Category Archives: Faroe

The Camargue 20th-23rd September 2018

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Moved on to the Camargue today. Three hour drive to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer where it was a nice hot 32. We checked in at 1.50 and found some bu**er had parked in our place from last year. So now we were a few meters away. Chilled out in the shade from the van with some cool Ricard before walking to the Inter Marche. More wine and beers and then supper before sunset.

Some bats flashed passed at a great rate after sunset.  Walk on the beach looking out to sea and the moon reflecting on the water. Mars, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter were all in view. So romantic.

Friday in the Camargue

Surprisingly heavy overnight dew. In the morning we went for a walk into the marshes and back along the coast. I was rather warm in the sun. Spoke to a French bird spotter who had the same Collins bird book, so we could swap page numbers! We ate are lunch in the shade of a rather stunted tree beside a path in the Camargue. There were masses of Herons to be see as well as the Pink Flamingos. During the afternoon we walked into town and visited the shopping street looking at all the fluffy pink flamingos and leather boots you could buy. Stopped for a beer and ordered a Monaco.  When it came we were somewhat dismayed to see it was a bright pink colour. Yes it was standard Heineken but flavoured with lemonade and grenadine. Yuck. Unfortunately, I had ordered the 50cc size for me whereas lucky R had a 25cc version.

Back passed the InterMarche for some more vegetables and a bottle of wine.

Poor Morrison was now at the centre of an ant field, with ants now beginning to invade him, so I had to walk back to the InterMarche to purchase some ant powder which I spread around the ground and near where they were ingressing.

After supper we went to the beach for a quick evening walk. The planets and moon were all in view, but the spectacle was not so impressive. (I wonder if the large portions of Ricard and wine the previous evening had anything to do with its better view.)

Saturday in the Camargue

Early morning walk, waiting at the beach gate at 7am for it to become unlocked. At 7.07 it was unlocked and we hurried to the marshes for the sunrise. At the bridge and water control  on the inland side was a seething mass of fish trying to get out to sea. They were large, over 18” and fat. You could see them quite literally leap over the control gate and splash into the water on the seaward side. (The next day there was no sign of this activity.) As we walked down the inlet, the birds scatterd further and further away. On the lake beach there was some Flamingos quite close to the shore. Even these were making their steady escape.

Back to the campsite we passed one photographer at the bridge who was sitting there all camouflaged photographing a heron.

Breakfast and then we walked into town for a beer and Saturday lunch. For me it was some oysters followed by a bull steak and apple pie. Rosemary ate a salad and fried fish. She even ate the skin!

Walked home for a relaxing afternoon and then another fish evening meal.

The evening walk on the beach was not pleasant tonight, we were bitten alive!

Sunday in the Camargue

Another early start to see the birds. This time we tried to walk behind the bank to avoid being detected by the birds. But when we popped around the bank, not a bird in sight on the ditch.  As we walked near to the shore line there appeared two new hummocks, close inspection through the camera revealed netting and lenses stick out of the hummocks. Two birders were there a long time before sunrise in position to photograph the birds. They must have had 30 minutes when it is bright enough for a good photograph, and before the first dog walker or jogger arrives. R counted 14 herons.

Back to the camper where we vegged out for the whole of the day. Way too hot to contemplate doing much, a sentiment seemingly shared by neighbouring campers.

A walk to the beach in the evening was quickly curtailed by the Attack of the Mosquitos.

France day 18 – Cormoranche-sur-Saone

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Today was meant to be a lovely blue-sky day.  It did not disappoint, despite a slow start as the thin cloud was burnt off.  The morning was quite chilly, and our feet felt it as we wandered around doing our morning tasks.  Another happy camper informed us it had been 5C during the night.

The late morning and early afternoon were spent in a leisurely walk which took us through fields and woods, along the bank of the river Saone.  In one of the fields on the way to the river we saw three grey herons. 

The Saone is a large navigable river, we saw several small boats motor down and up and one large Swiss river cruise liner travelling down.  There were a few people on the top deck, and a few on their balconies looking out.  It did not look very full, maybe everyone else was a lunch.

On the other bank there was a stork’s nest on top of a large dead tree.  There was even a stork standing there peering in.  On the river itself there were numerous grey herons perched on the banks.  In the river we came across a small group of juvenile swans still in their grey colour.

