John – Page 8 – Travels of John and Flo

June 3, 2016October 18, 2020

“Covão dos Conchos” Water Feature

This waterfall feature in central Portugal has been getting quite a bit of attention on the Internet lately. At first we thought that somehow this waterfall took place naturally, but after a little bit of searching we discovered it is actually the entrance, a funnel, to a 1,520 meter tunnel. The lake, or pond rather, was created by the construction of two small dams located in a small basin area on top of a mountain. Water runoff from the mountains collects here and then is funneled down the tunnel to supply water for the region.

May 9, 2016October 19, 2020

Long Weekend in Provence

This past weekend we happened to have two sets of friends spending time near or in St. Tropez, so we jumped in the car and headed west to Provence for a few days. We followed the A8 west, exiting at Frejus so we could follow the coastal road into St. Tropez. It is lined with small-town beachside resorts and communities with beach clubs, beaches, marinas and seaside restaurants that cater primarily to the seasonal crowd. Fortunately we were a little early in the season so traffic was not that bad, but it must be hell during the summers.

April 28, 2016October 19, 2020

Lunch at Dolceacqua, Italy

A few kilometers inland from the coastal Italian town of Ventimiglia, (which is just minutes from the French border and Monaco), along the river banks of the Nervia river, lies the small town of Dolceacqua. The town has become a popular tourist site because of its ancient medieval town, its lovely stone bridge and for the Doria castle which sits on the hillside behind the town. But it’s also famous for its “michetta” sweet rolls which are connected to a local legend of romance and revenge. It’s a favorite place for us to have lunch after when we visit the markets in Ventimiglia.

April 26, 2016October 19, 2020

For expats, where exactly is “home”?

I was interviewed yesterday for a online publication whose theme was about people who move to foreign countries and set up businesses. After the interview, Flo and I talked about what such a move involves regarding family and the concept of “home.” I ended up sending the text below to the guy who did the interview. I think many of you could relate to this as well…

April 18, 2016October 18, 2020

Avignon Again…

We drove down to Avignon to meet up with some friends from my hometown who are doing a barge/bike trip from Avignon to the coast following the Rhone. We drove down Saturday morning from Nice and were back Sunday evening.

April 18, 2016October 19, 2020

Cote d’Azur Hike: Tete de Chien

This hike starts off in Cap d’Ail and heads straight up the hill and mountainside to the “Tete de Chien”, the massive rock that sits above and behind Monaco and Cap d’Ail. Easy to get to with the #100 bus. This is one, though, that I recommend using your smart phone with Maps as the path can be difficult to find at times, and they do show well on both Google and Apple Maps.

April 13, 2016October 19, 2020

Hike to Saint-Michel Plateau

This hikes begins in the town of Beaulieu, which is just east of Nice, past Villefranche and in front of Cap Ferrat. Beaulieu is one of our favorites coastal towns along Cote d’Azur, lacking the tourists of Nice and Villefranche, sort of a more sophisticated sister-ville, that is still close enough to make it into Nice within a few minutes.

April 11, 2016October 18, 2020

Hike to Mont Bastide

This is one of the most accessible and flexible hikes around Nice. It allows for a short hike to a great viewpoint, or a more sportive three-hour hike, and a few hikes in between. Mont Bastide is the mountain that is just before Eze. When you pass over the bridge to Eze, your back is to Mont Bastide; the bridge joins Mont Bastide to Eze. Here’s the hikes that are possible to Mont Bastide.

November 11, 2015October 18, 2020

Time Out Market, Lisbon

This is a must-do when in Lisbon. The Time Out Market is similar in concept to the Eataly markets that originated in Italy (Turin, I believe), but are now popping up in major markets in the USA. This one involves actually two markets, the old Ribeira Market, which can be traced back to the 13th century as a central city market, and still is one of Europe’s most famous fish markets. But there’s also fresh fruit and vegetables available as well. But next door is where the fun really takes place.

November 8, 2015October 18, 2020

Roquebrune, Cote d’Azur

I have been trying to visit Roquebrune, (a hillside village above Cap Martin and overlooking Monaco) for some time, but every time we had gone the traffic, parking and crowds had been overwhelming so we chose to pass and try again another time. Well, it is November and there are usually not as many tourists around at this time of year, and as it was a beautiful day, I decided to give it another shot.