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Diapers & Detours
  • Marnie Elisabeth
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  • Marnie Elisabeth
  • Nickels

Diapers & Detours

Our first trip as parents.
The apartment is rented out for the next three to four months and we’re back in our home on wheels. Let’s see where those wheels will take us! Read more
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    🇪🇸 Valencia, Spain
    Diapers & Detours
    2

    Albufera

    May 4 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Not to be mistaken with “Albufeira” (in Portugal), we spent our day here.
    Albufera means “lagoon” and it is just a bike ride south of Valencia. Jaro and I went be car, Nickels by bike. It is one of the places to escape from the city, especially in Valencia’s summer. Therefore all these small towns seem quite dead at the moment. A bit like “half ghost towns”. Nonetheless it was nice to park within the dunes and enjoy this emptiness.

    Around the lagoon is also where the rice is grown for the Spanish families paella-dish, which is typically consumed on Sundays for lunch (a bit like the “Sunday roast”). Well, we had it on a Monday for lunch - and as we learned on our walking tour: we made a reservation and pre-ordered and shared our paella (you order a paella for the table, not as a single dish). One thing that wasn’t as original as it could get: our paella was with seasonal vegetables instead of rabbit and duck.    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    Tallat coffee
    1Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciènces1Former Túria river, now a large park (Jardí seo Túria) around Valencia's old town1Puente de las FloresRoof the central market

    Valenciana, Valencia 🍊

    May 1–4 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Dear Valencia,
    You grew on us!
    We got an overnight stop recommended by fellow travellers where we arrived around midday. I’m not sure if it was the weather or the big city, but somehow I was a bit sceptic on how we’ll feel here or if it was safe to park the van and leave it all by itself.
    Turns out: great spot to stay for a couple of nights and Valencia is a very enjoyable city!

    All three days we’ve been in Valencia we did a bike tour and as far as we know Jaro likes it (at least no complaints and he even sleeps in his carriage).

    The first tour wasn’t laid out to be that long: we went to get coffee at the Tallat coffee roastery. It didn’t seem far - just the other end of the city’s beach - but it was about 4 km. From there we saw a park on the map that seemed to have bike routes. So we took one of them to go into the old town and check that out a bit. Then we made our way back home. 20 km check!
    The second tour was only to get into old town for our walking tour through the cities most popular ancient sites (7 km there and later back again). The walking tour was worth its time and we really learned a lot about Valencia*!
    The third day we (again) went to have coffee (same place as the first day) and then took a closer look at the Ciutat de les Arts i Ciencias, which turned out to be again about 14 km.
    Valencia has great bike paths and we loved exploring it that way!

    *things we remember from our walking tour through Valencia’s old town
    - the Túria river got redirected to protect the city from flooding ; the former riverbed turned into the park we rode our bikes through the first day (Jardi Túria) - we guess it’s about 10 km park with separate walking-, jogging- and biking lanes & nice fauna
    - Agua de Valencia is far from agua (it contains vodka, gin, cava and orange juice)
    - Paella originates from south of Valencia (see next footprint)
    - Valencia was one end of the Silk Road —> this made the city flourish until around 1492, when “the americas were discovered” and the economic focus shifted west
    - Romans were everywhere —> Valencia was a retirement place for Roman soldiers
    - the Cathedral was originally a Mosque from the Moores, then turned into a church when the city became Christian (the king who turned it catholic didn’t have the money to make it more of a Christian church which is why he looked for investors and all seven families who sponsored the redesign have a picture of themselves a window above one entrance)
    - Valnecias Mercat Central is the biggest indoor market of Europe
    - more than 300 days of sun per year (and most of the rain in October)
    - there are some wild festivities one of them is I think in March when everyone turnes crazy about a week of all-day-fireworks    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    11111