We continued the walk, through silver birch plantations and back to the campsite.  We should have passed through the village, but a slight navigation error caused us to bypass the village of Cormoranche-sur-Saone.

Back at the campsite we ate a late lunch and one-day old French bread which was soft and soggy. Actually, the pain complet does last a little longer than the white pap stuff the French pass off as bread.

I took a walk around the lake, especially to get close to photograph the TGVs as they trundled by.  They did not look that impressive in their speed here, maybe a slow section of line.  I did like the way that where the line divided, they built a bridge so that as one line crossed over the other it was on a bridge and not by crossing lines.  This presumably is to allow faster speeds and easier scheduling of trains.

Back at the tent, we opened a bottle of fizz from Borgognone and then started our burger and “chip” dinner.  Rosemary let herself down big time, the beans she thought must be French were from Rwanda.

Next door a British mobile home moved in, it also had a Silver Screen cover for the front windscreen.  Their’s though seemed not to fit as well and snugly as our’s does.

French pap bread ordered for the morning and a final JD nightcap as I write my blog and continue to read a Sci-Fi book by British author Charles Stross who used to work in IT from the 1980s to 2000.

Tomorrow is our last planned day here, not sure whether we are going to veg, or maybe we will look at the local sights.

Faroe Holiday

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We arrived back from the holiday on Sunday. The weather was very mixed. Rain, wind, fog and sunshine, all in one day. The last few days were quite warm.

I was able to take some close up pictures od the puffins, and also ate my first puffin, it was quite a gamey bird.

We participated in quite a few walks, which generally meant going up steep slopes and down again. After the walk a few Black Sheep beers were always consumed.

Last afternoon at Vågar

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Took the bus to an old house which had been inhabited until the 1956. It had been built in the 18th century, was grass roofed, dirt floored and build of wood and stones. It was three rooms, one for the cows in winter, one room for cooking, and the final room the best room with a couple of beds.

We walked back over the hill, couple of hours walk. A few beers before supper. For supper had a started of dried meats. These were dried lamp, dried fish (probably plaice) , dried whale meat and some blubber. Was interesting and not too bad.

Tomorrow we are off to another location. A grass roofed hostel, and to see some cliffs with lots of birds.

The vist to the puffins

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The night never actually got dark, it though rained pretty hard. Had a good sleep, Good breakast of meats, cheeses and bread. Then walked down to the boat. Looked quite promising, not too much wind, and the rain had stopped. But the boat was not running because it was too rough out at sea. So walk around the village. I took a few pictures of the village, the school and church. Now we are back at the hotel waiting for a bus to take us to a local museum in a near by village.

The island of Vågar

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Up early in the morning for breakfast and then to the airport for the two hour flight to the island of Vågar. Excellent service on the plane. Arrived at the airport, and walked across a field to the hotel. Hotel two story modern hotel. Had a quick lunch of a thick soup and then went for a quick walk to the coast. The walk took us alongside a lake. The lake reached the sea where it ended in a water fall. Lots of birds on the walk, which were identified for us by the birders in the party. They managed 25 birds on the walk.

The short walk ended five hours later back at the hotel after 10 miles. Quick shower and then some beers and supper. Big surprise was a new member of the party turned up at 6.pm. He is Ian who was on the Georgian and Armenian trip the prvious year.

Supper was OK, we all thought there would be loads of fish on the menu. In fact there was only Atlantic Salmon.

The weather, it rained a little but not alot. Just low cloud at 200 to 300 feet spoilt the look of the place. Best described as soft. 

The tour guide is Norwegian, who has lived in Ireland for a a couple of years and has an Irish accent. She has just graduated from Edinburgh Uni with an Artificial Inteligence degree.

Tomorrow we are off to an island called Mykinos (sound like that but not spelt that way. ) This is a high light of the trip with puffins. But may not happend because the sea must not be rough and today the boat had been canncelled. Looking forward to eating some Puffin, its a national dish as is whale meat.

Well that is for now. It is 10.30 in the evening and it is still rather light. 

Holiday to the Faroe Islands

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Set off early in the morning to Gatwick airport and took a flight to Copenhagen. Arrived Copenhagen and went straight to the hotel in the middle of the red light district. Went straight out and walked around the centre, had a beer for lunch, visited the Guiness museum and had an evening meal sitting out side the restaurant. It was quite a warm night.

Watched an open air jazz concert in one of the squares and then went on back to the hotel for bed. Woken by fire works and rather a noisy street.