Paris1972-Versailles2003

Ok so I used to come by here often almost every year for the last 10. Then , I was out for a couple of years and came back. Nice Carpi in the province of  Modena , region of Emilia Romagna, Italy . Let me bring this up with updated text and new but old photos of Carpi.

I was back by Carpi on a shorter trip than usual just a couple of days but nice as always around here.

As usual, had to go to catch my TGV at Nantes train station so needed to drive from home almost 2 hrs. The TGV was nice and quick to Roissy CDG airport, from where took my AF flight to Bologna Marconi airport. There taxi shuttle to Carpi. To note one of the few times took the train to Roissy CDG airport, yes it can be done from Nantes and now Vannes too.

I have become very familiar with the train station in Nantes for my connections even to the airport. The train station is in city center not far from the castle of the dukes of Brittany (old Brittany now in Pays de la Loire region) . The official page for the gare de Nantes: https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gare/frnte/nantes

You know from my rambling if have been reading my blog on going by Roissy CDG airport that many do not undertand but I find it easy. To start ,is not in Paris, is not even in 75, but in a combination territory of Roissy en France, Val d’Oise dept 95 and Tremblay en France, Seine Saint Denis dept 93 , and a bit in Mory-Motry Seine et Marne dept 77 in the region of Ïle de France. After all commonly call by many the main Paris airport or CDG or Charles de Gaulle. The laid out of terminals at CDG: https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/access/paris-charles-de-gaulle/terminals-map

And I flew on Air France to the Guglielmo Marconi Bologna airpor short and easy ride as the airport is not as big and nicely done. webpage: https://www.bologna-airport.it/en/welcome-to-bologna-airport/?idC=62175#section-mbl-form

And my ride into town with class was done by Mr G at Auto Blu Noleggi. Used him /them several times always nice and ponctuel at the right price cash better. Webpage: https://www.autoblubologna.com/ncc-carpi/

I was taken to the Hotel Carpi, literally here my home away from home in the area, good for the fashion industry of which the area is well known. I even got my Adidas shirts done for the Real Madrid with my son’s name on the back! A nice souvenir indeed. Oh yes the hotel is very contemporary modern and near the main road at the same time outside the entrance to the city center of Carpi. Always a pleasant stay here! webpage: https://www.hotelcarpi.it/

I ate the first night light snacks in the hotel Carpi as was a bit late and tired . Then for lunch went out to a real restaurant . Just a couple hundred meters there are a bunch of eating places. I chose the Roadhouse Grill Via Delle Magliaie, 5/7, very nice decorated and well received. Even try my Italian lol! service was good the burger and miller genuine draft beer was good and needed. Nice place. webpage: https://www.roadhouse.it/it/ristorante-roadhouse-carpi

For dinner went along with my local friends who decided to try a beer place brewing their own and they were paying!! This was Giustospirito. However, when we got there, the terminal was broken so only cash. Lol they did not have it but I did so we made a deal. I will pay for the resto and they will pay next day my transfter to the airport: done. I had a great romano picante pizza and house beers plus coffee did the trick and the girls were the best looking  I have seen while in the area; I think they must have been models as it is a fashion area. Webpage: https://giustospirito.com/

The story above ended that the transfer to the airport was more expensive than the meal so I won, and my friends were impressed by my business negotiation tactics lol!!! Too bad cannot find picture of the resto..

The next day after doing some business in town, went out for lunch to a very nice sportclub restaurant that was a delightful place of good cheers , great buffet food and main dish of tagliatini di porcini something like that !! and it was great with a good Le Focaie local red wine. The place was the Ristorante Sporting Club di Michele. The webpage: http://www.ristorantesporting.it/index.html

And there you folks another nice escapade to nearby Italy and my fav area other than Rome and Milan to be around in Italy is Carpi. It was time to be back home in my lovely Bretagne so did the reverse order, taken the same classy service shuttle to G Marconi airport at Bologna, and my Air France flight to CDG Paris, down to the SNCF TGV train service to Nantes , pickup my car and go home. A real European tour!

