Archive for September 4th, 2021

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September 4, 2021

V&B of Auray!!!

Well this is one of the nice liquor store and bar around here; been a franchise store with three outlets in my area. I have been to all three in Séné, Vannes and this one of Auray, our favorite. As have written on this entry before, and went by it today ,will condense and update the post into one. Hope you enjoy the off the beach activities around my beautiful Morbihan in my lovely Bretagne. This is the V&B of Auray!!!

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As we were doing our errands and already with the health pass, we decided to test it in one of our favorite watering holes in our area. I must say, all employees there and the owners know us well. The entrance was to read the QR code on our phone and once validated we were in without the need of the mask. Nice and easy. I was there with my twin boys and Dad.

Auray V et B bar area aug21

I have written a couple…posts on beers in France and Brittany which unknown to many it is very popular. Especially here in Brittany the beers are more than wines and then we count the ciders! One of favorite hangout because it is family oriented and friendly folks whether at the V&B stores in Séné , or Vannes or Auray. Of course, we go more to the store in Auray in the porte Océane 9 rue d’Irlande; next to the expressway N165 and the point of depart for the beaches south.

Auray V et B store aug21

Oh yes, the stores are the V&B vins et biéres or wine and beers stores. The concept is very nice as they have a package store for take home sales and a bar with TV screen for on the spot pleasures. They stock Breton beers, and French but mostly the popular are the Belgians and Germans. We drink all of course, but again generally we go for the Germans…

Auray V et B terrace aug21

As said, they are a franchise chain, so won’t go into details here as me think not really travel related as my blog is. The DNA is expressed in store by a sale blend into a cellar of wines and beers and spirits, double from a bar space dedicated to the discovery and the tastings.  The concept is reinforced by the after-work or happy hour, this trend that pleases and brings together all generations at the end of the day after work around a drink. The stores close between 20h and 20h30.  

A bit of history I like

V & B was born in 2001 at the opening of the first store in Chateau-Gontier , in the department of the Mayenne 53, in the region of Pays de la Loire, a place where a wine and beer cellar lives, as well as a tasting area. In all, always a pleasant family place to have a cold one, watch some sports and just say cheers to the patrons and owners who are always very friendly and by now know us very well ho ho ho!!!

The V& B store at Auray: https://vandb.fr/v-and-b-auray.html

We again , went by there today and the effect of covid 19 are still fell. The bar was empty with just two customers and us. It will take a while and in the meantime will see how many businesses will hold after the aid is gone. We enjoy it here, family oriented nice owners and staff and friendly folks. It is just at the entrance off the N165 tot he D768 that goes to the beaches so a great place to have a happy hour or apéro as we say here. Hope you enjoy the post and do stop by , maybe a wordpress reunion !

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

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September 4, 2021

Murtede, and Curia in country Portugal!!!

These are areas perhaps you won’t find in tourist books but there are wonderful beautiful places with great architecture and especially great wines of Portugal. I have the priviledge to travel by car, the best way around and can go into these places fairly easy. This trip was very nice and good cheers ; hope you enjoy my update as I. Let me introduce you to Muterde and Curia!!!

First, I arrived by plane at Lisbon,as usual, then went out from Porto or sometimes back to Lisbon (see posts). The airport is smallish and easy to navigate and direct link to city center by a metro line ! However, been the road warrior I am , this time took a taxi ! This taxi took me to my hotel the Radisson Blu , Ave Marechal Craveiro Lopes,390; this was a nice modern hotel, and near the main expressway out to and from the city, and the service was tops, I went down to the Malhoa bar,and watch the football/soccer games from Spain and France they were showing!!! heavens!!! The resto was very nice as Bordalo Pinheiro, very good service ,and prices, and the food was delicious. I have pictures in another post as stayed here several times. The hotel webpage: https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-lisbon

And the next day, the car and into the countryside of Portugal ! The wonderful towns of Curia and Murtede in the Bairrada wine region.  A very memorable trip, always love to go to these places rather than the tourist trail so overburden in southern Europe these days.

