So yes we lost the ‘new’ camera in the lake with pictures of our visit to the castle at Rundale in Latvia – wonderful castle with amazing stucco, state rooms, relief, tapestries etc– a mini Versailles plus a lovely garden, pictures here are taken from the brochure ! Thence past the famed Hill of Crosses to Trakai with beautiful lake (including camera), camp site and castle.
Seems an age since we last wrote but we have covered a lot of ground. From Lithuania through to Alsace in France. A couple of thousand kms or more. Arriving back in France feels like coming home, suddenly we can communicate easily, get decent bread and cheese, cheap wine and recharge the dongle so we have easy wifi. It is amazing how important that is becoming.
Crossed Northern Poland – spending a day or two in the Masurian Lakes. An extensive lake system, sometimes linked by canals with charter yachts by the thousands. Looked great - we were a bit jealous.
City hopped the rest of the way to Germany and to a few days in Berlin. A great city with such an interesting history, but hard work as a tourist and we were knackered by the end of 2 full days of walking tours, one a classic tour and the other the ‘new’ street art scene.
On down to Dresden – where we had a campsite right by the river overlooking the beautiful skyline of the Old Town. The big surprise was a Mark Knopfler concert right beside us. Sat on the river bank with thousands of locals and listed to the concert about 100 metres away – could listen but not see. Was brilliant, but noticed the Germans were really restrained in their responses.
Spent a few days touring East Germany – Saxony and 
Thuringia – all pretty villages, half timbered houses. Motorwayed 400 km (unusually long distance for us), onto Strasbourg, with an overnighter in Worms. Loved Strasbourg – an aire right on the Rhine, beside a striking footbridge across to the German side, with a garden on each side – all to commemorate the unity of the EU. A flat bike ride into town and lots of wandering of half timbered houses, quaint alleyways – the usual stuff, but never fails to please.
When you travel quickly you really notice the differences between the different countries. The road surfaces 
being one of the more prominent. The Baltic States still have quite a lot of work to do, but we were surprised that Eastern German roads are not so crash hot either. However there are more important things like cultural aspects, architecture, food, 
language, friendliness, helpfulness etc. Joanna has taken a fancy to the 
different deer warning signs on the roadside, in different countries. Wishes she had started taking photos much earlier. The Lithuanian one looks like it is trying to climb upstairs!
The storks ran out in Poland just near the German border. However we have found them again in Alsace, where there is a thriving reintroduction programme. Spent a couple of hours wandering round that, getting a chance to see the chicks close up, and learn a bit about them. There are plenty around the region, just had a coffee in the square at Eguisheim, near Colmar, watching them on the rooftops and listening to their clacking noise. Love it.
Meandered our way down the Route de Vin from Strasbourg to Colmar. The home of Gewurtztraminer and Reisling. A bit of obligitory tasting led to a bit of purchasing. A bit more expensive than our regular Lidl purchases. However the villages are stunning with all their old buildings and geraniums etc.
For those of you who don’t know, Lidl is a chain of German supermarkets, found throughout most of Europe. Small,with a limited range of products, but very cheap. They have many of the same products in every country so when the language becomes an issue, Lidl is great. They have a centre aisle that sells all sorts of goodies – this week in France the focus is on cycling and running. Sometimes it is tools, the beach, gardens etc. David loves the centre aisle and usually finds something that he just has to have. Have stocked up on a whole load of bicycle things this week – jackets, computers, repair kits – the list goes on – all must have, at bargain basement prices.
A few days on the Canal Rhone to Rhine and the river Doubs with Max and Lucy Thompson on their
luxurious craft – Kiwirose. Started at the very attractive riverside town of Dole. The evening before Bastille Day so we were treated to fireworks and a great display of hot air balloons. The real 14th with a great display canal side with a local ‘tabac’s’ residual supply of fireworks plus David delighted to find the old fashioned ‘bangers’ in ascending ‘bang’ from the No5 to the grenade sounding No1 – the stuff of memories. Couldn’t stop him, we all went back to the boat and David stayed with the local lads, letting off bangers.
Two days of driving north in sweltering heat (no aircon in Stan) to Calais. This is a town we now know well and feel relaxed in, parking on the seaside quays, great views BUT the continuous rumble of the 24 hour procession of cross channel ferries only a stones throw distant. A few essential ‘fix ups’ to Stan with our favourite camper van shop, mussels in the local cafe at lunch time, we know our way around and have grown to love this rather sad town with so many passengers passing through but no glitter.
No time now, must finish, some ‘gypsies from Ireland have just added spice to the campervan park usually only inhabited by the retired (like us !) and duck on the menu.
Here’s to old Blighty on Sunday.
