December - XMAS in Yorkshire
Italian Dolomites
WINTER TALES
PREFACE
The "Tales" in my book, "Winter Tales", represents a
collection of stories which accumulated from journeys in the
first quarter of 1996. They cover three basic journeys - the
first being to the Dolomites (Northern Italy) in the January,
- the second being to Northern Belgium in the February, - the
third (the 'piece de resistance') being the trip to the 'frozen
north' in March & April.
By 'frozen north', I don't mean Scotland, but Greenland
where they have "REAL SNOW". Further more, it wasn't going to
be a passive bit of 'scenery-watching' (much though I like that!)
but an active participation in Greenlandic activities with the
natives (i.e. Danes and the Inuit peoples). Having said that,
the scenery is so stunning that one wants to indulge in long
periods of just slowly 'taking it in'! It is more mind-blowing in
its beauty than most other points of the globe.
Still. Let's not rush on too quickly. There are the
Dolomites to experience in their "Winter Magic" first.
[Belgium wasn't treated as a Winter Expedition but just
as a means of the first encounter with the Channel Tunnel's
Le Shuttle. See that later.]
OVERLAND TO THE DOLOMITES
(Tale One)
Like a mad-man, I had decided to travel 'Overland' to
Italy from Worcestershire. Well, the brochure looked attractive
throughout, including the WINTER MAGIC of the Dolomites.
Even the brochure didn't show as much snow as we were about to
get. The brochure even showed the scene with green fields. It
looked good - but not as good as we were about to experience.
Well. First things first!! The local-pickup point isn't
local!! Our nearest is in Worcester, - the company apparently
not recognising Malvern. The coach was said to depart from
Worcester early on a Sunday. We will not know what time until
about a week before departure. However, buses and trains don't
leave Malvern until much later on a Sunday. I thus arranged to
have overnight accommodation in Worcester at a friendly hotel. If
it hadn't been for the incessant overnight traffic I could have
got a good night's sleep!! Yes. Saturday 20th January 1996 was a
noisy night - all things considered!! I wasn't to know that a
side-street had so much through-traffic!!!
Eventually, the morning arrived, and I was feeling the
'lack-of-sleep' almost in a dream-like state. Having got all
possessions ready and myself presentable (I think), I
descended the stairs in a trance for an early breakfast before
the early taxi, to connect with the early Coach. We mustn't
wake-up the other guests who are having their Sunday morning
lie-ins. Poor sods!! They are going to miss all the
excitement.
The friendly taxi-man drove me to the Grandstand Road
Coach terminal in Worcester, no more than about 5 minutes drive
away. There I would wait in the cold (not really) January 'morn'
until my connector coach arrived. My Coach to the Channel doesn't
leave from here - but from somewhere in Bristol. This is to be a
mini-coach which connects with it. Thereafter, we will change
at Dover to connect with our REAL Tour Coach to traverse the
Continent.
All sorts of interesting people join the mini-coach on
its way from Worcester to Bristol. In order to cut the costs on
these trips, the company, Leger, run virtually all coaches at
100% occupancy. Each leg of these multi-leg journeys enjoys the
same 'over-crowding' (correction, - maximum legal loading!). So
one quickly becomes close friends with everyone.
Arriving at Bristol for a long-overdue toilet-break (all
the toilets at other stops were too bad or out of service) I
found one about 150 yards away. Meanwhile, back at the
interchange place, my luggage had been moved near a coach that
I'd never seen before! Quickly loading and getting settled in our
next vehicle, we then head North along the Motorway-connection to
the M4. Then, heading eastward, we called on many other pick-up
towns, some with enough time for toilet stops, some for
refreshments and even one (along the M25) for change of
currencies. That was a nice surprise!
After several hours we eventually arrived at Dover for my
first experience of 'Leger' interchanging. For those that
haven't done this before, let me explain the logic behind it all.
For a Company that runs several simultaneous trips to the
Continent, starting from several towns in the UK, and intends
to keep the prices down by 100% occupancy-rates, there needs to
be a place where persons from all parts of the UK need to
re-organise themselves onto other coaches for their respective
destinations.
That place,for the LEGER company (anda few others) needs
to be at a Channel Port.
That 'Channel Port' would be at Dover if going by the
Ferry OVER the water or at Cheriton if going by 'Le Shuttle'.
This time, I'm going by the conventional ferry and leaving
my initiation into 'Le Shuttle' for the following month when I
go to Belgium.
Even en-route to the Dover Terminal, we saw the motorway
turn-off for 'Le Shuttle'. On the opposite side of the road,
on display, was a 'drill' for the tunnel-boring work (now
finished), it being advertised "For Sale - One Careful Owner". On
the left-hand side, the lanes leading to the terminal appeared to
be segregated according to each type of vehicle. Still, we are
not stopping there this time!!
