roemin around

This is like being back in the Cotswolds. Its a small site between Bordeaux and Bergerac on the banks of the Dordogne on the edge of a pretty village St Foy la Grande, but it looks and feels like a caravan club site and is 90% English campers. Owned and run by a very friendly English couple who are building up a good business with regular Brits. I think Rosemary will know everyone on the site by the time we leave tomorrow. Cracking storm last night!

Left the Pyrenees for the spectacular walled city of Carcassone, which is the biggest and most well preserved in France. It has a castle and cathedral within the double walled defenses and a maze of old streets and squares which are now turned into cafes and shops of course. Had a very nice dinner of regional specialities (duck for Rosemary and casoulet for me) and as it was dusk plenty of photos. We stopped on the car park with 20 other vans where we had also watched England get thrashed by Germany 4-1 earlier in the afternoon. A thunderstorm was circling below the town during the match - surely an omen.  

We are finally in France on route to UK stopping a few days in a nice ACSI site within walking distance of the small spa town. Still in midi pyrenees region so the walk is by the side of a fast flowing mountain river. We are going into town twice a day and immediately, on having a coffee, noticed that prices are much higher than in Spain.  Dangled our feet in the municipal spa in the square where the water comes out of the ground smelling of sulphur dioxide and at 54 degrees C - ie its hot! There are St. John the Baptist celebrations all over France/Spain over last few days with fireworks (tragic accident in Barcelona on the news) and there are some in town on Saturday which we will go and see. Nice market for Rosemary to buy some chic trousers. The 'do' was a dance in the square to Silvie Nuages (Silvie was the feisty lady accordion player) followed by burning what looked like last years Christmas tree. It was finally put out by a fireman dressed for a space walk rather than...

Took a round about route to Andorra via the 5km Cadi tunnel which avoids the long drive over the Toses pass. The weather was fine and the scenery very impressive although it makes for tiring driving. We were heading for a site near the border with Spain, which we overshot and ended up doing some unscheduled shopping in Andorra. The approach from Spain is actually downhill, which came as a bit of a surprise and the site is only 300yds from the border. Met a Danish family on the site with a huge caravan towed by a Rover 75 which had burnt out its clutch getting here and lost so much power he couldn't tow the van home. Now waiting for SOS to help. Told us that England had beat Slovenia - a result at last ! Drove thru middle of Andorra which opens out into a town packed with shopping centres and then further north the mountains start in earnest as we reached the ski resorts of Encamp and Soleu which are not motorhome friendly with height barriers. Reached the border with France via...

Stopped on way into mountains at Besalu, an historic fortified village with old Jewish quarter and much photographed castellated bridge. Huge, like 4ft, Aliquera(?) fish swimming around in the river below. Shopped in Ripoll and then diverted down a very narrow one way track, with over hangs, due to road works. Only just made it out onto the main road over a hump backed bridge. Stayed a few miles further on for 2 nights at a small hill farm site (2900 ft) full of rallying NL's. A basic rural site by a small river in a wooded valley. No TV, no Wifi , no mobile phone - but very peaceful. Had a wander round the farm doing 'sheep spotting' and then had a really nice, home cooked meal of lamb in the little restaurant. The farm, which used to be a mill, has been in the family for 3 generations, its a shame the farmer/owner 'just' has 4 daughters and 3 sisters.     

We have actually moved further south again, but only by a few miles, to spend the weekend on the beach. The Aquarius site is owned by Germans (has a lot of them on site too) and is very modern and immaculately maintained. Another dismal display by England (0-0 to Algeria) last night but the Germans lost to Serbia earlier, so we did not get any stick at all! Spanish TV is taking the p... out of Rooney and Cappello, not that they have anything to shout about yet!   By coincidence we were here in St Pere on our way home during the last world cup.   Spotted crested larks and warblers in the dunes and assorted naked birds on the beach. Thunderstorm yesterday afternoon and it is sunny but blowing a near gale now (up at 3am to wind the awning in!) so the weather is definitely changing. Its off into the Pyrenees on Monday and Andorra on Thursday/Wednesday.

We came to Masnou near Empuriabrave for 3 nights in order visit the Salvadore Dali museum in Figures and his house in Port Lligett. The museum in the old theatre is a work of art in itself and full of weird paintings and exhibits, in fact quite difficult to describe but an enjoyable afternoon was spent roemin around. His house and workshop are converted fishermans cottages in an idyllic location on the coast at Port Lligett. We just managed to get in (limited entry) to see where and how he lived until his wife died in 1982 when he stopped painting. A fascinating view of a surreal hose and artist. We stopped on route at Cadeques, another very picturesque old fishing village, for a walk along the refurbished front (3m euro project!) and a snack. Our site is near a 20th century man made 'Venice' of canals lined with expensive villas occupied by well heeled French ad Germans with a boat at the bottom of the garden. Main road is full of boat showrooms instead of cars. There is a s...