    Meereen - or Peñíscola

    Apr 29–May 1 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Despite the fact that this town (regardless of English or German language) sounds really funny - it has more to offer than you might assume.
    Peñíscola is depicting the city of Meereen in Game of Thrones. It seems like it is built on a peninsula (oh, yes, maybe that’s where the name comes from?) and has a big fort in the middle. The fort and the city’s wall have the same stones and structure, whereas the houses around it look different.
    We arrived in the evening just south of Peñíscola at the entrance of a nature park and spent two beautiful nights at the sea.
    During the day we took our bikes (including the carriage for Jaro) and had a look around the old town. I think we’re (again) lucky to have seen all this during low season. ✨    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    Prades
    1Chapel on a rock (Abellera)11

    A small detour

    April 29 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    In Tarragona we met our friend Rike from
    home, who was there for work (what are the chances of that?!). She recommended before heading south to go for a hike in the Muntañes de Prades - so we headed a bit inland. And it was worth the stop!
    Since we were already there the evening before, we enjoyed the drive from Tarres to Prades. In Prades we started our hike - the first hike with Jaro! Around 8 km and 200 m of elevation. Nick had Jaro in the carrier and surprisingly he slept through the whole journey. It was good in a way, but he missed out on lots of beautiful nature views: lime stone mountains, a chapel built on a cliff, forest walks and a big rock with a big whole in it.
    This nature park has also some magnificent water holes and waterfalls which we didn’t get to see on our hike (different route) - and I think it’s more worth visiting after some rain cause it is quite dry here at the moment.

    After hiking we continued our drive through the mountains back down to the coast.    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    Tarragona has a huge variety of outstandingly beautiful lanterns
    2Roman amphitheaterRoman aqueaduct Pont del Diable1

    On Ellys footprints

    April 26 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I never thought about visiting Tarragona - and of anyone had asked I would not have been sure wether to place this town Spain or Australia (the name could be Australian). But my brain somehow remembered that my friend Elly spent a couple of months here while studying. So I asked her what to do. She told me a couple of cultural sights for us to see (which we did) and while wandering through those narrow streets of the old town Nick and I imagined being a student here, exploring the town (and of course night life!). We both decided it would have been something we liked.Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    1This spot 💕2Breakfast in bed2Jaros first contact with sand2

    Two - or more - nights here

    Apr 23–28 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    This spot ended up to be better than expected.
    We’ve spent two nights at the campground, plus in total three more nights in this area (two on the parking lot next to Las Salinas Camping, one on Tarragona at the University).

    Since not only the campground, but also the parking lot was just at the beach, we went for a swim (or dip) every day. Even Jaro got to „touch“ the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. 🥰 What a moment!    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours

    Wine field stop

    Apr 22–23 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Late arrival, we stayed for the night. It’s all wine country here 🍇

    We decided against visiting Barcelona for a day - the city just feels too big to visit for such a short time - and went a bit further down. Looking forward to see the sea again the next day. 🌊Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    2

    Girona 🚲

    April 21 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    What a city! Maybe Girona caught us a bit by surprise, but this city is definitely better then expected! Nick, Jaro and I loved it! The size of Girona is not overwhelming - it feels like it all is within a walkable distance - the city seems to have great restaurants, cafés, small shops and bars plus so many people are on their bikes! (It’s worth mentioning that it is not like in the Netherlands, where bikes are used to get from A to B, but they’re all racing bikes, and people come with their racing bikes in full uniform into town after their tour to get coffee). The whole city’s tourism is also laid out for the biking community and every shop has some little (or big) bike-detail. It made even us think about trying out this crazy sport (so far we didn’t). 🚲
    Because we liked it so much we spent two days in Girona. 🧡    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours

    Nice place for two nights 🚐

    Apr 20–22 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We found a nice spot to spend two nights. Super small, but well maintained town with a small castle. We also met another couple who’ve already spent a couple of nights there; so we enjoyed exchanging experiences, travel tips and spending some time with fellow travellers.
    They introduced us to Xuixo, a fried sugar-coated sweet dough filled with (typically) vanilla pudding - originally from Girona. And yes, we loved it.

