Blog - Slow Travel Tours

A Marseille Celebration

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Anne & Kirk WoodyardSeptember 16, 2018

Anne & Kirk Woodyard – Music and Markets Tours

“Where can we see some great Bastille Day fireworks near Aix?” we asked our in-the-know French friends…and Marseille was the top reply – now we know why! In addition to festive fun (Kirk’s birthday happens to be the same day as France’s National Holiday!) we were looking forward to an air conditioned respite from the oppressive heat, and a swimming pool thrown in for good measure! Right on the historic Vieux Port, the Radisson Blu was a perfect choice – with a fabulous view from our 4th floor windows! Although we were tempted to stay in the marvelously cool room (you don’t know how much you miss air conditioning until you live without it for a while, as we do in our Aix home!), we decided to relax poolside instead – cooled with a refreshing dip and breezes as we basked in the sun, the 17th century Fort St. Nicolas looming beyond. Since Marseille is such a big city, I always imagined it as hotter than Aix – but no, it’s seaside location tempers the heat nicely – it’s bearable to stroll around near the water, unlike on those 89 degree afternoons in Aix.
Enjoying the beautiful architecture as we seek out a restaurant for an early (for France, that is – around 8) dinner, we find many well-recommended spots right near the Vieux Port, and request an outdoor table at L’Oliveraie, on restaurant-lined Place aux Huiles. Jazz from the restaurant next-door entertains us as we relish a delicious dinner under the olive trees – we do recommend this place!
Police and Emergency Medical Teams are setting up all around the Vieux Port in preparation for the fireworks at 10, and early arrivers are claiming their spots chosen for the best view.

After a sunset stroll along the water, we head up to our room, waiting for the show. Just after ten, the streetlights surrounding the port turn off, music booms from the speakers, and here we go! 16 pontoons are lined up down the middle, and flare in unison with beautiful firework displays, while to our left, above Fort St. Nicolas, more fireworks fill the sky – what a show! Happy Birthday Kirk!
The celebrations continue on Sunday – France is in the World Cup! But the day starts quietly, with a walk around the port (check out the mermaids!)

after the delicious buffet breakfast at the Radisson Blu.
You’ve heard of Savon de Marseille, I’m sure – now available worldwide, and one of the most popular booths at any south of France market – well why not buy fragrant olive oil soap right here in Marseille, IN the Vieux Port?

One more delicious Marseille meal – fresh seafood -with-a-view at Caravelle – thanks, Corey of French La Vie for the recommendation!
Then under the so-cool reflective canopy we walk, snap a photo of ourselves, metro to the station, and bus back to Aix with revelers ready to watch the big game – yes, Les Bleus are World Champions again! Last time was 1998, and we were in Paris for that unforgettable revelry. Aix celebrates more calmly, we’re glad to say
What fun this second-largest city of France, Marseille, has been – we’ll be back!

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The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive.
We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests.
Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and the south of France.
While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.

The Marble Quarries of Carrara

We have taken many groups to the Tuscan city of Lucca over the years. We enjoy going back there and never get tired of this relaxing, elegant town with so much to do within its massive walls.

Lucca City Walls

We always plan day trips for our groups when we’re in Lucca. One that we enjoy very much is a visit to tiny Montecatini Alto and a ride up the antique funicular railway.
When we’re in Montecatini Alto we always take our Sojourners to lunch at La Torre, one of our favorite restaurants. We’ve been gong there for twenty five years.
This year we gave our Sojourners a special treat. We’ve taken day trips to Carrara before, but never actually took a group into the marble quarries. We began the day with a stopover in the art town of Pietrasanta. There’s always public sculpture set throughout the town.

Some of the outdoor sculpture in Pietrasanta can be quite awful

Almost always more interesting is the former monastery that’s home to many of the maquettes and full-scall works of art created in Pietrasanta. We stopped for lunch at an amazing pizzeria with a great view just below the Carrara quarries.

After lunch our driver proceeded up the winding roads into the towering mountains.

At the tour company we donned our orange vests and hard hats and loaded into Land Rovers for the rough dusty trip to the highest quarry in the mountains, with loose stone, no guard rails, and sheer drops hundreds of feet down, it was not a trip for the faint-hearted.

Our very cute and informative guide was obviously not afraid of heights.

Our guide’s cell phone and thermos

Our tour guide told us the history of the quarries and how the marble was extracted in Roman times through to the present day. The views were unforgettable.

It’s nearly impossible to get a sense of scale from the photos

The enormous earth-movers look like tiny toys from above.

Matthew Daub is a professional artist and university professor with works in major public and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. He has been leading plein air painting workshops in Italy since 1994.