We arrived at the Dover Terminal at 2.15 pm and our
'feeder-coach' refuelled to become someone else's 'tour coach'
(to the Austrian Tyrol) later.
We all disembarked with instructions to have our
refreshments and await the PA call for 'coach-swapping. I need to
change to Coach No 16 for the Dolomites.
Time dragged on - and on - and on - and still no calls
were heard for the 'swap' - so some of us walked out to where the
coaches were gathered anyway. Messages weren't very forthcoming,
but, eventually, it emerged that we'd have a delay because one
coach won't be here for quite a while. It turned out that it had
been rammed in the rear by a lorry somewhere on or near the M25!!
No-one was injured but the coach would have to be exchanged for a
'good one' before carrying on to Dover. Thus all out other
coaches would have to wait until the 5pm ferry instead of
boarding the 3.45pm ferry. All coaches were re-booked OK. Nice
when someone else does the work for you - isn't it??!! We then
heard that we'd see the replacement-coach's arrival in 45
minutes.
All the coaches are not really Leger's - but contracted
from various firms and then decorated with the 'LEGER' stickers
on the outside. Almost all tour-companies operate this way. (Even
the trip into the Canadian Rockies, the previous year, produced
an American or Canadian Coach with a 'COSMOS' sticker!)
Eventually, when the other coach arrived we all shuffled
our cases about onto our appropriate coaches - and, within
minutes, we were on the "PRIDE OF KENT" for the cross-channel
journey. The crossing was 'OK', but a little choppy.
Fortunately, I've now lost my prone-ness to sea-sickness for
a couple of years or more - so all that happened was that we
'walked wonky' about the decks and smiled about it!
The re-booked departure-time ensured that the crossing to
Calais would be in darkness.
For those of us who enjoy going outside (even in January!)
this was a bit restrictive. On this particular Ferry, it seemed
as if "going out on deck" wasn't encouraged anyway. The number
of exits to the fresh air were few and far between. "Why don't
people like viewing a choppy sea in the windy and dark conditions
of Winter?" I asked myself silently. I didn't get any answers,
but I think I know what they would have been if someone else
answered!!
I suppose that I'll remain cocooned inside with everyone
else until the arrival in France!!
Once at Calais, we re-boarded our 'new' coach that we had
waited for so long in Dover and then set off in the darkness
for the all-night journey to Italy.
Why all-night? Let me explain! Many of the holidays
offered by Leger are considerably cheaper than most of the
'opposition'! This is achieved by passengers "sleeping on the
coach" instead of making multiple hotel stops enroute. The
significance of this 'cheap alternative' didn't hit me until (in
this 100% - packed environment) I tried to get some sleep.
It wasn't because of the noise or chatter, - just because I'm
not used to it, however quiet.
Most people (obviously practised in the art!) seemed to manage
it (unless they were good actors!). Even the lady sharing my seat
was 'well-away'. For me, it was a new experiment!!
Would it work? This trip might give the answers - or even a
few clues. [Passing through my mind were the problems if it
didn't - like my similar, but even longer, trip down to Naples
later in the year!!]
As we cruised across the continent via Reims, then Nancy
and Strasbourg, we were reeling off the countries without seeing
anything. The all-night lighting (the 'light pollution' scourge
to astronomers) was witnessed by myself yet again.
However, a particularly beautiful solution was also witnessed
(I believe that it was through a stretch of motorway in Germany)
where "no lights" produced the "dark motorway". The driver made
the interior of the coach totally dark too - so the view of
the stars and 'heavens' was amazingly beautiful. I did some
visual astronomy in this situation. I'm glad that I didn't get
to sleep!!
Germany came and went, just as France had done. Apparently,
we had passed by Zurich (Switzerland) at 6 a.m.. We also
called on Leichtenstein (at Vaduz -- lots of Z's in this part of
the world, aren't there?) before heading off to Innsbruck in
Austria.
Before Innsbruck, however, we had our first real stop, in
the Voralberg, for breakfast. For me, this provided the 'blessed
relief' of a toilet break. Whilst one sleeps they are not
important, but for us non-sleepers they are crucial!! I'm sure
that they broke regulations (whatever they are) about
intervals between stops. My report mentionned this fact.
The Vorarlberg stop provided me with the added opportunity
for some early morning photography around this (virtual-motorway)
stop, - in the beautiful mountains. They are more beautiful if
one can get into them - but a motorway-stop can't be easily
disguised! I managed to escape and walk over the ice-clad
bridge towards a local village on the side of the hills before
returning in time for the coach's departure.
