EuroTrash 2018 - France, Estonia, Croatia, Romania and Bavaria

[Straubs]

Thanks Ozmatt, yes credit card cycling seems to be the way. And yes, wouldn't want to hijack your thread with everyone else's suggestions. Will continue to read with interest. Thanks!

 

[EestiTiger]

I mentioned in my last post about the breakfast at the chateau but neglected to add some pictures.



France has a number of villages that are classified as 'the most beautiful villages in France'. I would have liked to visit more than one but I also didn't want to be racing around and not being able to just relax and take it all in. I visited the delightful little village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. It was tiny but gorgeous being based at the base of some towering cliffs.



There was a short hike to an abbey they had built up in the cliff face. It was pretty easy and gave a beautiful outlook over the village below.

 

[EestiTiger]

One of the main things I wanted to see was the spectacular Verdon Gorge. The previous day I had driven along the D952 which gave some incredible views. Unfortunately I was too busy watching the road and trying not to die to get any photos. The photos below are of the following day where I spent the day relaxing.

I had planned to hire a kayak but the lines were crazy. I was quite content to swim and relax by the shore.

 

[EestiTiger]

After my time in the countryside it was back to Nice to drop off the car. I decided to make the trek back to the airport via the motorways. Yes it was going to cost a bit in tolls but less stress and quicker. I had a pocket full of coins and euros but my Citibank plus debit card worked fine.

My plan for the next three days was just to relax - morning walk, beach, long lunch and repeat. Alas my plans do have a habit of going astray. I have a good friend who pointed me at a bar to go watch the rugby and of course there were a few other Aussies and Kiwis watching the AB's dismantle the Wallabies. It ended up being a long afternoon with some new friends.

The only photos I appear to have of my time in Nice are of a morning hike I did up a hill behind Monaco. I caught the train to the stop before Monaco and walked from there. It wasn't too far but was more than a challenge with the temperature, lack of shade and the gradient. At least I was able to burn off some of the excesses of the past few days.

 

[ellen10]

I am enjoying your photos and travel tales.

 

[Major]

Great photos. My favourite is the Chateau Margaux

 

[craven morehead]

Catching up on this great TR

 

[EestiTiger]

It has been a pretty crazy busy time so apologies for the lack of updates! This always happens when I get to Estonia

Here are just some simple pictures of the Tallinn old town. I have been here that many times now I don't tend to take too many photos anymore. I'll endeavor to get a few more in the next few days. Suffice to say I really do enjoy my time in this beautiful little city.

 

[EestiTiger]

After years of me annoying baristas for flat whites, it would appear my hard work is paying off! This year more than any other, I have noticed flat whites are now actually on coffee shop menus. It was whilst enjoying a flat white after a morning run that I ran into an old friend. She was actually about to head out to a flooded former prison I have tried to get into the last two years. It would appear it is just as difficult to break into a prison, as out of a prison.

The former prison features in a few music videos and is all over Instagram. This was my third year in a row I have headed here so it was good to finally get in! The owner has realised he can't keep people out and this year has started selling tickets.

 

[EestiTiger]

Last Friday I was suited up for a big gala event for a good friend's 30th anniversary of his business. It was an amazing night with 500 guests and staff from USA, Australia and the Baltics all in attendance. It was heaps of fun and is always good to get the chance to dress up and hang out with the beautiful people.

The venue was an old disused factory which had been re-purposed as an event space. It was spectacular. Over two levels, multiple halls - it was huge. There was a band, choir and a DJ. The only problem was a small group of us had a 605am flight to Romania...

 

[EestiTiger]

With just over an hour of sleep, it was up and off to TLL airport for a Nordica flight to Constanta. We were hoping to get a couple of hours sleep in on the flight but we were all a bit excited and busy chatting.

The lounge at TLL airport is a bit snug but it had everything I needed at 5am - beer on tap and coke. It actually has an outdoors terrace which with the fickle Estonian weather, I have never seen anyone else actually use. It only offers a view of the gates with the terminal blocking runway views.



Upon arrival in Constanta we had a bus to drop us all of maybe a couple of hundred metres away. It was warm so I guess it sort of made sense.

 

[EestiTiger]

On account of our early morning arrival in Romania and our hotel not quite being ready to receive us we went to a restaurant for a few hours. Our hotel had a rooftop bar so we also checked this out whilst waiting for our rooms to become available.

The strange building below is actually an abandoned casino. It was impressive but derelict. You can read more here.

Being with a group of Estonians the main focus of the trip was a beach getway so we didn't actually see much of Constanta and instead made a beeline for the beach resort area of Mamaia. I guess you could probably compare it the Gold Coast in Australia. We were staying at the Hotel Opera, pictured on the left in the nighttime photo below. It was an excellent hotel. Great food, service, services and beach club.

 

[EestiTiger]

On our first full day in Romania we loaded up the vengabus and headed North to the Danube delta. I knew nothing about it but really enjoyed the day. We based ourselves at a nice hotel in the middle of nowhere - Hotel Egreta. First thing to do was food and drinks. Later in the day we went on a boat tour of the delta.



It was a much longer bus journey home despite not having to dodge the horse and carts we did during the day. Like every day in Mamaia we had midnight fireworks. One of the beach clubs had a Sunday firepit on the beach. Most of Romania's beautiful people must have had work on Monday as we were about the only ones there.

 

[sietes]

View attachment 134260[/QUOTE]

I neglected to post a picture of my new favourite red wine, that I had early morning on my BNE-DXB leg. WOW - it was absolutely amazing. I will be looking for it on all my future Emirates flights.

View attachment 134163

They are some amazing wines. I don't suppose you got a pic of the wine list?

 

[EestiTiger]

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They are some amazing wines. I don't suppose you got a pic of the wine list?[/QUOTE]

Sorry I think I neglected this part of my photos! I will get some on the return flight. Through the Emirates website you can enter flight details and pull up menus and wine lists. I did this prior to my flights to see what was on offer.

 

[EestiTiger]

The following day we visited our first winery in Romania.- Clos des Colombes The French owner also owned a vineyard in France which meant she had a pallet of Grand Cru quality champagne in the cellar. We had a long lunch with many bottles of different wines. It was a magical way to spend an afternoon.



That night for dinner we headed to Marco Polo. A fantastic restaurant with my favourite - cheese wheel truffle pasta

 

[EestiTiger]

Oops - missed the photos from last post...

 

[EestiTiger]

We were making the trek to Bucharest over the next two days, broken up with a overnight stay in Bulgaria. Of course we had to stop at another winery. This one was very different to the last one. New, sterile and stunning location. The wines were only young but again - sensational. This is a winery to watch. I can't wait to get my hands on their wines again. Crama Rasova is their name.

 

[EestiTiger]

We broke up the trip to Bucharest by staying overnight in Silistra Bulgaria. The hotel we stayed at was Drustar Hotel on the beautiful, not quite blue Danube. We were only here for one night. It was a great place to stay. My highlight was my new favourite beer pictured below.

To get back into Romania we caught a ferry that was pushed sideways across the river by the mighty little boat - Tayfun!

 

[JohnM]

Late aboard, have an excuse. I'll take 2A - just this time . But I will undo the gauze and squirt the pips from the caviar lemon over the wall into 1A just so @VPS knows I'm here .