What was I thinking?
When I decided to drive to Vienna, my thoughts were that it would be a good way to transition, I would see many sites and come to Vienna refreshed and ready. Wrong! All I am is hot and tired. The second day out the A/C went. The problem with that is I just paid a lot to have it fixed. So it is 35c or around 100 F and I’m on the road. It is okay when you are going but stop and I cook!
Day one, left Portugal about 1 pm. Made it to Merida, Spain. Found a hotel that accepts dogs, no problem. Had a nice walk around town. Coffee in the morning and on the road.
Day two. No A/C Driving to Toledo. My goal is air conditioned hotel. Followed the signs to the tourist info center. They listed hotels that have air conditioning and take dogs! I went to the Hotel Kris Domenico. It is actually on the outskirts of town, looking over the town. It was too late and too hot to tour any way. I went for a swim, had a glass of wine and tapas at the outside café and was in for the night.
Next day I headed for the coast, with the idea that it would be cooler. It wasn’t! I started out in the wrong direction, 30 miles each way and right back where I started, then on to the coast. It was pretty. I wound up in the town of Benicassim at the Vista Allegra hotel. Very nice people, decent room, a couple of blocks from the sea. I asked about a mechanic but decided to head to Barcelona instead, more of a major city.
Reached Barcelona and stopped in an Opel dealership. They directed me to a Opel repair shop. Only got a little lost getting there. The mechanic, with rough English, told me that I need a new compressor, the one I just paid 500 euros for. Then he checked and said it would be three days for the parts. First I cried. Then I left. I decided to at least see Barcelona. Went downtown and parked. Walked the downtown, got to see the buildings, amazing architecture but a generic feeling to the city. Stores like Zara, Gap, Diesel. I left town about 4, hoping to drive while it is a bit cooler, keeping to the coast. Stopped at a couple of beaches, taking the national roads, enjoying the driving more. Passing fields of sunflowers, finally in France.
Spent the night in Banyuls-sur-Merat the Elms hotel. http://www.hotel-des-elmes.com/ Quite Spartan room but A/C and a bed is what I ‘m looking for and they take dogs. Curly and I are happy.
I head out after breakfast, getting later starts to beat the heat? Figure I will stop for lunch on the coast and then drive to 9 or 10 at night. Driving along the Med is not cooler.Stopped in a small town. Palavas les flots, with a lighthouse, not, a restaurant in the shape of one. I had a glass of wine and looked at the view. The names Cannes and Nice are enticing me forward. Always heard of them, never been there.
Around 9 pm I arrived in Aix en Provence. Valerie went to school there, I knew it had a university and thought I could find a hotel. Everything was booked! I headed out of town about 11 and took the turn off for St. Tropez. It was a winding mountain road. I stopped at three more hotels, all booked. I spent the night in the car! I couldn’t drive anymore. I parked in the lot of a fancy looking hotel, it felt safe. I put the seat back and managed to sleep. I woke at 6:30 and headed to the French Riviera. I had a shower on the beach, with my clothes on and coffee. Then I slept a bit more on the beach. No dogs were allowed so I was asked to leave around ten, the beach was filling up. The traffic along the coast was awful, much like Laguna to Dana Point in the summer and it was HOT. I had lunch in Saint Rafael and stopped in a tourist office. I made a reservation for a hotel in Beausoleil, just across the street from Monaco. No more nights in the car for me!
Spent the night at Hotel Diana, Walked around Monaco a bit but no time to check out the sites. Pretty town, but… Onward to Italy.
Took to the highway the next day, it is cooler with the windows open at 120km. great roads into Italy. At Genoa, I turned inland. I saw Lake Garda on the map, it rang a bell, still don’t know why, except possibly the book Hotel du Lac. Headed that way. Got caught in a traffic jam. Sat for an hour on the highway trying to exit to Lake Garda. It was HOT. I was pouring water on my head. Finally arrived at the lake, got out at a beach spot for a cold drink.
Two ladies took my picture and I asked for hotel recommendations. One suggestion, Hotel Vigne was right on the lake and delightful, in the town of Salo. Hospitality was great, including breakfast. Delightful town and hotel, would like to go back in the spring.
Drove up the western side of the lake to beautiful views, many tunnels, a combination of awesome manmade and natural sites. It was overcast and even rained a bit at one point, a welcome relief. It took three hours to drive to the top, bigger than Lake Tahoe, just as awe inspiring.
Picked up the highway to get to Innsbruck, or at least into Austria for the night. I stopped at an information spot and the woman there suggested the town of Kufstein. It is smaller than Innsbruck and closer to Vienna, where I was due the next day. I smiled as I entered town. It is a site for opera and the home of Riedel glass. I would like to return another day to take that tour. I stayed in the smallest hotel room, I’ve ever seen. From bed to door was 3 or 4 feet. They took dogs, had parking, included breakfast and internet connection for 45 euros, I stayed. Curly was allowed at my feet, as I ate dinner downstairs and he was welcomed at breakfast too. It was the beginning of seeing how dogs are welcome in Austria.
I set out the next morning by ten, with plans to meet Karin at my lodgings at three. It should have been enough time but… Salzburg was hosting a festival and it took me three hours to go 100km, to get past Salzburg. I arrived in Vienna, at the apt at 5pm. Karin was waiting. She had put a bit of food and wine in the fridge, turned on the air conditioning and made me welcome. I have arrived.
