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Italy, Palazzolo dello Stella, Lignano Sabbiadoro, Codroipo, Koper (Slovenia), 23 June – 01 July 2022

Posted on Friday, 1-July-2022 by Chris Desmond

Getting out of Milan was nearly as bad as Antwerp, trucks and more trucks and tolls. After about 200km traffic eased and I could cruise along in fine and hot 35c weather. Two fuel stops and one very long traffic jam which I got around by riding down the emergency lane. Tolls €27.20, 374km in 4:21hrs.

Milan Trucks

Traffic Jam

Tunnels

Farmland

Toll Plaza

Palazzolo dello Stella – I spent a few days here visiting friends and the surrounding area.

Choc Gelato of course

Thirsty

The Local drop

Rebecca, Baby, Rodrigo, Viola, Helena. Rescue Galgos from Spain

Carbonara done the Italian way

Ham and Melon

Swans

Thinly sliced

Fresh Riccota and Olive oil

What is this

Risotto

Chocolate

Dessert

Cheese

Cindy

Lignano Sabbiadoro – This is a popular seaside town where many Germans and Austrians have holiday homes.

Marano Lagoon

Lignano Sabbiadoro

Pet Bar

Lunch

Tiramisu

Codroipo – Stopped for an Espresso and Croissant.

Breakfast

Art

Tiny Wild Flowers

Koper in Slovenia – This is Slovenia’s only major port and it has an interesting old town.

The Old Town

Lunch

The Old Museum

Saint Christopher

Lion of Saint Mark

One head 4 bodies

Vulture and a Rabbit

4th Century AD

Saint George

Gateway

Cooling off

Town Square

Cafe

Park

New Fountain

Old Fountain

Nice

also nice

No water

Posted in Italy, Slovenia | 2 Comments

Italy, Milan, Alfa Romeo Museum, 19 – 22 June 2022

Posted on Wednesday, 22-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

From Logroño I rode to La Jonquera an overnight stop near the freeway. 612kms in 6:05 hours with 3 fuel stops, 4 lanes all the way with very little traffic and only one toll stop €16.45. Spain is eliminating Tolls and demolishing the Toll Plaza infrastructure, there are a few still left in the North West of the country. Windy with many Wind Turbines in parts.

: Wind Turbines

: Wind Turbines

: Wind Turbines

: Toll

: Bull

: Not a Bull

: 0 degrees Longtitude coming up

: 0 Degrees Longtitude

: Railway Bridge

: Thirsty

: Art

: Railway Bridge

: A White Bridge

: Nearly there

Then to Frejus in France another overnight stop near the freeway. This starts on the busiest Freeway in France and continues all the way along the South Coast of France, trucks occupying 2 lanes most of the time, winding roads and tunnels, no time to relax. Stopped for tolls 6 times, first to take a ticket and at the end pay for the ride €15.10, €2.70, €6.10, distance 445kms in 4:36hrs

: Something up there

: Enter France

: Border Monument

: Mountains

: Looks like Rain

: What is that

: The Sea

: Toll

: Toll

: Hills

: French Town

: Craft Beer

Until I arrived at Lianate on the outskirts of Milan where the Alfa Romeo Museum is located. I crossed over from France to Italy at some point probably in the middle of a tunnel. 4 tolls stops on the French side €2.30 for 28km, €1.90 for 28km, then €0.90 no receipt, €1.70 for 20km, mind boggling. Tunnel, viaduct, roadworks, tunnel, viaduct, roadworks all along the coast until I turned North to Milan, beautiful views along the coast. The Italian Toll Department only asks you to take a ticket at the beginning and pay for it at the end, therefore only 2 stops €29.50 for 295kms exactly €10 per 100km. But when I arrived at the Ring road around Milan I had to pay two tolls (€3.30 and €0.80) hahaha, usually once you get to a city there are no Tolls but not in Milan. The traffic is almost as bad as Antwerp without throwing Toll stops into the mix.

: Good Morning Tolls

: Mountains

: Tunnels

: Tunnels

: .

: Can you see the Tunnel

: .

: The View

: The Sea

: .

: Church on a Hill

: Freeway Flowers

: .

: .

: .

: .

: River

: .

: Rest Stop

: .

The Alfa Romeo Museum in Milan, one of the best of its kind.

: History

: History

: Aero engine

: Aeroplane

: Exhaust Valve

: 18 cylinders 49,720cc

: 18 cylinders 49,720cc

: Speed boat

: .

: Oil Tank

: 2 spare wheels

: .

: .

: .

