Posted by gina on October 18, 2006 at 08:51:41:
In Reply to: Re: Jim and Gina in Europe posted by Gina on October 15, 2006 at 00:36:08:
Several days have gone by. We were going to head into the Rambla to see some Gaudi when last I wrote, but, since Spain is closed on Sunday, we decided to leave early and save the tours for the end of the trip. So,we left Barcelona and headed up the coast of Spain to France. After death defying cliffs looking down on the ocean (omigod) we landed in a town called Banyuls, a tiny little town in france in a little bay right on the water. Unfortunately they were having a wine blessing festival and the entire road was completely blocked. After sitting in traffic for an hour, we decided it was a message and parked. We found a great little hotel with a restaurant attached all run by one family. So we checked in and had a great meal including wild boar! (that was Jim of course). We stayed the night and traveled on into France to goto Montauban where the Ingres museum is located. Unfortunately, France is closed on Monday and so was the museum. The town was not very amenable, and having passed a lovely b&b by the midi canal, we went back to a little town called Brum. A very nice couple have an extraordinary set up right on the canal, with large nice bedrooms, swimming pool and jacuzzi as well (tho a little cold for us hawaii folk). They recommended a hotel in a nearby town for some fois gras and we headed there. It was the Hotel France, and is otherwise known as www.cassoulet.com which we didn't have. Oh well. We drove back to Barcelona and got a plane to Venice where we are now. We walked all day, and are now recuperating so we can go out and take on some risotto. We are doing a taste test of gelatto's and have picked out our favorite place. Jim makes a gelato from a recipe from the hotel cipriani which is totally awesome, so we may have to drop by there and have a taste of that. Unless plans change, tomorrow nite we head back to Barcelona, and sometime over the weekend back to Madrid. We leave Madrid on Monday evening back to NYC and hopefully we will see Justin while there. More later ....