for england member

I'm not an English rider but this section will be useful to me.

Between late July and early August we will be for a couple of days in the south of England, with the Silver Wing, and I'd like to meet some of you.

When you've finalised dates for your London visit I'll probably come over - I know the X9OC Southern members are hoping to organize something and I'd like to be part of it.

august 2011 Italy - Wales

1 stage milan - metz
It is the 13 august, the day marked on the calendar. In the usually autogrill “villoresi est” we was making a little party for the birthday of Giorgio with cake and... cappuccino. And then... the adventure begins! Metz the daily destination, Narberth in the Galles the farthest one... with these thoughts in my head i turn on my beloved Silver Wing and i enter in the highway.. and we go!!

we enter in Switzerland and an hour later we are in Airolo, unthinkable to do the Gottardo tunnel, because the beautiful weather, today, give us the opportunity to do the road of Gottardo and then we take the highway till Mulhouse, after passing quickly Lucerne and Basel. We are already in France and we stop longer in Mulhouse. After that we take the direction of Epinal, overcome Nancy and leave the highway at the way out 28 of A31 -pont-au-mousson where Pascal, Danielle, Joel and Pierre, members and moderator of “Scooter en Balade” a french scooter forum, expect us. We have already meet member of this forum in the pyrenees tour last year. It is true Gabriel?

It is 17 o'clock, we are greeted by our French friends, who invite us to follow them and go in the town square where Joel gives us a welcome drink.

After that we go to Metz, quickly visit to the city and then all together to the house of Pascal and Daniell, where we will be hosted for the night, but not before a nice grilled meat and many other good things, all typically local.

To thank and repay at least a small part of everything that Pascal and Daniele have prepared for us, we gift them to some things brought from Italy, including the usual and nice t-shirt of the band of pippobis2.

It is so good live these moments, knowing that people who do not know (only by Forum), who live at more than 600 km, welcome you in this way, opening the door of their house... well.. glad, very glad!

After much laughter, filled of grilled meat, salad, and.. wine, we go to sleep, leaving them the possibility of drinking a bottle of champagne, brought by another member of “scooters en balade”.

Loredana's pics 1 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/AgrateMetz13Agosto2011

2 stage: metz-calais

the awakening in the morning at home of apscal is problematic.. the wine but especially the “mirabelle” have left their mark: a circle in the head is the price i must pay for the happy evening spent. Danielle for breakfast prepares a salad of potatoes, cheese, salami for the pic-nic that we will do in verdun, a famous place of remembrance of worls war I, near which there was a terrible battle and where there is a park in memory of fallen soldiers.

Visit the theaters of war or places where battles took place in the past, lists of names, crosses and headstones of other religions, suggest or rather should be thinking of how much blood was shed in sometimes only for the delusions of grandeur of someone.

Breakfast and then the direction of verdun. Thanks to pascal we reach our destination on minor roads. It is Raining but we find a covered place and we eat a delicious lunch and ritual jumping.

We greet the friendly french friend, we reach calais, where we dine at the restaurant below the hotel and then sleep.

Loredana's pics 2 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/MetzCalais14Agosto20112

3 stage: Calais-Londra

the awakening in Calais is at the usual time (08.00), we have breakfast and then we go to the port to take the ferry boat that will take us to the british soil, in Dover, sorrounded by the famous “white Cliffs”and the castle that dominates above.

Boarding is at 10.30, we made the tickets the day before, just arrived in Calais. The crossing and landing are busting the program ( i thought to arrive in London around 13), lunch at roadside restaurant and then, just arrived in the nice neighborhood of Greenwich we find the hotel. After unload our lugguage and parked the scooters we go to visit the park nearby where there is the famous royal observatory, where passes the famous meridan 0.

in britain the first news that we met it was drive on the left, this characteristic, source of fear, is overcome by attention.. of course, when a bus or a truck appear from a bend...creeps!!! the moment you have to pay more attention is given precedence on roundabouts. It true damiano?

Let's back to us.. after Greenwich we decide to go to the center with the scooter, supported by st tom tom. I don't like big city but i fell london a friendly city, beautiful in its buildings, the magnificent tower bridge, an imposing big bang that palyed the 8 while we were under it, and the buckimgam palece... the ride ended with the passage in the busy piccadilly circus.

Returning to the hotel, a mexican dinner.


loredanas' pics 3 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/CalaisLondra15Agosto20113


4 stage: londra- narbeth (galles)

the fourth day of this journey we leave London and england and we arrive in narberth, west wales town in the region of Pembrokeschire. The original program included the entrance only till cardiff but later invitated by mike and nyssa we decided, extending by one day the duration of the holiday, honored to accept.we start from the hotel at 09.00 and only after an hour we went out of london and we reach the welsh border around 12.00 o'clock. Beer, sandwiches and italian coffee in cardiff bay. I agree with mike by sms and we met mike and paula, known last june in andermatt.

