pre-s. Off Exploring forgot to mention the previous lot of photos, but there is an album from the nature reserve and Calvi itself Bastia - and Au Revoir la Corse And we have moved on. If you imagine a "thumbs up" - a fist with a little thumb sticking up - well that is a bit what Corsica looks like. We were on the NW Coast - we have done an "up-and-over" that thumb to arrive in Bastia on the NE (the capital of north Corsica) and our last stop here.The gales sub...

Calvi, Last day of MayIt's quite a weird sensation, seeing snow. The last couple of days - feeling hot, the sky blue, people on the beach and swimming in the water. Mountains rising inland and on top, very clearly, there is snow. I didn't believe it at first, but the peaks are between 2,500 and 2,700m high, so as high as we were skiing in March.But to backtrack, the Scandola nature reserve is very red, very craggy - the only breeding ground for a bald-headed buzz...

Wild Coast - Girolata Saturday, 28th MayWell we have not quite made it yet to the National Park. We stopped and anchored overnight just under the Pointe de Parata, in the Golfe di Ajaccio. A bit of a rolly night, so broken sleep, but a fabulous setting and we walked up the steep slope of the point to the watchtower. These towers are on every headland and they are a real feature of Corsica. There are 90 of them in all, all built in 1530 to keep an eye out for a...

Birthplace of Napoleon, Ajaccio 25th MayIn Ajaccio - a real workaday town as well as big ferry and leisure port. It has a Citadel (still in use by the French Navy and not open to public) and an old town of tall houses, criss-cross of narrow streets and daily market. We're in a marina (won't do too many of these come June when the prices skyrocket!) so taking advantage of things like wifi, laundries, etc.We are here during the Imperial Regatta - quite by chance! ...

Bonjour Bonifacio Fri 20 - Sun 22 May 2011Sometimes words are not enough. The setting for Bonifacio is breathtaking. Anyone interested should look it up and I make no apologies for the number of pics put up, even if they don't begin to do it justice. On the approach all you see is a white limestone cliff ahead of you, with the fortified town perched high on top. Carved into the vertical face of the rock is a staircase (Escalier du Roi d'Aragon) allegedly chise...