Always nice souvenirs of these trips and looking forward to do them again soon , the virus permitting. Hope you enjoy the brief and do come to Carpi and the area as less known but very nice indeed

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

In the continuation of my black and white nostalgia ride reading of my older posts, would like to update revise and new infusion of text on this wonderful city of Bucharest, the little Paris!! Hope you enjoy it

Well I have been lucky to visit Bucharest 6 times in the last 9 years,and even if slow down nowdays the memories will stay for a longer time. The pictures are in the individual posts on the sights here, this is my black and white rendition of Bucharest.  Yes ,after leaving the chains of communism ,this city at least is stepping out, great renovations done and ongoing, lots of beauty to be recall the Little Paris, it once was, and warm friendly people all over. A new found backyard indeed. In Bucharest again, folks there recount of a time when the city was, also, call the Paris of the East. Indeed times have change a lot.

I usually come here on Air France, routine , Nantes, Roissy CDG, Bucharest Henri Coanda airport. and the same coming back. I always hire a Taxi 2000 here to my hotel. Couple times , I used TAROM, the national airline of Romania, for a nice flight to Bucharest ; the airport is actually in the city of Otopeni about 16,5 kms from Bucharest. webpage: http://www.bucharestairports.ro/

Over time past and in the future trips I stayed in 3 hotels in Bucharest. The first one was the Ramada Parc near Romexpo exhibition center. Great breakfast, good location, friendly staff, we end up talking football/soccer all night long the first night there.  And its next door neighbor Ramada Plaza , a more modern upscale version.  Next door, and connected thru the hotel you had the traditional Casa Doina restaurant gastronomic resto  ,and the latest of International and Romanian cuisine.

The Crown Plaza Hotel, part of the Intercontinental hôtels group was also in the same park and even if not stayed I came here for its buffet. I did stayed once, wonderful indoor heated pool, sauna, gym room, great Grand Café bar for drinks and news/sports TV, then the Le Brasserie restaurant very nice, the rooms are big and well stocked, the elevator works fine and fast, checkin and checkout is smooth, just another wonderful IHG property.

I was taken on a personal car tour of the main sights in town late at night ,which was glorious. However, I did walk the pedestrian city center and ate at the historical wonderful Hanul lui Manuc , Romanian specialty of lamb steak and polenta with the local Ursus beer. This is the address  Str. Franceza nr. 62-64, Bucuresti, Sector 3 ,webpage:https://www.hanulluimanuc.ro/en/

There is so much to see need at least a week to see it all. Many beautiful churches of the Orthodox Christian rite abound. The National Theater , the Arcul de Triumf or arch de triomphe Romanian ,royal palace, and many museums. Along Calea Victoriei street you have one resto, bar, cafe one after the other.

I had plenty of lunches at the Cafe inside the World Trade Gallery shopping complex, friendly staff who speaks English, on a cafeteria style foods that are very good and not expensive  with Best chef cafe on Bdul Topografiei or boulevard Topografiei. Then pay a visit to a wonderful place sure to come back to it, the taverna Sarbului the terrace ambiance and friendly service in addition to superb local cuisine and good friends made it special, I could have stay here longer! webpage:https://www.tavernasarbului.ro/en/

Right around in the same area you have the Romanian-American University, a great location, very modern facilities and it seems busy place as well with English spoken lol!. Then in the evening I went to the 18 Lounge on the top floor of the City Gate South Tower business center, wonderful views of the city of Bucharest,and great food.  Lots of folks enjoying it with a mix of locals and foreigners as well. I had a tagliatelli st Jacques that was very good indeed,and a good capuccino. webpage: https://www.18lounge.ro/about_us_18

I did get one special night to go out with friends, and had a wonderful dinner at a wonderful very traditional Romanian restaurant in the outskirst of Bucharest. Restaurant Vatra Neamului, Balostesti, past Otopeni the airport city, along the DN1 road. This is very much use as well for weddings and anniversaries by the locals, as it is very traditional Romanian in food and decoration. We had dinner in the poets’s  room as you have portraits of Romanian poets/writers going way back. Vatra Neamului, is a mix cuisine between ancient moldavian/romanian food, the food wich was served by our ancestors before us, and a trip to the time of Stefan the Great, Michael the Brave, and the unrivaled writer Mihai Eminescu. Wonderful find, enjoy it if you can there: webpage: https://www.vatraneamului.ro/

I did travel inland into cities such as Braila, Slobozia, Ploiesti ,and Galati, on good roads and plenty of gas stations with goodies to munch on at better prices than France lol!  Another nice trip to come back to, and hopefully more time to see the inner cities wonderful architecture and ambiance. Memories to look back and enjoy and remember the good times, always thinking of a next time in Bucharest and/or Romania. Hope you enjoy the stories and see my other posts on Romania.

A nice private initiative on tourism in Romania: http://romaniatourism.com/bucharest.html

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!