Deux Old Age Pensioners sur les vacances en Corse

[lorraine]

great following you guys,tellus more about the food and drink plse.hows the lingo coping.mpg ?etc

[Landgirl]

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Day 11: Wednesday 21st September

Today I (Jim) have suffered not only feeling more than a bit second hand but there has been a revolt in the ranks and I find it to be my job to keep you informed of our activities.

Yes, today was one of those days when my ailments forced a diminished agenda. We spent the day on the town beach doing nothing other than reading a few chapters and testing the temperature of the Mediterranean with our tootsies.

I think I can honestly say that Corsica is without doubt the best place that I have ever holidayed, however it is NOT for the faint hearted. If a bend in the road has a several hundred feet drop alongside it you can be sure that they ran out of Armco just before reaching it. It is for this reason that we have decided that after dark mountain driving is off limits.

The weather would appear to have stabilised although the wind is a bit of a nuisance.

Lets see what tomorrow brings.

Bonne Route,
Jim & Tracey

Addenda:
To Ol Jeffers - looks as if the train journey won't take place as we are now in the winter scheduling and half the return journey would be done in darkness - not quite the thing for a spectacular scenic ride!

To Lorraine - the main diet of Bastia is fish but not being great fish eaters we are enjoying the Lamb/Sheep/Mutton, Pork and Italian dishes - we can see Italy from here!Our Berlingo is a Mk3 XTR110 and since we have been on Corsica has struggled to beat 37/38 mpg - on most journeys we have not been able to use 5th and some of the time it stays in third due to the gradients and the tight blind corners. Bought some gazole today - 1.35 euros per litre - in mainland France it was about 1.30 a litre.

Any more questions and we will try to oblige.

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[Ol'Jeffers]

One more question from me!
Is the language spoken generally French or Italian as I can see many of the place names are Italian and some of the architecture looks Moorish.
Hey! You take good care of yourself, Jim. Hope you feel a bit better tomorrow. :thumbsup:
But I do know what you mean....You just can't get the staff these days!!:lol: :wave:

[Seaman]

One more question from me!
Is the language spoken generally French or Italian as I can see many of the place names are Italian and some of the architecture looks Moorish.

The language is predominantly (don't know about the spelling!) French although town/village signs are in two languages more often than not with the French spelling aerosol'd out. They apparently dont like being French but are only too happy to enjoy the benefits France gives.

If your French is as bad as ours there is no worry - as in France just do your best and they open up with very acceptable English.

Bonne Route,
Jim & Tracey

[Seaman]

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Day 12 Thursday 22nd September 2011

A very lazy day. Went over the mountains to the west side of Cap Corse (the bit at the top) and found a really beautiful beach cmplete with bar and restaurant. Made use of the bar a couple of times but had our lunch sat on the sand. Beach probably about half a mile in length but never more than
about a dozen people on it at any one time. Soft sand and gently shelving - perfect. We intend to go back there again before we return. Sadly todays photos do not really do it justice.

I know that Ol' Jeffers will be keen to know the quality of 'home' brewed Corsican beer. There are two varieties as far as we can ascertain, Pietra and Columba, neither of which are ever likely to get CAMRA's seal of approval. Petria is the better of the two but it is I would say an acquired taste. Columba on the other hand is very white and cloudy - a so called white beer. Now this really IS an acquired taste beer but I am afraid that I shan't be trying to acquire the taste for it. Normal international beers are available but not at every bar or restaurant.

Don't know as yet what is in store for tomorrow.

Bonne Route,
Jim & Tracey

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[Ol'Jeffers]

Well you've sold it to me, Jim!! ( Even with the dodgy beer!! :lol
I love the look of that little beach. Was that near Marine de Farinole?
The white cloudy beer is probably a wheat beer....I'll stick with the good ol' universally obtainable Amstel!

