European Roadtrip 2018

Road tripping through Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria and Italy 🚗 Read more

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European Roadtrip 2018
Portuguese tiled buildings
June 24, 2018 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
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European Roadtrip 2018
Santiago de Compostela
June 25, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I guess we weren't meant to spend much time here, as it started to rain ....
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European Roadtrip 2018
Spain Day 6
June 25, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
A very scenic drive through the hilly areas of North West Spain. The weather went from cloud and mist to rain, back to mist and finally we had sun around lunchtime when we were about 250km from our last hotel. We only managed to get a glimpse of the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela before the rain came down, so we decided to continue on our way North and visit the cathedral next time.

We passed through small villages, crossed long high viaducts (bridges) - some close to a kilometre in length - winding through the mountains to the sea. Fields of grazing horses and lazing cows added to the charm of the scenery, as did the colourful houses, old churches and dilapidated old farm buildings.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Andrin village @ La Boriza
June 26, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
A quaint village "off the beaten track" with beautiful views and breakfast Spanish style 😃
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European Roadtrip 2018
Bilbao
June 26, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Bilbao, an industrial port city in northern Spain, is surrounded by green mountains.

The statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is located at one of the entrances to the city, at the junction of two main roads.

Bilbao is famous for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which opened in 1997. The museum houses prominent modern and contemporary works, but it’s the curvy, titanium-clad building that receives the most attention.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Spain Day 6 - France Day 1
June 27, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
After a Spanish style breakfast, we left Andrin, a quaint village "off the beaten track" and headed north towards Bilbao. Once again we were soon driving through beautiful mountainous landscapes.

We crossed into France at Irun for the next 3 nights.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Breakfast in a French village
June 27, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Breakfast was at a little Boullangerie in the French village of Magesoq. Pastries and various types of baguette all made on the premises.

While a patisserie is a bakery specializing in pastries, and headed by a pastry chef, a boulangerie is a bakery that focuses mainly on baking bread.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
France Day 2
June 27, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
After breakfast in Magesoq, we continued north through the French countryside. We passed many little villages, farms and old structures including of churches and cemeteries, some old and some very old 😆

Large forested areas mixed with fennel, wheat and corn fields covered the countryside. Further north, vineyards stretched as far as one could see. Some of which were interspersed with horses and foals happily grazing in large fields.

After a day bumbling through the Southern French countryside, we spent the night at Chateau Pierre de Montignac. A beautiful wine farm north-west of Bordeaux where we were treated to a bottle of one of their reds which wasn't half bad 😊Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Château Lafite-Rothschild
June 28, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
We didn't stop to purchase our wine here as these wines were a ittle out of our price range (Chateau-Rothschild, 1869 – £163,000 per bottle .... In 2010) 😝

The average age of the grapevines is 39 years. But vines younger than 10 years old are not used in the Grand Vin. This means that the average age of the vines used in the Grand Vin (Château Lafite Rothschild) is closer to 45 years. The oldest plot, called “La Gravière , was planted in 1886.Read more
Travels with L and JSure they taste crappy at that price !!
6/28/18Reply
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European Roadtrip 2018
France Day 3
June 28, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We drove through scenic albeit rather flat French countryside today and more little villages.

Once again churches were the highlight of each village, as the steeples were visible long before anything else.

Some very old where many of the homes appeared abandoned, were it not for the tell-tale sign of an open window shutter or laundry hanging on a clothes line, confirming that the home was in fact occupied 😆Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Fresh produce
June 29, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Some of the produce, bread, cheese and craft beer at French supermarkets ...
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European Roadtrip 2018
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France Day 5 - Spain Day 7
June 29, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Passing through Lourdes we made our way back to Spain over the Pyranees mountains.

Mountains, rushing rivers, lakes, cows and more small villages were the order of the day.
Travels with L and J Pretty
7/2/18Reply
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European Roadtrip 2018
Barcelona - Day 1
June 30, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
So after 2 weeks "bumbling around the countryside", we're spending the weekend in Barcelona. A bustling city, famous for the works of Antoni Gaudi. The most famous being the unfinished Sagrada Familia which was started in 1866 and could be completed in the next 10 to 15 years 😊Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
La Boqueria Market - Barcelona
June 30, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
The Boqueria Market located off the Rambla is not be missed. It's wrought iron entrance leads to a world of food that attracts both tourists and locals. The floors are slippy from melted ice and fruit skins and the stall owners are loud, but this all adds to the markets' charm.

One can't be anything but amazed at the stalls from various countries and cultures. Each with their carefully stacked wares ranging from tropical fruit; vegetables; spices; sweets, dried fruit and nuts; fish; meat (cured and smoked) and cheese; as well as tapas bars.

