunny patio. We looked dubiously at the menu de jour, which was buffet entrées and all meat mains. A waitress, who spoke to us in French, but then switched to English when she heard us speaking (she was from England) said we could try the buffet. Skeptically, we went inside to see and we’re amazed to find fresh artichokes in olive oil, sardines, chick pea salad with fresh mint, sun dried tomato tart, and potato salad with smoked herring, among other things!
We are staying in Beziers, another lovely old hill-town, which of course meant a stiff uphill climb with the bikes at the end of the day! This town suffered a massacre of 6000 people in 1209 at the hand of the “Black Prince” before he went on to attack Carcassonne during the Albigensian Crusade.
Our walk in the morning took us through the old town and over the Pont Vieux (14th C) spanning the River Aude. This provided a great first glimpse of the medieval castle.
The history of the ancient Cité de Carcassonne and the Bastide de Saint Louis or “old city” is long and fascinating. After our few hours visiting, a few things stand out. We learned of Catherism, a belief popular in Carcassonne in the 12thC, but deemed heretical by the Catholic Church. In 1209, Pope Innocent III ordered a Crusade against the Cathars and established the Inquisition in France, leading to the surrender of Carcassonne to the crusading army led by the “Black Knight”, Simon de Montfort. The inhabitants of the Cité were not massacred, unlike their less fortunate neighbors (see blog tomorrow), but were forced to leave the town. A “new” town, the Bastide Saint Louis, based on a grid pattern, was created across the river in 1247 by Louis IX .
Additions and modifications to the Cité continued, but eventually the fortress fell into ruins. Pressured by residents and others, the Government of France reversed its decision to demolish the Cité and work on restoration began in 1853, directed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Le-Duc, who was also responsible for the restoration of Notre Dame in Paris, and who decided to restore the fortress in the period of Louis IX. This approach to restoration was criticized in his lifetime and also in the 20th C, as it ignored the fact that the fortress survived a mixture of styles. The work of restoration included the Comtal Chateau and the Basilique of St. Nazaire.
In 1997, the City of Carcassonne was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “an excellent example of a medieval fortified town whose massive defences were constructed on walls dating from Late Antiquity. It is of exceptional importance by virtue of the restoration work carried out in the second half of the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc, which had a profound influence on subsequent developments in conservation principles and practice.”
As we had expected, the surface of the canal path soon deteriorated now we had passed into the l’Aude region. After watching a couple of boats navigate the locks, we reached the summit, where the waters divide, At that point the path changed to a dirt track which we followed for a while, but then had to revert to roads. The traffic was reasonably heavy and with no hard shoulder, which was a bit of a shock after the very pleasant ride along the canal. Eventually, we saw the Cité of Carcassonne in the distance.
Parkinson’s note: A coupleof recent news stories (1, 2,) highlight the importance of exercise, including cycling, to persons affected by PD (thanks Lorraine and Mish for forwarding). In addition to the benefits of exercise in maintaining strength, balance and prolonging independence, research suggests that aerobic exercise may actually slow the progress of PD. There is no consensus, however, on what types of exercise may be most beneficial.
