1179 – Corniche Road to Porto

Wednesday 29th May 2019

Another day driving roads that were indicated as difficult with the MH.  Actually, except for a narrow bit at the end, we would have been fine in Jez … but very limited parking and unwelcoming No Motorhome signs at our destination Porto.  So a much more relaxing drive in the car.  And what a drive.  Reckon this is the best scenery we’ve seen.  Going south from Porto, the coast is a lot more extreme and rugged, bashed by the wilder west sea.  We took a picnic and a coffee flask and managed great view stops for both.  Porto was really pretty and definitely worth a drive to, unlike Ile Rousse, which on a take it or leave it basis, we would have left it!

Coffee Stop at a viewpoint.

Our shade seeker.

Wooded walk up to further view point.

And our mountain dog admiring the view.  The rocks looked much redder.

Porto beach with a few die hard sun worshipers.

Porto beach’s magnificent back drop.

Crashing waves, watched an idiot wade out paddling and get knocked over twice.  I’d already decided there was no way I attempt any life saving – suicide.

Boats from Porto to inaccessible by road beaches.

Would that have been an ice cream???

1180 – Best Walk in Ages

Thursday 30th May 2019

One of the guide books mentioned a walking area, Le Foret de Bonifatu, with views and rock pools, so we headed there.  We had no idea how stunning the scenery and views were going to be.  We actually felt that we got right into the mountains.  Part of this walk is on the GR20 – a number of people follow this crossing from one end of Corsica to the other.   We were both buzzing from what a great walk it had been.

Lunch in the car park so we didn’t have to carry it.  More sensible than we realised as it was a long nonstop way up.

Must I cross this?!

The path up, so many wild flowers.

And more wild lavender.

Above the tree line.

I can be a mountain dog too!

Rather than balance on this to cross the raging river (note – not a stream!), we had to do this ….

Corrie, of course bounced back and forwards to show how easy it was, Oscar had to be pulled!

Not just one steam, but two! Think Corrie is asking what is keeping us!  Are you making a dog’s dinner of that?

At the Auberge by the car park … I have been a brave boy!

1181 – Wedding Anniversary

Friday 31st May

We’d decided to take it easy, so we played tennis!  For the first time in about 3 years.  We both really enjoyed it, but I was slaughtered.  J may be 72, carrying an additional stone and half from the hormone treatment, but he won 6:1!

We wandered into Calvi and out the other side to a restaurant that figured highly in reviews … so many restaurants all offer the same menu in the town.

My first Kir of this trip.

Being a foodie, I love it when I am presented with something new to me.  A goats cheese mousse on a bed of beetroot spaghetti … reckon I could replicate this.

The chocolate mousse looked more like a boudin noir and lacked flavour, but nice presentation.

1182 – Down Day

Saturday 1st June

Now an odd thing happened.  James fancied a beach day!  This is the man who now seeks to sit in the sun, wanting to get sand where it has no place to be!  Is this an undiscovered side affect of the hormone treatment?  So we had another game of tennis … still slaughtered, but I managed to take two games off him!  Lunch and a doze on the beach.  No swimming, although I did paddle and Oscar did his usual swim out and round me, as if to herd me back to shore.  Off tomorrow to pastures new, so the car was loaded … very solidly!

1183 – The Long Road Out of Calvi

Sunday 2nd June

Unbelievably, we have been a staggering 11 nights in the chalet, 2 nights in the van on this campsite and another 2 nights at another campsite in Calvi.  I think we can safely say that we’ve done Calvi!    As check in was after 5 at our next campsite chalet, we took the slow mountain road.

Muro was dead as a Dodo.  Not even a cafe.  Feliceto gave us a choice of cafe … we opted for the epicerie (old fashioned) with all the locals.  Super large creamy coffee and only EUR5.  Speluncato, which I dubbed Spunkato … you’ll see why in a moment, was also definelty worth a stop.  Had we not a picnic, a lunch in the square would have been appealing.  Lots of winding narrow streets and 360 views.

We skirted the Desert des Agriate, but the coast is not accessible unless you are in a 4 wheel drive.  Scenery was different, lower scrub.  We had intended to stop for a coffee (or ice cream) in St Florent, but absolute nowhere to park the car.  It was heaving and looked like a bustling holiday resort … sure we’d have had a choice of coffees (ice creams!).  Then through Patrimonio, with all the vineyards offering tastings … not for us on a driving day!  Across the bottom of the finger that sticks up NE of Corsica, and half way up the eastern side to Pietra Corbara Marina to our next campsite chalet!

Speluncato – the campanile had the extra bit added in the C19 and the guide book described it as a phallic addition.  So not my dirty mind!

 

Motorhome Repair Update

No news really.  Having been for a week trying the get a quote emailed to us, we were told by phone it would be Tuesday before we would receive it.  But then right at the end of the Friday, the email arrived.  Too late for us to ring the garage … that’ll have to be Monday.