No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a visit to La Boqueria Food Market, a foodie heaven 😁Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
BCN Pride parade
June 30, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We saw the parade in Berlin 2 years ago ... this wasn't as glamourous, and seemed to have a serious political undertone.
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European Roadtrip 2018
Parc Güell
July 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
The Park Güell is a public park compeising gardens and many of Gaudì's famous colourful mosaic adorned works.
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European Roadtrip 2018
La Sagrada Familia Basilica
July 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
The Sagrada Família Basilica (Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family) is the unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí's work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral, which must be the seat of a bishop.

The first stone was laid in 1882 with five generations having already witnessed the temple’s rise in Barcelona. Construction continues today and it is expected that the Basilica will be completed between 2026 to 2028.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Inside the Sagrada Família Basilica
July 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
This is by far the most beautiful church I have ever been into. The sheer size and architectural design is unreal and seems as if it could be something out of a Fairy Tale.

The stained glass windows in blue, green, red, yellow and orange hues reflecting the evening light; the huge branched and split columns; the massive organ pipes and my favourite the beautiful ceiling.

I'd love to come back when it's complete 😁Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
La Rambla
July 2, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
La Rambla in central Barcelona, is a popular tree-lined pedestrian mall, that stretches for 1.2 kilometres. It connects Plaça de Catalunya (the large square that is generally considered to be both its city centre and the place where the old city and the 19th century buildings meet)
with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
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Monsaratt and Andorra
July 2, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Travels with L and J Love that
7/6/18Reply
Travels with L and J 😂😂
7/6/18Reply
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European Roadtrip 2018
France Day 6
July 3, 2018 in Andorra ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
A scenic drive from Andorra through the South of France to our overnight stop in Bagnols Les Bains.

The route meandered through mountains and valleys, passing through villages and farms. Each village possessing its own character. Some old and ramshackled, while others were charming and vibrant. The wheat and oat fields and the natural forests often resembling a patchwork quilt from afar.

As always in these areas, the largest and most prominent building being the village church, standing tall and proud above all else.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Le Puy-en-Velay
July 4, 2018 in France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Le Puy-en-Velay in southern central France is famous for its cathedral, the large red statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the town, a type of lentil grown in the area and lace-making. It's also a starting-point for the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, a walk of about 1600km.

The red iron statue of Notre-Dame de France (The Virgin Mary) overlooking the town is made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the Siege of Sevastopol in 1854. It was presented to the town on 12 September 1860.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
France Day 7
July 4, 2018 in France ⋅ 🌧 21 °C
More farms and winding mountain roads through the French countryside near Lyon.

Brown and black "Milka" cows, fields of wheat, hay bales and many quaint French villages were the order of the day.

We drove along the Ain River and passed below the Cize–Bolozon viaduct which was built in 1875.Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
France Day 8 - Germany Day 1
July 5, 2018 in France ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Then the rain came 🙄

But this didn't hinder us as we made our way from France in a Northerly direction to the Schwartzwald (Black Forest) in Germany ... the home of the Cherry liquor used in Black Forest Cake 🎂

The rain accompanied us for most of the day, but this added a little twist to the forested and mountainous surroundings. Ribbons of mist rose from the mountain crevices and drainage lines, giving the mountainous and forests an eerie feel.

We knew we were in the German winelands when we saw the vines in perfectly straight rows, be they on hills, in flat fields or a.mixtue of the 2 😁Read more
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European Roadtrip 2018
Klosterruine Frauenalb
July 6, 2018 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
A legend from 1566 tells the story of Baron Berthold von Eberstein and Baron Albrecht von Zimmern, two german nobles. In 1134 Baron von Zimmern was hunting in the forests, where he had a horrifying encounter with a ghost. His hair color turned white immediately!!
Because of this, he promised to build a church. Eberstein, who was nearby when this happened, was so impressed, that he decided to finance and build a convent for women.

However, historical research shows that Frauenalb was built by Eberhard III von Eberstein and his mother Ute between 1880 and 1885 as a convent for noble women, most of whom became members during their childhood. About 30 nuns lived there at this time. It was thought of as a place for unmarried women, but which allowed them to live in a manner appropriate to their noble origin.

Frauenalb was damaged several times. In 1505 most of the buildings were destroyed by a fire. In 1525 the convent was robbed by rebelling peasants during the "Bauernkrieg" (peasant war). In 1598 the convent was closed, but reopened in 1631 during the Thirty Year War and used by benedictinian nuns.

In 1751 the construction of a new church with two towers was completed. In 1803 the convent was closed once again and became the property of several companies. Since 1853, after 4 fires just the ruins remain.Read more
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