: Count the Belts

: .

: .

: Arm chairs

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: .

: 2 Engines side by side

: 2 Propeller Shafts

: 2 Engines side by side

: 2 Engines one behind the other

: 2 Engines one behind the other

: Speed Machine

: Speed Machine

: Speed Machine

: .

: F1

: Flat 12

: .

: .

: .

: Police

: Army

Posted in Italy | 2 Comments

Spain, Logroño, 16 – 18 June 2021

Posted on Saturday, 18-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Pamplona to Logroño – a short ride 104kms in 1:10hrs.

Art and Wind turbines

Fields of

Tunnels

Town on a Hill

Pyramid

Logroño is the capital of La Rioja a major wine producing region in Spain and Rioja wine has been accredited with “denominación de origen calificada” . It is also famous for several streets that specialise in Tapas bars but you would have to stay here for a year to sample them all hahaha. Calle Laurel is the most well known street. The first day was 40c, the next 41c and the third day was 42c but no rain so I was happy.

Art

Fountain

Stone Man

The Seasons

Art

Wooden Man

Tapas

After Dark

Man on a Horse

Tapas

Fountain

Interesting

Painted Ceiling

Smokin

Mother and Child

Stone Bridge

Steel Bridge

The museum was free, surprisingly well organised and immaculate.

Art

Art

Money

Jigsaw puzzle

Venus with Silver eyes

End of the Empire

Saints

Who is who

Concatedral de Santa María de la Redonda

Calle Laurel, party street

Calle Laurel

Laguardia is a village on a hill that is riddled with tunnels dug during the Middle Ages as a place to hide from invaders. They are now used to make wine. I went on a tour of one of them. By bus it takes 30 minutes to get there from Logrono and costs 1.90 Euro.

Festival

Food

Streets

Bodega

Train

Wedding

Streets

Big Door

Another one

The View

Vineyards as far as the eye can see

Gate

Church

Gate

Mountain

Built into the Town walls

Secreto

Wedding Vegetables

Gif wrapped

Another Bodega

Rioja Wineries

Bodega Fabulista

Where they stamp the grapes into a pulp

Regions

Heading down

Fermentation Vats

Tunnels

storing wine at 13c

Wine Tasting

Vermouth

Home cooked meal

Posted in Spain | Leave a comment

Spain, Pamplona, 13 – 15 June 2022

Posted on Wednesday, 15-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Bayonne to Pamplona over the Western end of the Pyrenees. Maximum altitude 718m compared to 1,818m when I crossed over from Toulouse into Spain. Once I got past the villages in the foothills good ride through the mountains in fine and cool weather upto Elizondo.

Slow traffic

Farms

Cattle

Lone Rider going Uphill

Curves

In the right direction

Cloudy

Winding

Cattle

In need of TLC

Alpine

Cool

Elizondo – a Basque town in the mountains, made famous by Dolores Redondo in the Baztan Triology. Having read the books I had to see the town for myself and as I was passing through I stopped and walked around, very pretty. From there to Pamplona I joined up with a 4 lane highway with trucks, looks like they are headed for France by another route. Distance 104kms, time 2:44hrs.

Elizondo

The Church

Not the Bakery

Pretty

The Weir

The Bidasoa River

Main Street

Supermarket

Town Square

Pretty

Old Faithful

Digging for Gold

Trucks

Tunnels

Donkeys

Roadworks

Pamplona – where the Running of the Bulls takes place every year. This is where the bulls chase a crowd through the narrow streets of the town. The runners wear white with a red scarf and a few get gored every year while the Bulls finish up in the Bull ring where they will be killed. The city also has some impressive defensive fortifications and an interesting Church.