In 1999, Matthew and his wife Barbara formed Arts Sojourn as “a vacation for artists and their friends.” The program is designed to appeal to artists of all levels as well as non-artists who enjoy the company of creative people in a slow travel format.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

Stone Treasures

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Steve and Judie BurmanAugust 16, 2018

Church Hole, one of the two decorated caves at Creswell Crags

We recently visited Creswell Crags in Derbyshire – the site of Britain’s only Ice Age cave wall art which was discovered by Paul Bahn, Paul Pettit & Sergio Ripoli in 2003. Prior to their exciting discovery, it had been assumed that cave art was largely restricted to southern France and northern Spain. Although modest in comparison to the art further south – simple engravings, some incomplete, perhaps of a deer, an aurochs, a horse and a bird – they are nevertheless very significant. The styles and themes of the art link it strongly to that of the continental Magdalenian period and it has been scientifically dated to 13,000 years ago. However, another site up there was to take us much further back in time….

In a nearby craft centre in the village of Edwinstowe, we discovered Stone Treasures – and what an Aladdin’s cave it is! As its name suggest it’s a treasure house of stones – but not just any stones. These amazing and lovingly collected specimens – sometimes involving great risk and difficulty – when split open reveal magnificent fossils, dating back millions of years.

Amazing ammonite specimen from Lyme Regis, Dorset, England

Our attention was caught by a piece and on enquiring of Richard Hawkes, co-owner with his son Mark, he told us that he had collected it from Lyme Regis in Dorset – an area we know and love, partly because we have special friends near there who we like to visit when in southern England and partly because of the coastal area’s richness in fossils. Weather earlier in the year (ie much rain and wind) had caused yet more of the frequent cliff falls revealing yet more fossils, of which the one we were gazing at was a prime specimen. The block of stone that Richard had removed from there weighed an impressive 11 stones – equally as impressive is the fact that he carried it in a back pack from the beach! Back at the workshop in Sherwood Forest, the block of stone was lovingly, skilfully and carefully worked on by Mark – revealing the marvels shown in the photograph. Isn’t nature incredible – especially when enhanced by craftsmen!

Richard & Mark are sent and also collect fossils from all over the UK and the rest of the world as this fine specimen shows:

Fish from the Green River region of Wyoming, USA

Unfortunately Richard had fallen whilst out collecting rock specimens near Scunthorpe and crocked his shoulder, so the following day we went back to enquire after him – verdict still uncertain, despite a visit to the local hospital. But Mark was there and told us he hopes it will go on display in its home town at the Lyme Regis Heritage Centre for a while – that certainly would be fitting and we would love to see it in pride of place there.

Mark then very kindly gave us a behind-the-scenes visit and showed us yet more of the magnificent specimens he is working on – it looks like he has a lifetime’s work assembled in his workshop right now! It’s slow, painstaking work and most definitely a labour of love – Mark oftens works until 11.00 in the evening and obviously has a great passion for these ancient wonders he handles.

Here’s a selection of some of the amazing pieces he showed us……………

Stone Treasures, Mark Hawkes, Richard Hawkes

Mark Hawkes, co-owner of Stone Treasures with his father, Richard.

What a find – a snail and ammonite, beautifully revealed by Mark & Richard

Work in progress on an ammonite cluster

Whilst viewing the Lyme Regis fossil (see above), although we felt it would be out of our reach, we enquired what price tag it had on it. £650. It’s actually a very reasonable price considering the hours of work to clean and present it to this standard, but unfortunately beyond our pocket – hopefully it will go to a museum collection which it is certainly worthy of a loving home somewhere. So if you want to treat yourself to something very special, contact Richard or Mark at ‘Stone Treasures’!

STOP PRESS!

We were able to make another visit to this amazing workshop and look what a more recent visit to the Lyme Regis area turned up:

Another stunning specimen from Lyme Regis, Dorset, England.

Incroyable, as the French would say!

Caves and Castles:

Steve and Judie Burman live in the beautiful Vezere Valley in the Dordogne region of South-West France. Together they run Caves and Castles, specialising in prehistoric Cave Art and medieval Castles Tours. You can join a small group (up to 6) 4 night/5 day Tour based 2 nights each in the medieval towns of Sarlat and Montignac-sur-Vezere or book a custom Tour for a day or more.

Professional archaeologist, Steve loves to share his passion for the ‘Cradle of Humanity.’ World famous sites such as Lascaux, the ‘Sistine Chapel of Prehistory’ and Font de Gaume are close by. Coupled with gastronomic meals and superb wines, your Caves & Castles Tour is really special.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.