I found my self looking at hotels and auberges this evening! I have to say I like roughing it when it comes to accommodation on my hols.
I can't see the sense of multi-star hotels....I go to my hotel, jump into bed and sleep so I don't care that its got nice wallpaper
or a trendy restaurant.....a fridge in the room for the beer/wine/juice is good though!

The Best Western in Bastia has a 24/7 bar though!:woop:

[Seaman]

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Day 13: Friday 23rd September

Today we ventured south - went to Mariani Plage about 28 miles south of Bastia and on the east coast of the island. Quite a different coastline to the west coast of the cap but quite beautiful in its own way with, of course, the backdrop of the mountains.

The Berlingo didn't know quite what was going on - here we were on roads with a 110kph limit in places, fairly stright and several kms of it, plus 2+2 dual carriageway. Fifth gear was, at last, given a bit of exercise!

Something that amazed us was the different driving standards compared to the mountains - everybody seemed happy with the speed limits and there was none of the full throttle / hard on the brakes of their mountain cousins.

Coming to Corsica one must appreciate that they don't just have speed humps they have MotoX tabletops - I am sure the local motorcyclists vie to see who can land clear of the 'jump'!

The days left before we sail from Corsica for our return journey are sadly now well into single figures and counting down rapidly! We can only speak for the northern half of the island but this does seem to be heaven or paradise (dependant on your religious views) on earth.

We've decided that we are eating too much so tonight it is just going to be a Steak Haché and frites, i.e. burger (without the bun) and chips - plus of course a certain amount of inner lubrication!

Bonne Route
Jim & Tracey

Addendum:
In reply to Ol' Jeffers:
(1) The beach was just south of Marine de Farinole - haven't got the map with me at the moment.
(2) The Columba beer is reputedly made with chestnuts!
(3) I agree that Amstel is pretty universal but semingly only available in a few outlets.
(4) The Best Western Centre in Bastia does not have a fridge in the room.However it has covered secure parking which decided it for us as we have two mobility scooters to keep safe when not in the Berlingo.

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[pch]

it looks wonderful guys, hope your enjoying it, at some point can you let us know costs of ferries etc to get there? rough cost of expenditure on fuel there and back, plus driving around and time details, eg how long it took you to drive there? Much appreciated. Maybe our first Berlingo "real" meat up might be there next year if enough of us interested...ha ha...
Pete

[Ol'Jeffers]

Quote Seaman "The Columba beer is reputedly made with chestnuts!"

Have a quick look here : http://www.brasseriepietra.com/en/pgs/serena_en.htm

It's the Pietra that has the chestnut mash in it! I'm up for trying
any of them....there's another one brewed by the same company called Serena which appears to be a Malt beer...remember Colt 45?

Well I'm now going to have to go to Corsica....and it's all your fault, Jim!! :thumbsup:

[Seaman]

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Day 14 - Saturday 24th September 2011

Today was the day of the Grand Tour - the Tour de Cap - and by the number of cyclists all kitted out in their favourite team colours you could be excused for thinking the Tour de France had come to Corsica - without the crowds thronging the route though. Names painted on the road obviously left over from a real race day.

We travelled towards Saint Florent, up the West coast of the Cap and then cut across the mountains to Santa Servia before returning to Bastia.

Some really marvellous scenery and some really hairy roads.The vast majority of the road surfaces are very grippy, billiard table smooth and quiet. However, occasionaly one comes across some really rough road surface.

The Berlingo is behaving itself very well and has been averaging about 37mpg in this tortuous and mountainous environment. Mustn't let the revs drop too low or it wont pass the rice pudding skin test though!

I have not seen these vehicles until the last couple of weeks but Renault have produced a Kangoo which at first glance one would think was an XTR or Peugeot Tepee equivalent, even down to the funny silver inserts front and back and a set of windows in the roof, very a la Modutop. If you cant beat them join them?

Sunday tomorrow, only the bakers open - must be France!

Oh, Ol' Jeffers was right about the location of the super beach - sorry.

Blue Badge is a real benefit - parking in any built up area is very much at a premium.

Bonne Route,
Jim & Tracey

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