Wildflowers

Impressive Entry

Town Hall

Txantxigorri Bakery

Txantxigorri, hard bread with sugar on top

Running Attire

Calle de la Estafeta where the Bulls run

and finish up here at the Bull Ring

Defence

Lift down to the River

1922 – 2022 Plaza de Toros

Memorial

Run, Run, Run

Mayhem

The Theatre

Plaza del Castillo

Fountain and a Light

Catedral de Santa María la Real de Pamplona

Inside the Church

Chapel

The Altar

Closeup

The Weight of the Worls on his Shoulders

King and Queen

Ancient

Catedral de Santa María la Real de Pamplona

Chapel

Bell

Crosses

Under the Church

Relics

Coronation

Book Cover

Courtyard

Chapel

Another space

Look up

Fountain

Bridge

Defence

Portal

Market

Inside the Market

Lunchtime

Bridge

Camino

Jardines de la Taconera

Portal

Jardines de la Taconera

Peacocks

Jardines de la Taconera

Heavy

Ciudadela de Pamplona

Parliament of Navarra

Monument to the Fueros

House of Beer

Lunch

Posted in Spain | Leave a comment

France, Bayonne and Biarritz, 10 – 12 June 2022

Posted on Sunday, 12-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Bilbao in Spain to Bayonne in France both in Basque country. Short ride 2:05hrs and 159kms with 6 Toll stops and €24.77 in tolls, a real nuisance. At one stop the system did not detect my bike and did not ask me to pay, I was stuck holding up traffic, so I pushed the Help button and after a few minutes the bar was raised without me having to pay, first time for everything. More traffic and more trucks on the winding mountain roads not a good combination with trucks trying to overtake trucks and blocking both lanes.

Heading out of Bilbao

Mountains

Through the mountains

Tunnels go with mountains

Tolls

Bayonne – I came here mainly to visit the Basque Museum and Biarritz. The old town itself is very nice with narrow lanes and cobblestone streets, many street cafe’s and tourists wandering around. There are also free bike parking spots around the town. The Saturday market was in full swing when I was there with some genuine local produce.

Cobblestones in a pattern

Saturday Market

On both sides of the river

The Basque Language is Unique

Basque country mountainous

The Basque Regions

Interesting Wheel

Around the House

Cattle with Wigs

Gravestones

Two Seater

Dugout Canoe

Rudder

Girls at the Beach

Traditional

Behind the Door

The Front of the Door

Pelota

Picnic

Dancers

Procession

Biarritz

Chocolate Stones

Wine Press

Street Art

Could be a Wicked Witch

On the Street

Tuna and Vegetables

Cathédrale Sainte-Marie de Bayonne

Inside

Painted Ceilings

The Alter

Street Art

Biarritz – Once a playground for the rich and famous, now everyone goes there. Not a bad place if it stops raining hahaha. I took a bus from Bayonne to Biarritz €2.20 for a 24 hour ticket wandered around, it is not very big, had lunch, wandered around some more dodging rain showers and back on the bus.

: Waiting for the bus to Biarritz

: The Biarritz Casino

: Bike Parking in Biarritz

: The Beach

: .

: The other side of the Casino

: Walk along the coast

: Small Beach

: Place Saint-Eugénie

: Hotel Florida

: Menu

: Food

: Sainte-Eugénie Church of Biarritz

: Inside

: Stained Glass

: Stained Glass

: Stained Glass

: Museum of the Sea

: War Memorial

: Rocher de la Vierge

: Natural Bridge

: Hiding from the Drizzle

: Rocher de la Vierge

: rosses

: The Bridge on the Right

: Rocher de la Vierge

: Small Beach

: On a Cliff

: Spot the Bear

: Hotel De Ville

Posted in France | Leave a comment

Spain, Bilbao, 07 – 09 June 2022

Posted on Friday, 10-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

The ride from Santiago de Compostela to Bilbao was fun, through the mountains all the way, there was only a short stretch of toll road at the beginning which I avoided by going down a back road. The back roads are fun but the speed limit is 90kph which is ignored, mostly. A Police car went past in the opposite direction when I was doing 110kph and I was worried for a few minutes because in Australia that would mean they would do a U turn and come after me to save the world from a dangerous criminal and fine me $800 but here in Spain even the Police acknowledge it is not a heinous crime. Police motorcyclists wave to me as they go past at a 150kph hahaha. 566kms in 6:12hrs.

Heading out

Wind turbines

Mountains

Unusual Bridges

Tunnel

Out of one Tunnel and

into another

Mountains

National Parks

Interesting Mountains

Misty

The Sea

And a Bridge in the Middle

An S bridge

Never seen one before

Gasolina and give my rear end a break hahaha

First stop was the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao fantastic architecture and some fantastic exhibits inside, in other words, come and see for yourself. As a bonus there was a special exhibition of iconic automobiles.

Art under the Bridge

Guggenheim

The mist is created

Big Spider

Weird and Wonderful

The Puppy

Holy Place

Inside the Guggenheim

A maze, sort of

Mazes

A straight maze

In the middle

Basque Steel

The Ceiling

Genius

Door and couch grass

Genius

My name is Richard

Genius

Looking at the Mazes from above

Pretty

Scrolling Art

Close up

Rolls Royce

Fry your eggs in the back window

The Original Mini

James Bond

E type

Ferrari

Mercedes

Batmobile

Bertone having fun

Interesting

4 cylinders only?

