It's that time of year again.... All the best for 2023 and bon voyage to everyone who reads the blog. Over the past year 'Heels for Dust' clocked-up about 10700 visits, a respectable tally I guess given we make no effort whatsoever to promote the blog. I have scant idea who most of the the visitors are, but a a special thank you to the people who took the time to leave comments or an emoji on Facebook - Tim, Paul, Penny, Susan, Chat, Yvonne, Kate, Elana, Gilly - a big hug from the pair of us!
In 2023 we clocked more miles than usual in the van and managed to get back to our pre-pandemic pattern of five months travelling and seven at home. The extra miles were the partly the result of zig-zagging about Iberia in March, as we moved from place to place to avoid crowded places like campsites while we quarantined ourselves. We planned to stay for a while in the Cabo de Gata to recover from the virus but the arrival of a Sahara dust storm payed havoc with our post-covid lungs, so off we went again towards Cantabria via Malaga. It all seems quite mad now, but it made sense at the time. Our autumn trip to Corfu, Lefkada and Salento notched even more miles. Maybe we'll dial things back a bit in the coming year.
As ever last year had good moments and not so good moments, happlily former greatly out-numbered the latter. Still, we could have done without succumbing to the virus in Portugal, I think even now, ten months on, we both still are suffering from minor after effects. We also could have done without some pillock reversing into the van. Due to delays in processing the claim and a 15 week delay in the supply of Burstner parts from Germany, the moho is not going get fixed until April. Luckily the damage is largely cosmetic, so the van is still usable.
The negatives pale into insignificance compared to last year's magical moments great and small. What began as a New Year's eve chat about this rambled on over a few hours along the lines of 'yes x was wonderful, but what about y... hard to choose the standout moments. Some places stick in the memory because they are iconic or significant - Matera and Gallipoli for example. Other far less famous spots came to mind, like the network of fisherman's shacks in Comporta or the distinctly unfamous French town, Villeneuve Bezier. On a distinctly chilly day in early April it exuded a gentle 'joie de vivre' that draws you back to France time and again.
The place had 'integrity' as Gill calls it - a lived-in functionality, purposeful, but on a human scale. We found this quality elsewhere, it tends to be something you just happen across. It probably comes down to individual predilections too. Castletownbeare in southwest Ireland exuded this quality.
Though more famous as a major archaeological site, we loved the unassuming liitle village of Lincinella-Torre-di-Paestum, not least because of its great little mini-market that seemed to stock everything and was run by kind, charming people. A real 'small is beautiful place - definitely a place with integrity.
Inevitably our conversation turned to the question of food, we have eaten some memorable things over the past year, not in swanky restaurants but in very ordinary places. Like the coffees we had in the small cafe high up on Ostuni's ramparts or the small creperie tucked down a sidestreet next to the chateau d'Anger.
Camping Cala Dei Ginepri just north of Brindisi may have had dysfunctional facilities and looked like a shanty town but the site mini-market stocked all sorts of local produce. The woman who ran it was happy to discuss how best to cook stuff. The sausages she sold us were among the best we have ever had. In Italy great food hides in plain sight everywhere. Like the places in Ostuni, Lecce, Gallipoli and Matera that sold us delicious puccia - who says a humble sandwich can't be a gastronomic triumph?
As ever Bologna served up some memorable dishes - is it the most civilized city in the world? It has to be a contender. The best food we had last year was not there however, but in an unassuming Bottega in Burchio, a small village in the hills south of Florence.
Travel feeds the soul too. Three moments stand out..
The beach next to our van at Camping Nissos where I could roll out of bed and have a great swim before breakfast.
The rough track we cycled up from Vasiliki, a blue Med day with a view of Ithaca. What better place to read the last few books of the Odyssey?
The sunset from Paestum beach, you could sense autumn in the air, evenings cooler, the light softening as the sun slipped below the horizon.
Two months on and the year has gone, another beckons. Back to Spain for 70 days at the end of this month, Brittany in June, in the autumn south through Provence and Corsica to Sardinia - Heels for Dust!
Happy travels everyone,
Pete & Gill xxx