Then, enroute, we by-passed Innsbruck and, via the
Brenner Pass (a photo-opportunity stop here, at the Europa Bridge
with its picturesque views, which I took advantage of!) entered
Italy and started the very long descent from the Alps into Italy
through the Dolomites.
It was, now, beautifully light and we appeared, and felt,
to be travelling somewhat slower - and could really enjoy the
mountain scenery here in Northern Italy. We by-passed all
the towns and really lapped-up the countryside. Thus, Bolzano
(another Z-place!) wasn't even seen, which is fine by me
because I'm here for the mountains!!
Before getting to Baselga, we need however to go through
Trento. Until there, things had gone reasonably smoothly
through Italy - but in Trento, things were about to change. We
were coach-wandering like a "little-boy-lost" going around in
ever-repeating circles and revisiting recognisable spots seen
before!!
Eventually, we saw a signpost for Baselga Di Pine, which
directed us up high hills with more snow on the ground. Baselga
was well-spread-out and, twice, we saw VILLA ANITA signs well-
spaced apart! Somewhat later, we found our coach on a long
narrow lane - and you can find the continuation of this story
in Tale Two using the link below.
Return to Top of 1996 index
or advance to Next chapter, - Tale Two
or return to 'Winter Tales' index
SNOW-WAY TO BELGIUM
(Tale Six from "Winter Tales")
The purpose of this trip was to obtain familiarity with
Le Shuttle and its operations. It replaced the previously-planned
use of "The Shuttle" using my own car for a five-day Camping
Trip to Northern France. Such a replacement gave considerable
cost-savings, the DIY version costing about 4 times as much!!
This would be 'something new', quite cheap, low hassle,
and with the prospect of meeting new friends both en-route and in
Belgium.
Because the coach was to leave Worcester at 06.45hrs on
Wednesday, 21st February, it meant either leaving one's own
car in a car-park in Worcester(for the whole period) or staying
overnight in Worcester and getting an early-morning taxi
to the 'start-point'. I, thus, left work early on the 20th
February, did final preparations for the journey etc
(including setting the 'video' for interesting items that I might
otherwise miss!) and walked to Malvern Link British Rail Station.
Because of the early coach-departure the following day, I
made sure that the taxi was booked and that I collected a
packed breakfast so as to avoid inconveniences to staff and
guests tomorrow.
On the morning of 21st, after coffee & biscuits in my
room, I was down in the hallway at 6.10a.m. and got my taxi
straight-away to the coach stop. This coach was not the
'real-coach' for the journey, but an 'inter-feeder' mini-coach
for connecting with the main one. Eager to eat my breakfast
(yes, mate,- I'm starving!) I opened the hotel's pack of goodies.
Unfortunately, the driver asked me to refrain until getting on
the main coach. I agreed - but it would be very difficult!!
Thus it was that I suffered hunger-pains via Evesham,
Cheltenham and Stroud until the arrival at the
connection-place at Leigh Delamere Services on the M4 motorway.
This main coach takes us as far as the Channel Tunnel.
As we headed eastward along the M4 which was relatively
clear of traffic and absolutely clear of snow, the journey was
very comfortable, made even more comfortable when one compared
the internal condition of the coach with the external sight of
snow in the surrounding fields. It was like being in a
low-altitude aircraft over terrain that had lightly precipitated
snow.
However, when we reached the M20, the conditions had
changed to serious-drifting along the banks of the Motorway.
Travelling in a southerly direction, the left-hand banks of the
cuttings had beautiful hanging drifts which had obviously been
arranged by a fairly heavily snow-laden wind from the East. The
right (i.e western) banks had a totally different appearance -
less attractive but obviously wintery.
The hanging-snow-gardens-of-Kent grabbed my attention for
as long as they could. It looked as they had been designed by a
rather ostentatious frieze-designer who spared-no-expense.
Our designer had been very considerate - he had left the
motorways absolutely clear all the way along!! This was
heaven. Then the abrupt bad-news. Overhead gantries were
indicating that there would be substantial delays on 'Le Shuttle'
- approaching 10 hours!! That was a blow!! Wow - eeEE!!
Our co-driver got on the radio-telephone aboard the coach
and established that OUR delays would be somewhat smaller as
we weren't random-traffic (like cars) - but part of a pre-booked
bunch. Still, it was worrying that such a long delay might
apply to such a short trip. We made good time to the Cheriton
Terminal - too good, really, - and we were one of the
first of our bunch to occupy a lightly-occupied car/coach
park, nearby, for the interchange of coaches.
This place (near a TESCO supermarket), like a car-park on
a dis-used airfield, partly covered in ice and snow, whilst
being a welcome sight to me, was probably less-welcoming to those
individuals raised in over-heated modern houses. Because we
arrived earlier than the other coaches - we had to wait for
the other coaches needed to make the 'complete-set' - being about
six in number. The next two or three drifted in, in a reasonably
short time, - but the final one or two seemed to take an
eternity. We must all await the final one, whilst keeping to
one's original coach until then.
