Tag: France

Reflections on the trip south from Nijmegen to Sete

I’m sitting at balcony of my room in Sete looking down over the town

View over Sete

But before I write on Sete it’s time reflect on the 1100km run south from Nijmegen to Sete.

The side trip through the Swiss Alps into Italy is covered earlier.

A dominant feature in the Rhine

The river of castles

Running south beside it crossing it through Germany

Staying of the main roads

Lots of small villages

Bacharach village

Travelling further south at the top of the Black Forest the German high country spread out to see

View from the top of the Black Forest

The there was the taste of Germany epitomised by thick slabs of smoked pork, strong vinegary salad and scalloped potatoes at the Hausbraurei Feierling in Freiburg.

Washed down by the brewery’s beautiful beer

Across the Rhine

Across the border to southern France

The taste and river different

At Nueville Sur Ain

The river was the Ain

The village French in style

Nueville Sur Ain

Still castles on the hills

But the taste was different veal in the thick tomatoe sauce with green beans

Washed down by Cotes Du Rhone at the Le Faisan Dore

The Rhone alps as a companion

Till reaching the Mediterranean at Sete

Canal in Sete

Other side of the world 12 months on

Its hard to believe 12 months ago I was in  Cooktown

Vast savanah plains

Tropical rain forest

The iconic tale of Captain Cook saving his ship in the Endeavour River

The marvellous aboriginal rock drawings

At Cooktown 

And now I’m at the site of another iconic Australian story at Villers Bretenneux in northern France.

At Villers Bretenneux

Today rode a bit over 400 kms today visiting three countries. The Netherlands,  Belgium and France

What a contrast to last year’s trip.

Densely populated villages

Fields green at the end of summer

In northern Queensland

Maybe one or two roadhouses on the parched dry land was all to see in 400kms.

The Villers Bretenneux is a significant story from a couple of aspects.

Firstly the village, in the Somme Valley was liberated by Australian soldiers in WW1.

It was a scene of vicious fighting were far too many died.

Monument to Australian soldiers at Villers Bretenneux

So the oh so many young men who died were collected and buried near Villers Bretenneux.

But the story doesn’t end there

And I believe this is the most moving part

The people of Victoria, Australia,  many of whom had lost family in the war,

Raised money to by donation to raise money to help build a new school in Villers Bretenneux

The school still stands today

And the kangaroos at the entrance show the eternal connection across hemispheres.