Its pretty darned hot in Madrid, so we have taken to having siesta during the middle of the day. As usual Luce has embraced the local culture above all others and is having a jolly good sleep, leaving me to update the blog...
We had a great day in Lake Como last Monday - the scenery is beautiful around there. We took an early train out of Milan, and once we got to Como town followed Lisa's advice to the letter and headed up the funicular to Brunate. This is a really stunning little town, breathtaking views and some amazing villas, which if we werent spending a year not working could have interested us some more, but another international property just isnt an option at the moment. However, it is noted for future.
Once back down to earth, and to Como town, we took the fast boat over to Bellagio town, about an hour along the lake. Another paint box pretty Italian town that is opposite George Clooney's villa. Such a pretty place to potter around, and then we found a little man selling glasses of vino bianco by the lakeside for €1. It would have been rude even on our budget not to stop for half a dozen and watch the sun slowly sink before jumping on the bus back to Como to connect to the train to Milan.
It was good to move on from Milan the next day. We both felt that we had done it justice. So we were off to get our Ryanair flight - in true Ryanair fashion from an airport nowhere near Milan - to Valencia. Our hotel was on the edge of town, and full of Brits and Aussies waiting to go to La Tomatina. The pool on the top of the hotel threatened to be straight out of 18-30 holiday, but didn't fulfil
Once back down to earth, and to Como town, we took the fast boat over to Bellagio town, about an hour along the lake. Another paint box pretty Italian town that is opposite George Clooney's villa. Such a pretty place to potter around, and then we found a little man selling glasses of vino bianco by the lakeside for €1. It would have been rude even on our budget not to stop for half a dozen and watch the sun slowly sink before jumping on the bus back to Como to connect to the train to Milan.
It was good to move on from Milan the next day. We both felt that we had done it justice. So we were off to get our Ryanair flight - in true Ryanair fashion from an airport nowhere near Milan - to Valencia. Our hotel was on the edge of town, and full of Brits and Aussies waiting to go to La Tomatina. The pool on the top of the hotel threatened to be straight out of 18-30 holiday, but didn't fulfil
l its potential for boozy Brits abroad, much to our pleasure! We wandered down to the port area to see where the Grand Prix had taken place the weekend previously. The Valencians had built a street circuit in an area of town that recently hosted the Americas Cup, a part of town which is turning into a really great vibrant location (must lose all thoughts of more property buying_)
The next morning we set off early (although not as early as first hoped) to Bunol and la Tomatina. The train is full of Brits, Aussies, Americans, but pleasingly, mostly Spanish wearing swimsuits, goggles, specially designed t-shirts, snorkel and masks. Its a rare old site. Once in Bunol, there is a Euro-house themed party atmosphere with the locals setting up stalls of bocadillos, cervezas and waterproof cameras. Other locals have set out their lunch tables and watching the crazy tourists go down the hill to the old town. We join in the 1000am beer drinking to get into the spirit. Thousands of people are squashing into the old square with an air of anticipation. Residents in the buildings surrounding the square have hoses out and buckets of water emptying onto the hot crowds below. At 1100 a horn sounds and the tomatoes are thrown. Theyre coming from all directions. We thought we would be relatively safe near the police - no such l
The next morning we set off early (although not as early as first hoped) to Bunol and la Tomatina. The train is full of Brits, Aussies, Americans, but pleasingly, mostly Spanish wearing swimsuits, goggles, specially designed t-shirts, snorkel and masks. Its a rare old site. Once in Bunol, there is a Euro-house themed party atmosphere with the locals setting up stalls of bocadillos, cervezas and waterproof cameras. Other locals have set out their lunch tables and watching the crazy tourists go down the hill to the old town. We join in the 1000am beer drinking to get into the spirit. Thousands of people are squashing into the old square with an air of anticipation. Residents in the buildings surrounding the square have hoses out and buckets of water emptying onto the hot crowds below. At 1100 a horn sounds and the tomatoes are thrown. Theyre coming from all directions. We thought we would be relatively safe near the police - no such l
uck. Its too crowded to get close to the main drag where the trucks are slowly meandering through full of people emptying their tomatoey mess onto the people below so that they can launch at everyone around them. Its absolutely mental in a way that only the Spanish seem to be able to master - and that health and safety in the UK would probably cancel. After an hour its all over, and the hoses are out. Local people washing down those who look like they hav
e been bathing in gazpacho. Lots of cheering, smiley faces, and a general aroma of sweaty tomatoes. Its a unique experience, that was worth the wait. We make some buddies on the way back to Valencia - a guy who has been injured during the tomatina - it wasnt just tomatoes that were thrown, and he was unlucky enough to get an ear injury from some ufo, and was off to hospital. We are experts on Valencian health care as we had been investigating places to get the second doses of jabs needed for when we travel beyond the confines of Europe, so could offer them plenty of advice on the local ER. Ever helpful us Knoxes. We spend the evening in the Barrio Carmen, a great area with lots of interesting restaurants and bars
. We found some good tapas, and a very dodgy house wine that verged on sherry! We hadnt found this area of Valencia before, on previous trips, so we're pleased that we did this time, as its one of the highlights of this Catalan city.
We were very proud of ourselves on Thursday having achieved the goal of vaccinations at a Spanish clinic - well apart from the fact that they had run out of Japanese encephalitis. There is obviously a run on Valencians heading out to Viet Nam at the moment - perhaps Ryanair have set up a route from Valencia to Madrid/Viet Nam. Hey ho, we will hopefully find a French travel clinic on Monday in Cannes. We only needed dose 2 of rabies and Hepatitis B, and the
We were very proud of ourselves on Thursday having achieved the goal of vaccinations at a Spanish clinic - well apart from the fact that they had run out of Japanese encephalitis. There is obviously a run on Valencians heading out to Viet Nam at the moment - perhaps Ryanair have set up a route from Valencia to Madrid/Viet Nam. Hey ho, we will hopefully find a French travel clinic on Monday in Cannes. We only needed dose 2 of rabies and Hepatitis B, and the
best thing about it was that they were free - even for us Brits! Much better than the 375 quid it cost us in the UK! After an afternoon on the beach, we were back down to Barrio Carmen trying to put to rest our paella demons. It still all tastes the same, and is a bit of a disappointment, but wasnt as bad as last time - maybe the fact that we werent hungover helped out paella's cause.
And now today we jumped on the bus from around the corner of our Valencian hotel which then dropped us some distance away from our hotel in Madrid. Fortunately the Madrilenos has worked out how to air condition their tube as it is baking hot here - a real dry heat. We had a quick wander around to see the palace and the main square, but then needed to come back to the hotel for an air-conditioned siesta. We did manage to pick up a bottle of cava on the way, which we're about to use to get our Friday night in Madrid started now that Luce is up from her slumber.
We're both looking forward to heading back to Cannes on Sunday - living out of hand luggage is starting to wear a little thin, especially as we are carrying tomatoey clothes with us that are starting to smell a little like cup-a-soup...
And now today we jumped on the bus from around the corner of our Valencian hotel which then dropped us some distance away from our hotel in Madrid. Fortunately the Madrilenos has worked out how to air condition their tube as it is baking hot here - a real dry heat. We had a quick wander around to see the palace and the main square, but then needed to come back to the hotel for an air-conditioned siesta. We did manage to pick up a bottle of cava on the way, which we're about to use to get our Friday night in Madrid started now that Luce is up from her slumber.
We're both looking forward to heading back to Cannes on Sunday - living out of hand luggage is starting to wear a little thin, especially as we are carrying tomatoey clothes with us that are starting to smell a little like cup-a-soup...
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