Monday May 15, Epfig
 | |
| Overnai |
The weather really is improving and getting very warm, this
afternoon it was 25 degrees. A few spits of rain at midday but that was it. Ian
got the bikes out this morning and the winery owners were most intrigued, even
had a bit of a ride around on them. They were such nice people and even with
limited English we managed fine. Found out about the bike trails into Obernai,
so we set off to explore this town of which we have heard so much about.
I am still getting used to the exhilarating feeling of
riding around the vines and being able to ride quite a distance with ease.
Guess we are still getting used to riding on roads and how we should manage
with other traffic, but no mishaps today, and Dean I can hear you in my ears
reminding me that I am a Greathead!!!. Had no problems finding our way into the
centre of town, getting home was a little different but more of that later. The
town was pretty special, lots of very old half-timbered houses, churches and a
real quaintness. We rode around the one way cobbled streets which had more
traffic than we expected, it is a tourist town with many visitors. Found the information centre and picked up a
map, and asked about finding a place to buy a Michelin map of France, followed
their directions to a small shop but they only had maps of this area. Also,
needed to find out where I could pick up a Sim card to use for data in France,
but no luck in this town. We also wanted
to buy some bread for lunch, and in a town that is full of inviting looking
restaurants and cafes we could not find a boulangerie. I went on a few wild
goose chases (while Ian waited with the bikes) using directions from people in
not good English, and French that I could not understand. Tried using Maps.me
app but still no luck. In the end, we gave up and decided to head back to the
van.
But that took us around in circles for a while, even with
using maps.me and Ian getting a little frustrated as it doesn’t show where we
have been, just where we need to go, and often it is hard to determine what
direction it is pointing. Eventually we found the bike trail and headed home,
heading up hill with the bike in a higher gear and the electric assistance on
high….a piece of cake and hardly raised a sweat. Rode 14kms all up so deserved
our late lunch when we got back, even if it meant toasting some stale bread!
Had found an Aire (a French version of a Stellplatz where
you can legally park overnight) about 5 kms away where we could dump our waste
and refill our water which was in a supermarket carpark, and read that there
was an outdoor laundry!!! No problems finding it and sure enough there was a
kiosk style building with 2 washing machines and a drier in the far corner of
the supermarket carpark. Emptied and refilled Ruakiwi while we waited for a
machine to become vacant, then for €4 did a full wash of bedding and another €2
to dry it. All finished in 45 minutes.
 |
| Washing - French style. |
Into the Super U supermarket for our first taste of shopping
French style. This was like a Walmart with clothing and appliances etc along
with the groceries. Only came in for bread and ended up with a bit more. It was
late afternoon by the time we had unpacked and decided we needed to find
somewhere else to stay. Very quickly found another winery on the French Passion
site that was about 15 minutes’ drive away, popped in the co-ordinate’s and
arrived without any issues and were able to park beside the buildings free of
charge, Of course we needed to support them (!) so popped in for a tasting. The
very nice lady had no English, but we managed and with the help of Google
translate were able to explain a few things and back to the van with a cold
bottle of Pinot Gris for dinner and a Riesling for the “Cellar”!! Somehow if
this carries on the “cellar” might be getting quite full.
 |
| Love the doors |
 | |
| Evening in Epfig |
Comments