Traveling by train in France is more expensive than in other countries, that is why we chose to do it by car. This way, we had the chance to see the roads, pass by cities and towns, take pictures from inside the car and have freedom to come and go as we pleased.
I had seen pictures and was delighted with the place. I thought it was amazing, I love mountains – it is more charming when there is snow. I went to Chamonix – Mont-Blanc, Chamrousse and Grenoble.
Alsace is on France’s eastern border and was, for many years, the subject of war with neighboring Germany. Around Christmas, I visited Equisheim, Colmar and Mortzwiller.
Loire Valley (Valée de La Loire) deserves a ride, because it is a bit far away and has many castles. It is also possible to join excursions that leave from Tours. We decided to go by car, and as we got away from Paris, we found fields and trees covered in snow, everything white and a cloudy sky, contrasting with the gray road and leafless trees.
I escorted my grandma, who was 78 at the time, with a group of Catholic elder ladies and an Italian priest on an excursion to Fátima. It was quite odd, I only recommend it for the really devoted ones. But it was fine, for after 5 days the group came back to Brazil, we paid a fine and spent a couple more days traveling around other cities. Eventually, grandma confessed she had her dream come true, but that the following days had been the most fun.
I went trekking in CERRO COCODRILO in POTRERILLOS and ACONCAGUA PARK. Up there you can see some eagles and let your mind wonder, while you admire the view. I also went “radical” rafting in the Mendoza river(almost had my teeth broken with the paddle during a violent wave), but it was amazing to face those waters and the view in The Andes. The river is brown because of the desert and has a lot of rocks that you do not see, you only feel them scratching the bottom of the boat.
Whoever goes to Rocha – Uruguay, finds several options of leisure and accommodation – starting in CHUY, great for shopping spree in the freeshops and for those who like gambling. On the Brazilian side there is BARRA DO CHUI, a beach with rock formations and a lighthouse. Crossing the border, there is FORTE SAN MIGUEL with great architecture and a museum.
Four 4×4 Pickup Trucks from Marrakesh to the desert, crossing the Alto Atlas mountains, stopping at touristic points and passing by Berber village, an ancient civilization. We drove 1000 km in two days, through arid landscapes that changed colors and vegetation along the way. Some regions did not have any kind of plants, like in the canyons 2700 m high and the rocks made an incredible symmetric design.