Ravenna is a city rather unique in the world. During the 5th to the 8th centuries it was the last capital of the Western (Roman) Empire. Its monuments, basilicas. baptisteries and mausoleums are very much intact and have the best examples in the world of Byzantine mosaics. We arrived late afternoon from the train and an already busy day in Rimini and San Marino, to find no tourist information office at the railway station. We had been counting on that to secure ...

The amphitheater at Arles was a big surprise. We've been to Rome and seen the Colosseum. We've seem amphitheaters in many parts of the world including Syria and Jordan but this one was amazing. It is used currently for - bullfights! Yes France has them to - who would have thought... We walked around the passageways and tiers and imagined a time of Roman use. It was getting late so we didn't stay too long then headed off to Avignon where we had booked ...

After leaving our friends in Pensol we headed on a long drive South East to the city of Albi. Here, after struggling for a park again (standard in France - necessitating in using expensive underground parks) we found an amazing old city, with churches and ancient bridges. On speaking (as best we could with language difficulties) with a lady in the tourist bureau, we were advised that there was a museum here about Captain James Cook! Now this mystified us as she s...

Here we are in the tiny village of Pensol - well not IN the village but on a property close by. Our friends Phil and Linda live in the UK, but have purchased this property as a home away from home, a real retreat and haven from the busy working world. No TV and no Internet suits them and us just fine, and we revel in the country remoteness (wild boar and other game in the forest around) and the company of good food, wine and friends. For one day we relaxed comp...

Travelling through the Loire Valley, you have to close your eyes to modern day traffic and conveniences and then you can transport yourself to a truly remarkable and elegant era of the 15th century when the French Aristocrats had their country getaway perched on a hill in this gorgeous valley. Lovely woods surround the chateaux (plural for chateau) with wide gravel paths leading to no nonsense iron gates and even sometimes a moat. Gnarled Grape vines are in the ...