Coffee and then mike take us to see the beautiful beaches and a typical castle in this part of wales and finally to his home where we know his wife nyssa and his 4 dogs. Even For him gifts and the italian shirt and then dinner with local dishes. The pictures of loredana, daniano and giorgio show the beautil that there is here in wales: vast beaches, cliffs and charming sky with a special light.

loredas' pics 4 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/LondraNarberth16Agosto20112


5 stage: narberth- southampton

it's morning, mike reserved for us another little tour on the streets of Pembrokeshire. Before leaving nyssa has prepared a delicious breakfast, then we start all together. We reach carew castle and then by streets that cross the fields for the military exercises, we reach the green bridge, a great natural arch along the cliff. Finally stopping near a beautiful beach, destination for surfers and location of scenes movie “Harry potter” and “robin hood”.

Back in Narberth, we say goodbye to Nyssa and Mike. Paula acoompanies us by 30 kilometers and then we so another time the streets till bristol, pass the magnificent severn bridge, a suspension bridge that link wales to england and we reach the goal of this day: stonehenge. Although it is not a good day, there are many tourists visiting stonehenge, we've come to the moment when the guide is accompanying a group of italians and we take advantage of his explanations. We reach speeds southampton and after the usual copious dinner, all to sleep.

Loredanas' pics 5 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/NarberthSouthempton17Agosto2011

6 stage: southampton-dunkerque

it is the 6 day of this trip, it will be the last day when we drive on the left and it is also the day when we fo the eurotunnel, the railway tunnel which passes under english channel. We depart from southampton and we go to portsmouth on state higways and we reach arundel (maagnificent castle) where we stop. Then, passed brighton and eastbourne stop for lunch on the seafront of hastings <8 we eat the typical fish and chips). Walk with pictures on the pebble beach and besides following the costal road, we leave the east sussex and we enter in kent, we reach folkenstone, the town where he began the eurotunnel. Boarding immediately, the info says that in “35 minutes you will be in france” an it is so, 35 minutes including loading und unloading because under the sleeve is at most 20 minutes. What about eurotunnel... well, magnificent work, certainly effective for speeding in the passage between england and france. I decided to try to both ways to cross the sleeve and i think that ferry boat is more evocative and economical. Once in dover, we choose to make a 50 kilometers up to dunkerque, where we go on the seafront and we dinner with local dishes such as mussels.

Loredana's pics 6 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/SouthamptonDunkerque18Agosto20112

7 stage Dunkerque – Bruges

in the seventh stage of this tour the “7 nations group” go to Belgium; after few km outside of dunkerque, we can see the sign that give us the welcome in flanders; in this kingdom that is divided in 2 part, they speak 2 different language, the flamish in the northern and the French in the south.
In the middle they have bruxelles.
As for the south coast of England, for this part of Belgium we drive along the English channel(la manica) following the coastal road, where we found beautiful sandy beaches, characteristic of this area, until we get to ostenda where we done a short stop for watch the sea. After 50 km of highway we find bruges, short stage, all the luggage at the hotel and we start to visit the “pearl of Belgium” in every way. On foot, by carriage, and than by boat on his channels. This city is like a city another era, it is said that thank to the Madonna which protect the city, is the only survived to the bombings of the world wars, although the area has been the scene of violent fighting.

Loredana's pics 7 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/DunkerqueBrugge19Agosto20112

8 stage: bruges-liegi

liegi it is the city that we reach today, halfway between bruges and bruxelles. Leaving bruges we must wait for the drawbridge that will allow us to overcome the canal that surrounds the city. We take the higway: destination atomium, a monument located in Hesel park in brussels. It is a steel construction, consting of 9 spheres that represent an iron crystal. Personally i think it is smaller. Coffe break and we go in the city center. Brussels, its center is very nice, the style in which the central squares of thesw central european citis were built fascinates me.

We leave the belgian capital, it is early afternoon and after one hour we meet on the road to liegi, luc and marianne who, after the presentations and photos of ritual, accompany us on a visit to the area and the hotel that they kindly reserved for us. Quick visit to liege and finally at hom where they prepared a tasty dinner. We know the son and his friends, a few children of italian immigrants here and after a pleasant and happy evening, we return to the hotel for a well earned rest.

Loredana's pics 8 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/BruggeLiegi20Agosto2011

9 stage: liegi- saarbrucken

humid morning of the ninth stage of this tour, it is raining in liege, we can't visit the biggest market of belgium proposed by luc ( the alarm clock was early for this) then when we decided to leave, fortunately the rain stoppe and gradually the day becomes like a summer day. Luc and marianne accompany us for a long drive, southerly direction where once greeted and taken the highway, we reach luxembourg and its eponymous capital. We stop here for a frugal lunch (kilograms are felt and see...). We decide to visit the particular city (formed on hills), turning with a particular train, beloved especially from our giorgio, thta in practice he “cooks” for half an hour (30 degrees in the city) and from which we can not wait to come down. After that for everyone icelolly and then to the way of germany, to saarbrucken.

