Mid-life gap year Tanya and Craig

Some years ago we first heard of Nazare and the extreme winter surf. The type of surf where board-riders are towed by jetski onto the wave.   We arrived and it was still, sunny and warm. There was virtually no surf. The fishing fleet were out. The ladies in their mixed tartan dress with multiple petticoats, and hand embroidered aprons were selling dried fish on the beachfront and home produced fruit, veg and baked goods in the market. An exceptional lunch of seafood rice in a rich tomato, onion and capsicum based sauce; and seafood cataplana, with its base of sliced potatoes in a rich tomato, onion and capsicum sauce. The little backstreet cafe in which we ate was simple in its decor. The lady who greeted us, used Google translate to tell us the specials and then returned to the kitchen to cook our lunch.   We parked overnight on a cliff top overlooking both town and the Praia do Norte (beach). The surf report forecasted a change, the big waves wer...

On our gastronomic tour it would be remiss of us not to share the cognac experiences. Cognac is made in an area of western France just north of Bordeaux. It is an area of 80,000 hectares under grape.  Cognac is largely made from just one grape variety (90% is Ugni Blanc, also referred to as Saint-Emilion) and comes from one of five sub-regions surrounding the town of Cognac. The sub regions are determined by soil type. Cognac is a grape spirit that is twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Troncais. It is 40% alcohol and matures in the same way as whisky. Most producers have it under oak for many years beyond the legal requirement. Almost all producers in the region are under contract to the four big Cognac houses: Hennessy, Martell, Remy Martin and Courvoisier who blend and market more than 90% of the world’s cognac production. Even the highest quality smaller producers are unable to market most of their p...

A wise person once shared that we travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.  For us this statement is s truism.  Local insights greatly enhance the travel experience because we all have limited time to mooch around. This past week the value of local knowledge was again reinforced.  Our friends recommended that we visit La Rochelle, the capital of Charente Maritime Department. We hadn't previously planned to visit this beautiful, white stone Atlantic coast city with its enormous harbour and marina but in hindsight it would have been a sad loss, not to have done so.  Over the next few days we visited a number of destinations that without local knowledge we wouldn't have known existed. La Tremblade's brightly coloured oyster cabins and ponds each producing wonderful oysters in the estuary. They are surrounded by rectangular oyster ponds The artist and estuary oyster producing village of Mornac sur Seudre has been classified ...

The world is full of amazing and surprising destinations. There are so many amazing places that we all know like the pyramids of Egypt or Angkor Wat, but what blows my mind is when we stop in a town, just because. A town that we know nothing about.   A town that does not appear underlined as a place of interest on any map or in any guidebook that we have seen; and after parking we walk round a corner and are blown away by that which we see. Vitre and Fourges are such towns in eastern Brittany, near the border of Normandy and the Loire. Vitre and Fourges are fortified towns set high on hills, with 15 th and 16 th century chateau's (though parts of them date back to the 13 th century).  The chateau / castle at Vitre appears fairy tale-like with pencil point turrets, a draw-bridge, moat and built from a mixture of grey stone. The walls are more than 3m thick, many of which are curved and the windows looking out from the castle provide amazing views.  ...

We met in Capetown some years ago. It was the start of a 24 day southern Africa safari. It was far from glamping as we set up and pulled down our tents each night, and cooked stews together on a couple of burners at the back of the truck.  Beyond counting to three we had no French language skills and our new friends Maree and Augustine had limited English. Despite the lack of language we connected. We laughed. I leaned to make mash potato like the French with a lot of butter and a lot of milk. We enjoyed each other’s company. We communicated via charades, muddled language and through other people on the trip (Thanks Belgiques: Sharon, Baertsie and Maarten).  What we learned is that while having language skills helps (significantly); however if you don’t have it and both parties want to communicate you can. You can develop strong and meaningful relationships. Language is no barrier. We have stayed in contact via Facebook and Email and have become masters o...

Two cultural icons of France’s Normandy region are the Bayeux Tapestry and Mont Saint Michel. Both are impressive, so much so they are World Heritage Listed. There is a link between them. Mont Saint Michel We have all seen pictures of Mont Saint Michel. Gabriel Gateaux visits it most years of the Tour de France and makes the traditional local omelette. Mont Saint Michel is set on top of a tidal island just off the coast of Normandy and is visible for miles around. It is an island with the biggest tides in Europe, some 15m. On the spring tide the sea goes out 15km from the coast and comes in again very quickly. Throughout history it has been a Roman Church, an Abbey, a fortress and a prison. It has been added to and adapted many times and is now a warren of buildings, rooms and corridors. At its base is a small village that serviced the Abbey. The Abbey has three levels: the top level was where the monks lived at its centre is the chapel, the second level was where important g...

Autumn in Normandy (or Normandie as spelt by the French) is apple season and they are everywhere. Beyond a pomme tarte tartin, what else is made from apples? Cider Normandy is well known for its cider. It has been made there for more than 1000 years.   Charlemagne, who in the 8 th century united most of Western Europe apparently enjoyed a tipple, but cider production flourished from the 15 th Century when royalty enthusiastically supported production. The apples that are used for cider making in Normandy are generally old varieties. The apples are very small and can be a blend of up to 100 types of apples. Some cider apple varieties which the Normandies use are: Rouge Durent (sweet), Rumbault (tart) and Mettais,   St Martin, Frequin, and Binet Rouge (bitter). Binet Rouge is so bitter, it is considered inedible as an eating apple. Traditional cider is not carbonated ie no fizz and is served at room temperature.   The taste of it varies depending on ho...