Spanish Motorcycle Touring - Life could not get any better!

After our short stay in Barcelona we headed south along the Mediterranean coast, pure bliss!
The weather was balmy, the motorcycles were brilliant and we were smirking from ear to ear.  Watch out for the speed traps though, because you can be hit with some seriously hefty fines up to and including the confiscation of your motorcycle (your insurance will not cover you).  Fancy having to pay €18,000 because your a bit quick? They don't f*ck around when it comes to speeding so be very careful.
Apart from that the Police are very helpful and they love to see foreign motorcyclists enjoying their country.

We had this Hotel to ourselves, in Altea

The view from the window at the side

The bikes parked up in Benidorm

The Hotel was only completed and we were the first guests - magic

Derek and John striking a pose

Barcelona - A Wonderful City

On one of our most recent trips we flew to Barcelona to pick up three rental BMW GS1200's however we had the weekend to kill so we decided to take in the city and it's nightlife.  It is one of the most beautiful cities you could ever hope to visit, the architecture, the Olympic Village, the endless range of bars and restaurants and of course the famous Ramblas.  We were lucky enough to have been there for the Grand Prix weekend although we did not go to the race itself, the city was packed with visitors and unfortunately the pickpockets were out in force.  Having nagged my mates to keep their wallets safe who should get dipped? Only yours truly, they had my wallet away and I never noticed (my licence, credit cards and approx €1,000 in cash), I thought my mates had hidden it because I had been nagging them all day but when they convinced me they were not kidding I went straight to the police station at the top of the Ramblas.  After I had reported the theft they told me to wait there in the station, after about an hour a team of black clad storm-troopers arrived in with a very nervous looking guy.

Antoni Gaudi Architecture

About ten minutes later they called my name out, I went over to a desk and I kid you not the police officer handed my wallet back to me.  It had everything in it credit cards, licence, bank cards and you will not believe this but it also contained €950.00 in cash. I could have kissed those policemen but they would probably thrown me into the cell with the pickpocket.  I can honestly say that they saved my holiday, without my licence or credit cards I was collecting no motorcycle the next day.  I am eternally grateful to the policemen in Barcelona and I would not hesitate to recommend Barcelona to anyone as a great holiday destination.  I include some pictures we took while on this Spanish trip.  I have to admit that I have always loved visiting Spain and nothing will ever put me off going back again and again, great country, lovely people and you always get a genuine welcome.

John and Derek on the way up in the cablecar

Going up from the Olympic Village

The view across Barcelona is great

The Olympic flame

Blind Date - I love this one

Sant Emillion - Anyone for drinks?

The beer was great - wine? what wine?

Derek kept waving the empty glass around....we get it!

The latest in motorcycle protective gear...shiny innit?

Gus - Ursula's Bunny (RIP)

Gus on the tiles

Gus loved being out on the tiles

Gemma telling Gus to take it easy

Gus assured Gemma he was alright...the look of relief

Sadly, poor old Gus made a one excursion too many and he is now chomping the carrots in the sky.

He will be sorely missed, especially by Atlantic Homecare (the price of his food and bedding was horrendous) they sent a remembrance card heh heh

What do they do when they're not racing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6KuGYF55p4&feature=related

The wall of death - Dublin Bike Show 2011

Important to show your kids how to wash up

One more ad

More of those ads

I loved these employment agency ads back in the 90's - brilliant

Bruges, Brussels and Holland



In Belguim this wedding photo was taken with John's bike..!

John looking up at the clocktower

A lazy little canal in Bruges

A small town near Medemblik in Holland

We sailed on the Issellmeer

The Tillerman

Derek and John

This dam was some feat of engineering fresh water one side sea water the other

The Atomium in Brussels (it was closed bah!)

Bruges (Some views from the tower)

 

The city is small when viewed from above.

A view of the restaurants down below in the square.

The city wasn't too busy when we were there (probably knew we were coming)

Holland Trip (cont'd)

Posing in the clocktower before Colin Farrell got there.

We visited Bruges and stayed for one night to sample the city, the city is beautiful but the restaurants in the town square are a bit pricey for the kind of fayre on offer. Only recently seen that movie "In Bruges" with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson,  the clocktower scene is all the more hilarious having been in the clocktower ourselves.

A trip to Holland to our friend Derek

In 2005 we set off for a trip to Medemblik in Northern Holland to visit a friend and take in the sights.
We drove through Northern France up through Belguim and into Holland.

Some of the best places we visited were off the beaten track and found by accident, part of the joy of motorcycle touring is the discoveries you make on the way.  In our experience the best part of any of our trips was unplanned, having a schedule with times and locations was for the most part ignored.  If we seen somewhere we liked we stopped and enjoyed it before moving on.  This is Sant Omer in Northern France, a beautiful little harbour town with picture postcard buildings and some great food, we stopped here for lunch before heading to Belguim.