The weather is grey and foggy, but by the time we set off (after a disappointing breakfast) it’s starting to clear up. We drive towards the Trümmelbach waterfalls, following a picturesque highway passing by lakes and through tunnels. The drive up to the falls is very nice, with views of the canyon valley and snowy… Continue reading Altdorf to Basel
Arne picked me up at the Avis office in Como the day before around 6 pm. We drove to the B&B La Villa and visited Como after a quick shower and hugging the local cat. In the morning, I have several texts and calls from family, wishing me a happy birth day. Hugging the cat… Continue reading Como to Altdorf
We get up and start packing. I fold all the dirty clothes in one side of the trunk, determined not to open the zipper until we’re near the washing machine at home. We leave around 9 with an ETA of 3 pm at La Butte au Bois, a Relais & Chateaux hotel with a Michelin… Continue reading A smooth drive to la Butte au Bois
a visit of the castle garden As the castle brochure boasts of a large private garden, we set out after breakfast to discover it. We follow the map to the entrance and descend through the dry moat to the tiered garden. The hill side is pretty steep and the garden is definitely not wheelchair accessible.… Continue reading a long drive to Bayern
The total driving time to our destination Grafenau in the Bayerischer Wald is estimated by Google Maps to be 9 hours for 800 km. because we don’t want to drive all day, we’ve decided to leave on Thursday afternoon and do a short stop. Arne’s car is supposed to get its winter tires and scheduled… Continue reading to the Rhein valley
It should be a seven-hour drive to Kaikenried in Germany, where we have booked a room with Voll-Verwöhnpension for two nights, which means breakfast, lunch, dinner ánd tea with cakes included. I pack while Arne prepares lunch (same again) and we set of before 9 am. First I drive a long stretch on two-lane roads… Continue reading more driving, but also a castle
Check out is at 10 am, so we don’t dawdle with breakfast and packing. It’s a five-hour drive, back up the coast and then over the inland highway. We pass by Ston again, we have learned they grow really good oysters here (a different kind than in western Europe), but decide it’s a bit early… Continue reading to Poljanak
beach & drive (7.900 steps, 5,58 km, 50 floors) We’re driving to Dubrovnik today and want to take the ferry at 3 pm. We get up late (after 8 am), we have a long breakfast (pancakes with Nutella and strawberries, again) and take our time packing. We make the final arrangements for our guide to… Continue reading to Dubrovnik
Today we want to visit Split, but we’re afraid of the crowds so we pack our stuff before breakfast and are downstairs around seven. It’s warm enough to have breakfast outside, even in the shadow. I have fruit salad and yoghurt, to compensate for all the extensive dinners lately. We drive to split and aim… Continue reading Split & Mljet
Today we move to a hotel on Rab island, so we have planned a short walk in Risnjak National Park. The weather at the coast is okay, but further inland it’s raining. We park at the main entrance near Crni Lug and set off with the camera bag and a day pack containing the picnic… Continue reading Rab
We wake up before the alarm, though we haven’t got that much planned today we want to get going early. Getting everything back in the luggage is a challenge, but I’m getting the hang of it by now and have succeeded quicker than the first time I tried on Monday. Arne takes care of all… Continue reading to Croatia
Tuesday 17/05 Late breakfast at eight am, with great hot chocolate (from a machine!), a nice selection of breads and spreads and homemade cake for dessert. It’s still raining (or raining again, it’s not clear) but we set out in good spirits. We’ve downloaded a pdf with two walks and are planning to hike up… Continue reading Salzburg
Sunday On Sunday morning we start the actual packing and we manage to get most of the clothes packed away before we have to leave for the first communion of Xander, Arne’s nephew. We’ve resolved to limit the volume, so that we can stack everything in the trunk under the soft cover, so that it… Continue reading Setting off
We have breakfast at eight. The Mas des Loges is a very nice place, with modern rooms and a very nice courtyard. We have breakfast outside with fresh local products and can leave around 9. I drive the first shift, it takes about an hour on curvy roads to get to the highway. Traffic is… Continue reading 1000 km to go
Our last holiday day and we decide to chill out. Breakfast outside, although the sun is too warm already and we need a parasol. More chill out time at the pool under a parasol. Blue sky, sunny, a little wind: excellent chilling conditions. I continue on this journal and Arne reads until it is time… Continue reading Likoké
We pack up, give the local kittens a last hug and leave the B&B. Fernando has told us about a monasterio on the road to Zaragoza. Arne drives, it’s a relatively new high way and very comfortable. Also a bit boring. kittens at the B&Bwildlife at the Monasterio The road to the Monasterio del Piedra… Continue reading Monasterio de Piedra
This is our third time to Spain: we visited the northern Atlantic coast in 2008, Donostia and Bilbao in 2013 and now back for more. we love the nature, the food and the people and are actually repeating some of the visits we did before, though this time we will also cross to the western… Continue reading To Spain and back: day 1
Febe writes 