Wake up to another clear blue sky amd the prospect of a hot and sunny day.
I enjoy my breakfast sat in the sun on the roof terrace with a view of the rooftops of Diano Marina and the beautiful blue sea beyond. It is actually hot already and it is not yet 08:00.
I walk up to the coach pleased that I had cleaned it whern we arrived and didn't have anything to do to it this morning.
I pick the group up at 09:00 and we set off for San Remo. There are only 10 on today as one of the ladies was poorly in the night and feels better staying at the hotel. Only 10, not even enough for a football team, unless you include me! No subs though!
I take the coast road and it is a lovely drive with the sea never far away from the road until we reach the outskirts of San Remo where the traffic stops. We queue for a good 20 minutes before the road clears and the problem was a set of traffic lights at a busy junction not working. You can just imagine the glee the Italians feel when they know the lights are out and the sport they can now have. I bet some of them detour just for the crack!
We reach a very hot San Remo and I drop the group in the coach park which is a very short walk from the centre.
San Remo seems to be split up into 4 different parts. You have the promenade and beaches, then the port with its surrounding cafes and bars, the new town with its shops and traffic and then above the lot the old town.
I go for a walk up to the old town where you can see narrow alleyways with tall buildings joined by lots arches that look like they are there to stop the buildings from falling down. The guide book says the arches are there in case of an earthquake! I don't know about that but if you took them away the buildings would fall over!
I spend £3.00 on a newspaper that costs 90p at home and find a nice quiet cafe to have a coffee, bottle of water and a read about Chelsea's new manager, the Italian Carlo Ancellotti.
After my pitstop I then walk along the promenade to the harbour and up to the main street where by now I am very hot and have sweated out the litre of water taken on board earlier.
I park myself in a cafe on the main street and wait 10 minutes to be served but seem to be ignored so I move on to a snack bar near the coach for my lunch.
Only a couple of the "not enough for a team" make it to the old town which is a shame because it is worth the effort.
We leave San Remo at 13:15 and drive along the coast to Ventimiglia where we then take a road inland to the medieval town of Dolceaqua.
The coach park/drop-off/pick-up point is a 10 minute walk from the town but well worth it. I go for a walk along with the group to see this historical town - I haven't walked around it before.
As you reach the town there are a few restaurants on the left bank of the river while on the right is a steep arched bridge that leads you into this wonderful ancient town. As soon as you leave the bridge and enter the town the temperature drops and the sun disappears, it is really cool. In both senses of the word!
The buildings rise up either side of the pathway and once again are joined by many arches with little alleyways off in all directions. I walk with Doug and Penny (Moffatt) up until I clear the darkness and the sun is once again shining brightly. What a remarkable place, I am well impressed! I would love to come here on a summers evening and enjoy a meal in one of the tiny restaurants.
We leave here at 15:45 and I take the motorway back to Diano Marina arriving an hour later.
I enjoy my breakfast sat in the sun on the roof terrace with a view of the rooftops of Diano Marina and the beautiful blue sea beyond. It is actually hot already and it is not yet 08:00.
I walk up to the coach pleased that I had cleaned it whern we arrived and didn't have anything to do to it this morning.
I pick the group up at 09:00 and we set off for San Remo. There are only 10 on today as one of the ladies was poorly in the night and feels better staying at the hotel. Only 10, not even enough for a football team, unless you include me! No subs though!
I take the coast road and it is a lovely drive with the sea never far away from the road until we reach the outskirts of San Remo where the traffic stops. We queue for a good 20 minutes before the road clears and the problem was a set of traffic lights at a busy junction not working. You can just imagine the glee the Italians feel when they know the lights are out and the sport they can now have. I bet some of them detour just for the crack!
We reach a very hot San Remo and I drop the group in the coach park which is a very short walk from the centre.
San Remo seems to be split up into 4 different parts. You have the promenade and beaches, then the port with its surrounding cafes and bars, the new town with its shops and traffic and then above the lot the old town.
I go for a walk up to the old town where you can see narrow alleyways with tall buildings joined by lots arches that look like they are there to stop the buildings from falling down. The guide book says the arches are there in case of an earthquake! I don't know about that but if you took them away the buildings would fall over!
I spend £3.00 on a newspaper that costs 90p at home and find a nice quiet cafe to have a coffee, bottle of water and a read about Chelsea's new manager, the Italian Carlo Ancellotti.
After my pitstop I then walk along the promenade to the harbour and up to the main street where by now I am very hot and have sweated out the litre of water taken on board earlier.
I park myself in a cafe on the main street and wait 10 minutes to be served but seem to be ignored so I move on to a snack bar near the coach for my lunch.
Only a couple of the "not enough for a team" make it to the old town which is a shame because it is worth the effort.
We leave San Remo at 13:15 and drive along the coast to Ventimiglia where we then take a road inland to the medieval town of Dolceaqua.
The coach park/drop-off/pick-up point is a 10 minute walk from the town but well worth it. I go for a walk along with the group to see this historical town - I haven't walked around it before.
As you reach the town there are a few restaurants on the left bank of the river while on the right is a steep arched bridge that leads you into this wonderful ancient town. As soon as you leave the bridge and enter the town the temperature drops and the sun disappears, it is really cool. In both senses of the word!
The buildings rise up either side of the pathway and once again are joined by many arches with little alleyways off in all directions. I walk with Doug and Penny (Moffatt) up until I clear the darkness and the sun is once again shining brightly. What a remarkable place, I am well impressed! I would love to come here on a summers evening and enjoy a meal in one of the tiny restaurants.
We leave here at 15:45 and I take the motorway back to Diano Marina arriving an hour later.
1 comment:
Great to read what you have been up to!! Sounds like you are having a lovely time - one long holiday for you Jamie - great weather/beer and food!!! - you won`t want to come home!! Hey, the coach couldn`t of needed much of a clean with only 12 passengers aboard!! - or did you just say that to make us think `oh you do do work`!!!! Look forward to reading the next `blog`!!
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