Tour de France et Espagne

We were determined to make the most of these summer holidays (on a shoestring), so we embarked on a journey from Leeds to Barcelona and back, in our Vauxhall Astra (1998 version). To begin with, for convienience's sake, this was Ben's highlight of the trip:

But to go bak to the beginning, we drove to Dover and camped in a field waking up to this sea sunset.

Following our passage to Calais, we stopped off in Amiens to see the cathedral, which many people feel is better than Notre Dame. It might be more intricate but I prefer Notre Dame.

People say everyone leaves Paris for the month of August to go on holiday, but it's still a very happening place if you ask me. There are things going on everywhere like beach volleyball outside the Hotel de Ville:

On the night we arrived we ate crepes overlooking the Tour Eiffel and then headed to La Defence, one of our favourite places. We walked along the bridge to nowhere at sunset and looked for Ben's two and a half year old graffitti.

We frequented Breakfast in America three times during our trip. We were introduced to this place by Mel and Arne and have loved it ever since. We're allowed to go there since we're not American, and it still feels very Parisian. I always got a chocolate milkshake.

We visited Sacre Couer one morning and although Montmatre isn't one of our favourite places in Paris, it was very beautiful.

Ben met up with Dimitri. While in Paris we also met up with Kalli and Jacob who came on our road trip from here to Barcelona. We stayed in the Latin quarter around the corner from the Pantheon in Keyvan's apartment. It was the perfect location and I'd love to leave here if I ever moved to Paris (which I definitely will).

After Paris we ate at many boulangeries. This is one of the many things we love about France.

We travelled to Grenoble where we were going to find one of Ben and Jacob's mission friends but we found out he had moved to Paris. Grenoble itself was very pretty however, surrounded by cloud shrouded mountains.

Next stop was Cannes, followed by Arles. We found Cannes a bit plasticy, although I don't like to judge a city on such a small snippet. I think I might actually like it. Arles was a beautiful medieval town with a collosseum.We bought these tarts in Nimes. One sunday we visited the Pont du Gare. We were quite disappointed when we had to pay 15 euros to park, but then we realised we could swim, and with that and a picnic it was a really good afternoon.

Ben on the riviera, dying to move on.

After Arles we travelled to Barcelona. Barcelona was breath takingly refreshing. The architecture is like nowhere else and we spent lots of time soaking it up.

Fiesta de Gracia was happening when we arrived and the street decorations were magnificent - again like nothing I had ever seen. Each street was themed and the residentshad gone all out.

In Barcelona we met Gary who we had a really good time with. We enjiyed eating out and exploring lots. Here we are in my favourite square.

Following a looong journey up through France after saying goodbye to Jacob, Kalli and Gary, we spent the evening in Paris. Ben afterall did think everything else was pointless after Paris the first time around. We hired bikes and cycled around some of the sites. It was a wonderful way to see Paris, and to end our amazing eurotrip.

Millau Viaduct - it was one of Ben's life time ambitions to see this!

NYC

It is sporadically warm and sunny. On a day like today I reminis aboout the Taipei dys. When this happens there's a beautiful smell in the air and smells bring back memories more than anything else (bar photos). This is what it was like in Taiwan winter when the temperature would jump 15 degrees from one day to the next.

Since last post we have been to Thailand and Malaysia (to round up our Asia trip), and wait for it....NEW YORK CITY, the ciry where dreams are made of.

I didn't emvision we'd get to go to America so soon. Part of it was a very generous present from my mum and dad for christmas.

We stayed in Chocolat Hostel and were expecting a right dive. The reviews on the internet were quite shocking. But it was cheap and my thinking was we've stayed in Mirador Mansions and that was fine, so could it really be any worse?

But it looked rather nice from the outside. Inside was fine also - grotty, like what you'd expect for a tenner a night grotty, but fine.

Manhattan felt surreal. The constant feeling of knowing a place we had never been was nice. We thought we'd try and live a bit like americans. We couldn't wait to go to diners and this one was just around the corner.

It was exciting going up the Empire State Building and seeing where Blair found her pink peonies in the bin after missing Chuck.

But it was even better for the views.

Walking across the park to the Upper East Side was so peaceful. As was the Upper East Side, strolling down Madison Ave as you do.

The Guggenheim was one of my hightlights, though as Ben put it, if you're not that into cubism then don't bother. I'd disagree. It's worth a visit just for the buiding itself.

I don't know how anyone could feel disgruntled after visiting MoMA however. It was really good to see all the Abstract Expressionism which brought NY to the forefront of international art.

You could never get bored walking around midtown. The buildings never cease to amaze. Here's Hellie freezing between the sky scrapers.

The first few days were 'next levvveeell cold'. Like, seriously.

But we ended the week with a few warmer days and it was quite pleasent walking around Grenwich Village as I remember. Abi enjoyed living the NYU dream. She wants to do a year there and I hope she does.

One night we ventured all the way to Coney Island. It felt proper, because how could Manhattan ever feel real? It was raining and cold and we got off the train and went straight to Maccy Ds, which Ben said had to be one of the worst ones ever, Then we realised the fairground was closed (obviously because it was winter, der) so we went to Dunkin Donuts.

Wandering around NY streets you could usually hear the random shouts and grunts of people talking to themselves, or to anyone who would listen. Grand Theft Auto sprang to Ben's mind. But there really are so many homeless people it just makes you think how.

Blackpool times a million according to Ben. But he did like it really.

New York might be the most magnificent place we've been. This post goes nowhere near to showing what it's really like. Oh how we'd love to live there for a while. It has so much charm, maybe even more than Paris. And maybe one day soon we'll get to. We'll try at least. In another year and a half I'll be a teacher with Ben and the world will be our oyster.