FI work of art

The Firebirds 1, 2 and 3

Dead man

Dead man 2

Looking down

Mist man made

More steps

Puppy

Sprinklers

Tapas

The Centre of Bilbao

The Metro

The old town is the next place to go in Balboa. For a change it was not raining, I wandered around, had lunch at the Market, a huge variety of Pinchos which are tapas by another name, nothing particularly remarkable in the rest of the city. Went on a ride on the Funicular to a lookout with views of the city.

San Nikolas eliza

Santa Claus Himself

Octagon Roof

Book Market

Walkways along both sides of the river

Teatro Arriaga

Pedestrian streets only

Mercado de la Ribera

Pinchos

I had this one

Local Brew

and this one

Meat and Vegetables

The Market from the side

Wht don’t they sell these in Australia

Water Fountain

Miguel Unamuno Plaza

Tram

Inside

Fountain

Zubizuri Bridge

Looking down

Zubizuri Bridge

He should be Green

Funicular

Full house

At the Top

A Fountain

A Fingerprint

The View of Bilbao

Guggenheim Museum

Zubizuri Bridge

The Theatre and Old Town

Heading back down

Posted in Spain | 5 Comments

Spain, Santiago de Compostela, 05 – 06 June 2022

Posted on Tuesday, 7-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Porto to Santiago de Compostela short ride all on the freeway 4 toll stops €22.35 for 233kms in 2:22hrs. A bus ticket for the same journey only costs €20 and you don’t have to pay for your own fuel hahaha. Anyway good ride in fine and cool weather along winding roads, no rain is always a plus.

Heading out of Porto

Mountains

Angled Bridge

Enter Spain

The Border River

Tolls

Freeway Art

Big Bridge

Under the Bridge

Mountains

Zorza – Galician food

The next day dawned cloudy, windy and the weather gods threw in a drizzle just for fun. My advice is to stay away from the Atlantic coast, stick to the Mediterranean coast or the Interior of Spain unless you like gloomy weather.

A bus into town cost me €1 and I optimistically did not even bring a jacket, 16c and a drizzle, headed straight for the Cathedral Museum where I spent 3 hours. It is in three separate buildings and then there is the Cathedral itself, very few English translations so you will have to guess what the exhibits represent.

Saint James has an interesting and controversial history, nevertheless he is the Patron Saint of Spain and is very popular.

Market

Cathedral Entrance

Town Hall

Museum

Saint Sebastian and the arrows did not kill him

From Mexico

Rest stop

Saint James killing the Moors

Library

Books

Battle

Courtyard

Inside

Ancient tomb

War

The Ceiling

Relics

Ancient

Slaughtering a Pig

The Square

Narrow streets

Battle of Clavijo

Three Wise Men’s horses

The Cathedral from the Front

Those horses again

Inside the Cathedral

Fountain

One of many churches

Hydration

Free snack with the beer

Empanada

Lasagna

The only other choice was Lemon Tart

Espresso

Posted in Australia | Leave a comment

Portugal, Cabo da Roca and Porto, 01 – 04 June 2022

Posted on Saturday, 4-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Merida to Cabo da Roca started out as a fine day but when I crossed the border into Portugal it started to rain. This time I made the wise decision to take the freeway and pay the hefty tolls (€20.35 and 3 stops, 230kms) because the last time I was here I used the backroads and getting through Lisbon on the slippery cobblestones while it was raining was not nice hahaha live and learn. The toll roads are a nuisance, you usually have to stop, take a ticket at the beginning and at the end present the ticket to a machine or and operator and pay the toll, a motorcycle is in the lowest class, cars pay much more. Each time I have to stop take my gloves off, fish around for my wallet, pay the toll or put the ticket away and struggle to put on wet gloves again. Anyway I arrived at Cabo da Roca which is the Western most point of the European Continent and the rain stopped, it was still cold and windy. Beautiful views with a few tourist busses, it must be a regular stop, I took a few photos and was on my way. I stayed in a small village nearby called Almoçageme, all the roads here are steep, narrow, winding and some are made of cobblestones. 328kms in 4:04hrs

Spanish Freeways Beautiful

Portugal = Rain

Bridge Toll

Big Bridge

Rain

There it is

Arrived Cabo da Roca

Rugged coastline

Big Rocks

Lighthouse

Heading back

Lunchtime

Village Cafe

Nice cake

The view

Unusual door knob

Frome Almoçageme I rode to Porto famous for producing Port. Getting back on the freeway through the back roads took a while with Garmin directing me down roads that were probably meant for horses not motor vehicles, a few missed turns later I was off and running, back on the freeway or Autopista. 363kms in 4:04hrs This time 2 toll stops and €27.20.