It is hot, it is the first day that we fell warm on this trip. We already regret the temperatures of the past few days, then just at the hotel, shower and then meet in the evening for the usual delicious and abundant uotdoor dinner today. Then beautifull plump of weiss, everyone to bed.

Loredana's pics 9 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/LiegeSaarbrucken21Agosto20112

10' stage Saarbrucken – Sciaffusa

a lot of thing to see in this day of this “little summer trip“ we will leave the germany and the pretty town of saar for return to france where we will stop in strasburgo, we will return to germany through the schwarzwald (black forest) for enter in Switzerland to see the reno’s falls in sciaffusa.
Another big breakfast and we leave the hotel and before leaving saarbrucken we take some photos of the wonderful rathaus (town hall) of the city. then acrossing beautiful road we arrived to strasburgo. Parked the scooter and start to visit the imposing cathedral and some street of this city. After a little stop for a refreshing “affogato al caffè” and some beer, we leave; also the black forest roads are relaxing. We do a stop under the bigger cucù cloak of the world whit a snack of pretzels and sausages typical of germany for restart to go to the reno’s fall beyond the border of Switzerland. The rheinfall are beautiful and we decided to take the little boat to go to see them to much near. We stay around the falls more than an hour, then with some difficulty we find a place for sleep.

Loredana's pics 10 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/SaarbruckenSchaffhausen22Agosto20112

11 stage: sciaffusa-agrate brianza

last stop on this amazing tour, there is only switzerland between us and uor homes, 350 km of highway that maria rosa and damiano decided to go lull, while we (loredana, giorgio and me) decide to break through the mountain passagesw of grimsell and novena (or nufenen). Greeted the “damiani” just before lucerna, a stop for the second breakfast and then on the beautiful roads, altready know. We climbed over 2000 m of grimsellpass where we stop for photos and when we go to nufenenpass we decides to have lunch here at the top with cheese and polenta and giorgio with stew and polenta. Satisfied the sight (beautiful scenery) and satisfied the stomach (tasty food) we go down fast and on a hot highway we reach our homes, greeted our dear friend giorgio near lomazzo.

Loredana's pics 11 stage https://picasaweb.google.com/114647382890137961558/SchaffhausenAgrate23Agosto2011


End titles

the thanks for the great succes of this tour will be multiple, first of all thanks to the wonderful people who have volunteered to welcome us and someone have also open the doors of his house for us... so i say thanks to:

danielle and pascal of metz (france)

For coming to be met along the way, for making us a tour of their city, for the wonderful dinner, for hosting us for the night, for the large breakfast, for accompanyng us in verdun and for the pic-nic, without forget the sympathy that has brought so many hours spent together in laughter.

Joel

pierre

accomplices of the wonderfull welcome we received, accomplices of the happy evening spent at the home of danielle and pascal, thanks to joel for the welcome aperitif and thanks to pierre for the company the next day in verdun

nyssa and mike

for inviting us to their house and doing us the possibility to see the real galles, for the excellent dinner, and the wonderful breakfast, for the friendliness and the laught and also the availability though no one of us speak english

Paula

for the the happiness, the sympathy, for being the link translated from german into english what we asked in italian by loredana and she traslated it to her in german, for coming to us with mike when we arrived and for accompanying us to the highway when we restart from mike's house.

Marianne and luc

for picking up us to metz on arrival in wallonia (belgium), for the pleasant evening at home, complete with a tasty cocktail and dinner, for reserving the hotel for us and for having accompanied us on the road when we restart.

Thaks to other french friends in the home of danielle and pascal, came for the occasion and thanks for the bottle of champagne.

I say personally thanks to my friends of travel the group of “7 nazioni” Loredana, Mariarosa, Damiano e Giorgio that like the last year has proven to be a great group whit the capacity of all of they to take high the joy for all the period. Joy that is the start f the success for almost thing.
I say thanks to the photographer for the foto(waiting/hoping that Giorgio will post his photo)
I especially say thanks to Loredana for been whit us in this tour and for doing the our interpreter also whit the english, for the organizational support and his smile.

Of this tour i will remember above all the hospitality received from the people i met, their willingness to open their home to us even if some contact between us was already (we had known mike and paula in june), for the others we were practically unknown except some contact thanks to the web. Unforgettable the landscapes of central and northern europe, from alsace to the ardennes, from london's monuments to the castles and cliffs of dover and wales, from the beautiful cities of belgium, flemish or wallon which are, from strasbourg to the nearly black forest and finally the spectable of the falls of the rhine.

I still filled the eyes of all of these wonders, however i already think about the wonders that i see in the next tours.


pippobis2

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