It’s been building up for awhile, my dry little cough. Now it’s to the point that I am hacking my lungs out. Oh yes, I’ve been a sick one. I’m pretty sure I know how COPD-ers feel, or perhaps someone who is asthmatic. The gasping for air and the lungs not cooperating. The sleepless nights are the worse, I’ve taken to sleeping on the reclining part of the couch…that’s scored me at least 4 hours of sleep! After I’ve irritated the hell out of my family, with the wheezing, hacking and coughing until I puke, I was told to go see the doctor..shudder, quel horreur!
It’s bronchitis. So now I’m flying high on cough syrup with codeine. Probably because I don’t measure (like my cooking), I just chug it out of the bottle (like my drinking). Sooooo, what I’m trying to say is that I didn’t have anything planned for Motorcycle Monday. Sooooo, I’m giving you a hack job, it comes with a free lung…another honeymoon entry, guess I just don’t want the darn thing to end.
This is NOT a recap just some tidbits to share that weren’t necessarily in the journal, maybe a few but not all.
We traveled to 10 different countries in 11 days (that’s been mentioned)
We rode 2, 512.3 miles! That’s an average of 359 miles a day on a bike (not including the riding in Barcelona). Just in the few days we were in Barcelona putt-zing around, we rode 150 miles.
The place we most want to visit again: Sarlat-le-Canéda. I can’t explain why the place sung to our hearts so much. It was the one place that we camped (maybe an earthly connection?), we loved the scenery, the people and oh God, we loved the food.
The one place that we regret not making time for:
Lonnie wanted to visit the Grottes de Cougnac very badly, unfortunately we were running out of time and had to get to Barcelona since we had reservations. It is not far from Sarlat-le-Canéda, if we ever make it back it will be on the top of our list.
The one decision we that we regretted: not riding part of the way with the “Greeks”. We met them at a gas station on the way back and they offered for us to ride part way home with them. We declined, we were trying to do the couples only thing because it was our honeymoon. Looking back we think we missed out on a fun time.
The most romantic moment we had:
Arlez, France. We visited this town that is heavily influenced by it’s Spanish neighbor. A town where they still bull fight. We toured the place, admiring all the architecture and beautiful colors everywhere. After our day of hanging out we stopped in a little café and ordered dinner, I got the rabbit and I had my first taste of garlic aioli. McGyver ordered the special which was bull from the recent bull fight.
As we sat in the café, drinking wine enjoying dinner and marveling at how lucky we were to be traveling through Europe, a guitar player came in, going from table to table. He stopped at our table and I went practically gaga over the whole thing. To be sitting with the love of my life, in France, eating delicious food, drinking fabulous wine and having guitar music played for us at our table, merveilleuse et romantique!
The worst moment: at a gas station in France. McGyver and I travel very well together, it’s one of the things I love about us. We don’t fight, argue or get stressed out…usually. We pulled into a gas station somewhere in France. McGyver and I got off and McGyver tried to put gas in the Super Glide, only he couldn’t figure it out. Let’s just say he got very frustrated, errr, publically. I tried talking him down, but he kept ranting and raving and then he said on top of it I really need to pee. Ah ha, I told to go behind a bush then come back and we’ll figure it out. After he was relieved, he was a totally different person.
The fanciest meal we had: Marengo, Italy. This was an unexpected stop for us. Out of nowhere there was 5 star hotel in the middle of Italian farmland, in this tiny town. The meal made such an impression on me that I actually made notes in the back of my journal about what we had (that wouldn’t be weird now, but it was then).
- We started with the Anitpasta. I wrote down that it had: artichoke hearts, green and black olives, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, pearl onions, and some kind of pepper; all drizzled with truffle oil.
- McGyver had the duck breast with anise and a clear gravy.
- I had rabbit rouladin with truffle and fennel wrapped around pork tenderloin.
- Plus we had German fried ravioli (noodle smeared with herbs, rolled, sliced and fried) with garlic aioli, bread and krauter butter.
The food that ‘wowed’ us the most: Our first time trying Fois de Gras and truffles (black and white). We finally understood why people would sell one of their kidneys to buy it.
My most fun food experience: Spain. We went to a coastal restaurant and I ordered a fresh lobster. The waiter brought two lobsters to the table, practically stuck them in my face and asked “cuál sería la señora como?” (which one would the lady like).
The doctor has ordered plenty of rest for me and the codeine in my cough medicine seems to be enforcing his orders! So I’ll end my honeymoon again, but hang on to your handle bars…the Anniversary run is next on the agenda.
What a great honeymoon… and what fabulous food! Bronchitis is no fun… hope you get to feeling better fast 🙂
Karen, I am actually doing much better…better living through modern chemistry!
Some of the best meals we’ve ever had were in Italy. Sounds like you two had the time of your life.
It was a great time. We’ve been to Italy before and always had great food, I never tired of it.