    We also used the nearby water tap to wash some diapers but because we didn't want to put up a washing line in a parking lot, we hung them in the van and had them dry while visiting Girona. Good to have a fan on the roof 😅    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    2

    Castellfollit de la Roca

    April 20 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After waking up with a mountain view we had two stops planned for the day. Both of them were recommended by the owner of a coffee shop in Roses: No. 1: Castellofollit de la Roca; a village built on a volcano cliff. Very impressive not only wandering through but also seeing it from the viewpoint. ◡̈Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    2

    Overnight

    Apr 19–20 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We went “back” a little further north, into the mountains. Only stayed for the night; but it's a beeautiful area - good for hiking, biking - and so many restaurants with outstanding google reviews. :D

  • Diapers & Detours
    2

    Dalís home

    April 18 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The time in and around Roses feels good.
    We’re having time to do some improvements in and around our van, try biking with Jaro (not sure if he likes it; but so far I’m sure he does not dislike it) and see Cadaques! I’ve been here I think 19 years ago and only remember the drive there wasn’t my favorite thing on that trip. Today I was able to drive through this magical landscape, along the mountains seeing bays and just the sea, nice villages and Cadaques. A really beautiful white town, the place Dalí chose as his home (and I definitely can see why).Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    22

    First campground ⛺️

    Apr 15–19 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Somehow - although we know traveling and we‘re fine with waking up seeing something different everytime we look outside - this felt a bit like „we’ve arrived“. It’s warm here, there is the Mediterranean Sea and we are here. Our first time with Jaro on a campsite (Camping Salatá) and our first time to re-organise, wash, fill up.Read more

  • Diapers & Detours

    Carcassonne 🛡️

    April 14 in France ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    We had to make the detour - and it was worth it! The city has a lower and an upper town we strolled through. Jaros first time to sea a castle. 🏰

    Plus we were able to see some snowy Pyrenees 🏔️😍

  • Diapers & Detours
    2

    Bizanet

    Apr 13–14 in France ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Okay, well - our next planned and very famous stop is now close by. We decided to spend the night at a quieter spot which is nonetheless beautiful. No matter how small the town or village: there is a bakery worth visiting. Looking forward to tomorrow morning. 🥐 🥖Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    12

    Such a pretty baby!

    April 13 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Because we got this village recommended by our personal France-Guide Aurel, we went to see Gordes. And it’s not just that HE thinks Gordes is one of the most pretty villages on our planet - but it was ranked THE MOST PRETTY VILLAGE ON EARTH. What a title. So in some way we are thrilled that today is a rainy Monday with 8º C. I can only assume what is it like to be (or live!) here during tourist season.
    We spent the night on a free spot close by in the middle of nowhere. The mountains here are pretty and nature lets you know you’re in the Provence department. Although it is a cloudy day, it is beautiful - the nature and Gordes. We strolled through town, got ourselves une tartelette from Le Fournil de Mamie Jeanne (bakehouse from Granny Jeanne) and only saw some tourist groups exploring the village. One British group passed by and a woman, I guess in her 60s, saw us and was just in love with Jaro! “Such a pretty baby!” she said a couple of times, went to her friends and asked them: “Did you see the baby? Such a cute, pretty baby!”. I think Jaro might have been her favorite sight of this town.

    We will now head towards our next (quite touristy) destination… Any guesses?    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours
    3
    1

    What we find in search for a toilet

    April 12 in France ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Sometimes, while camping, you feel like wanting „a real toilet“. So you think about where to find one - malls, grocery stores and DIY stores sometimes have some (surprisingly clean) ones. So we drove to the next Intermarché. Unfortunately this specific one didn’t have them. So…what do we do? We look out for a nice café. And - lucky us! - this town had a really nice little café. It was just perfect for this slow, rainy Sunday morning. We went, had coffee and well, of course made use of their amenities.Read more

  • Diapers & Detours

    France.

    Apr 10–11 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We made it to France! After a beautiful day with my aunt close to Lörrach, we drove here.
    A beautiful tradition we have is getting a croissant and baguette at the local bakery wherever we spend our fist night in France. So far we’ve never been disappointed. 🥐 🥖

    The weather was too good to continue with another long day of driving so we had a slow day and just left some time on the afternoon.    Read more

  • Diapers & Detours

    Second overnight spot.

    Apr 9–10 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After a long day full of driving and a warm welcome (and dinner!) at my cousins house we still decided to go ahead and spend the night along the way.

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