Heading out

The view

Dunes

On the Autopista

Thirsty work

The dreaded Toll plaza

Porto is hilly, up and down and some streets turn into stairs hahaha. The place where everyone hangs out is Ribeira on the river bank, the other side of the river is Gaia an easy walk across the steel bridge. I walked down to Ribeira but to get out of there I took an Uber, for around €5 you can get around the city area. There should be a lift and a Funicular to get you back to the top but neither of them was working. I spent most of my time wandering the hilly streets looking for Street art while dodging rain showers. Never did get to find all the art, too many hills and showers.

A word of warning, when you order a meal at a restaurant in Portugal you will be brought bread and a few side dishes that you assume are part of your order. Assume not because if you touch any of them you will be charged extra usually an outrageous price. Let me give you an example, I ordered a glass of wine and it came along with a small bowl of olives, this is common practice in Spain and anywhere else, the olives or peanuts or whatever are free. I also ordered a meal, when I was given the bill, the wine was €3, the 10 or so olives were €2.20. No credit cards only cash so I paid in cash and was given change which I counted and it was €1 short, I pointed this out and they brought me the correct change. Another place charged me for bread which they brought along with some other stuff, none of which I touched and when I pointed this out they said Sorry and brought me the correct change. You have been told.

Ribeira

Olives €2.20

Precarious

Beautiful

I did not know what I was getting hahaha

River Cruise

An Icon

The Market near the Cable Car

Market

Stout

Market

IPA

Gaia

Fountain

Find the Fox

I walked up the stairs

Portugese BBQ

Railway Station

Balancing Act

Ribeira

Gaia

And of course I had to do a tour of the most iconic brand of Port in Porto “Sandeman”. A tip, if you look online the bookings will show Full but if you go to the counter in Gaia you will get a place if not the same day then the next day. That is what I did.

Before the Tour

Port

Art from across the river

Esteva

History

1935

The Story

The Tour Guide

Big Barrels

After the Tour

Interesting Latch

Posted in Portugal | 2 Comments

Spain, Merida, 29 – 31 May 2022

Posted on Wednesday, 1-June-2022 by Chris Desmond

Sevilla to Merida an uneventful ride on the freeway in cool weather, 187kms in 2:05hrs.

On the road

Enter Merida

Once you get to the first Attraction you can buy a ticket for 16 Euro that will get you into a total of 8 places and that is what I did. There are many other bits of Roman buildings scattered all over the town.

An ancient wall

Salud

The Amphitheatre where Gladiators fought.

Roman Amphitheatre

Gladiators

Roman Amphitheatre

Right next door is the Theatre.

The Theatre

Behind the Theatre

Casa del Anfiteatro

Temple of Diana

Shady walk

Temple of Diana

Protection from Football fans

Alcazaba of Mérida – an old fort built by the Muslims

Alcazaba

Romulus and Remus

Alcazaba

Enter

Inside

Water Cistern

Steps going down

Water

Fish

Two parallel passages

History

Archaeological area of Morería

Manhole Cover

Lunch

Spot the Stork

Mama and Papa

Basilica of Santa Eulalia, there is a crypt underneath.

Roman Wall

Basilica of Santa Eulalia

The Crypt

Massive Pillars

Art in the Crypt

Xenodoquio

Acueducto de San Lázaro

The Circus where they raced Chariots.

Roman Circus

The Top End

What are they

Casa del Mitreo – another Roman mansion.

Casa del Mitreo

Waiting to be discovered

Puente Romano de Mérida

The Bridge

Looking back

Looking Ahead

Rest stop

790m long

A new Bridge

Acueducto de los Milagros

A Bridge and an Aqueduct

Amazing

Home of the Storks now

Count the Ducklings

Stork Family

Trajan Arch

Food

Who is that

Food

Posted in Australia | 2 Comments

Spain, Sevilla, 25 – 29 May 2021

Posted on Sunday, 29-May-2022 by Chris Desmond

Terre to Sevilla, a cold ride until I reached Puertollano and then a classic motorcycling road the N420 winding through the mountains and a couple of National Parks upto Montoro, 742kms in 7:56hrs, my rear end still need conditioning hahaha.

Sevilla is one of my favourite cities and I have visited it several times. This time I saw a couple of new places, the Hotel Alfonso XIII and the University.