The plan is for all coaches, then, to have their luggage
unloaded, claimed by owners and moved by them to the coach of
the appropriate number for the continental part of their
individual journey. Thus, all these coaches came from different
parts of the UK [I had arrived on coach number 168 from the M4
Service area mentionned above] and each now has its final
European destination indicated thereon, complete with its number
[I have to change to a 'GENT' coach - in particular, to number
168, to seat number 2]. So no coach-change was necessary -
although the WAIT was. The courier had, earlier, told me of a
mere seat-change [one row forward and one seat leftwards!!]. My
delay was about two and a half hours before departure - and
movements were thus at an average speed of one foot per hour
diagonally!! Photography was very difficult at this place and
time, but it didn't stop.
What was interesting at the site was the 'Drill-bit' left
from the tunnel-construction phase. This massive drill was
annotated " FOR SALE - One Careful owner".
My seating-friend, for the whole tour, was to be a very
dark and delightful woman, called Winsome, from South East
London. We became more and more communicative as the holiday
progressed.
After the 'crossing', the journey to 'Ghent' from Calais
was plagued with delays and the arrival was quite late - around
9pm. Some went to the dining room (paying for the privilege) in
the hotel - but I've got quite a lot of food left from England, -
my own packing from home!! Thus I retired to my room (420) which
was accessed by means of a smart-card. I booked and paid for an
evening meal for the following day and managed to 'hack' the TV
system and its controller in my room - even to getting BBC & ITV
programmes!! I thus intended to get some sleep before this
short-but-packed excursion through Northern Belgium began
tomorrow.
I was awakened around midnight by an alarm-type whistling in the room. I
pondered on the possibility of an emergency evacuation of the building, but
there seemed to be no activity OUTSIDE the hotel (through my windows), -
and then my thoughts changed to 'shall I dress first?". I tried to phone 'reception'
several times but without success. I pushed a button on the 'radio alarm' and
that seemed to cancel the noise - so, maybe, I'm in no immediate danger and
this is only an unscheduled, unrequested alarm that this electronic box has
frightened me with. With a slight after-effect from the pannicking, I then tried
to return to sleeping.
Night overtook me and I awoke normally, went down
for breakfast - and shared a table with a couple who were associated with
GEC Avionics and 'Nimrod'. That's a coincidence as I'd dealt with contracts on that
in the past! Having, unusually for me, an 'English' breakfast, we all went in for some
extra coffee. I spent the morning in Gent walking my own routes from my own map
and taking photos- as there were quite a large number of very interesting buildings -
as well as adequate seating arrangements to sit and admire them from!!
I bought several 'wafels' - from Flemish areas for the first time today - and
their were still many places to sit down and enjoy the views. Previously, I had
always got my 'gauffres' from the French sellers. It was soon time to leave Gent
(which I did at 3pm) and head off towards ANTWERP. There I did some solo walks
before joining a party visiting the DIAMOND FACTORY with its presentations.
My walks there were pleasurable due to the help of a mini-snow-storm!!
I did not even use my maps on this occasion! One impressive building that I
photographed as a "Post Office with a Stately Home on top and inside" turned
out to be the 'Middenstatie' (i.e the Central Railway Station)!!
This was an architectural gem of great beauty. Antwerpe did not have
seductive streets like 'Belgrado Street' in Gent (which was like the old Place Rogier
area in Brussells !!) I returned to my Hotel in Gent and had a very nourishing
meal before an evening trip and walkabout there - it snowed most of the time. I was
first back into the coach and found the name of my seat-companion, 'Winsome' ,
who also has a brother Roy!!
Next day, Friday 23rd February '96, I caught a coach from Gent to
Brugges for an exploration of this delightful little town - which is quite legitimately
known as "Venice of the North" - and then I could look around its canals, parks
and waterways, taking some photos which will appear here later!!
My first sensible stop was the information place in a belfry - and there
I bought a useful map to aid my navigation about the place. By that means, not
only would exploration be possible - but it proved very enjoyable!! I'd decided on
a course that took me around, giving maximum views of canals, rivers and parks.
All too soon, 1pm arrived, and I was due to leave on the coach for
Ostende - where I explored until 4.30pm.
Return to WINTER TALES index or
Continue with Tale Seven (about Brugges) or
Return to
Top of 1996 index
Greenland Dogsledding etc
You need Tale Eight (PLUS!) from Winter
Tales
so this link starts
with a trip to Greenland in a
series of links in separate files.
Return to Top of 1996 index