Curia is a town in the Tamengos area part of the town of Anadia, closer to Coimbra;  where you have several spa thermes baths with a nice Belle Epoque or Art Nouveau architecture The thermes here are good with sulphuric calcium and magnesium especially good for gout , stones, urinary infections, hypertension ,rheumatic  pains and muscles strains. They were know since Roman times but not until 1865 they were utilised in mass like today.

Some of the things to see in Curia are

The Thermes spa park of 14 hectares with hotel beautiful trees and flowers , tennis courts, artificial lake of 1 km with boat facilities. The Palace Hotel da Curia, art nouveau style opened in 1926  has an Olympic pool built in 1934 the second oldest in Portugal.; the Hotel do Parque Curia, also style Art Nouveau built in 1922 and still with the same family. The train station of Estacao de Caminho de Ferro has decoration in ceramic tiles retracing local traditions like winegrowing or leitao da Bairrada ( small baby pig dish).

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The hotel I was based is one of the legendary spas thermes in the region;  The Palace Hotel Curia an Almeida hotels group, This was grand, belle epoque style with almost an empty hotel and full restaurant just for me!!! The hotel ,webpage: https://www.almeidahotels.pt/en/hotel-coimbra

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curia-palacio-curia-hotel-restaurant-dec12

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Murtede  is a village part of the town of Cantanhede, There is a Chapel of Santa Maria Magdalene, the Murtede Brige, Casa das Palmeiras and lookout. The area is part of Bairrada wine region as well,

In this town of Cantanhede you have plenty of wine tours with time. The muni page has wine adegas( wineries) to visit in Portuguese. My recommendation the Quinta de Baixo , part of the Niepoort family , webpage:https://www.rotadabairrada.pt/entidade/quinta-de-baixo_pt_65/

niepoort quinta de baixo merlot

Other than above  I ate at Cabana do Pastor near Murtede, just typical food with the local families just superb.webpage: https://www.facebook.com/cabanadopastor1/

murtede-cabana-do-pastor-resto-rua-estac3a7c3a3o-5-near-porto-mar17

The wine area of Bairrada, an up and coming region with more info on the winery or adega of Cantanhede: https://www.rotadabairrada.pt/experiencias/guided-tour-to-the-adega-de-cantanhede_en_260

The appellation area on wines of Bairrada from the official institute of the vineyards and wines: https://www.ivv.gov.pt/np4/507/

murtede-coimbra-bairrada-vinyards-portugal-mar17

The Portugal tourist board on the region of Curia/Murtede: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/search/site/curia

There you go folks, a dandy car ride into the countryside of Portugal. Many memorable moments in Curia and Murtede, and looking forward for a repeat, it is unmistakable real Portuguese heavens.

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

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September 4, 2021

Church of Saint Paulus of Trier!

So while staying in Trier , we decided to do some real walks in town. Lovely place we like and have come back several times. As you get away from the city center , some nice monuments seldom visited, might say , off the beaten path I like.  This is the case with the Church of Saint Paulus.  I like to tell you a bit more about it as not much else in my previous blog posts and not too much information available.

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The Church Saint Paulus which dates back to a previous church, which was located not far from the current site on the Irminenfrehof north of the St. Irminen Church (see post). In 1790 the church was demolishe due to dilapidation and after the secularization in 1803 the church of the nearby monastery became the new parish church until the new church took place. The new Church of Saint Paulus was built between 1905 and 1907 in the neo-Romanesque style.

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Since the merger of the previous parishes of St Lowe and St. Laurentius, St. Agritius, St. Anthony, St. Gangolf and St. Paulus  into the new parish of Liebfrauen in December 2000, the church belonged to this parish now. In  2017, St. Paulus (St Paul) was disused  due to the great number of churches in the city center of Trier and the sharp decline of worship attendees.

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Inside the Church of Saint Paulus, in the immediate vicinity of the altar, is the tomb of Hieronymus Jaegen. After the disused of this Church , Jaegens is to be reburied in the Church of St. Gangolf.  Not much has survived since a renovation in the 1960s. At the site of the High Altar stands a crucifixion group that used to stand at St Martin’s Abbey. The sculptures, which date back to 1498, were moved to the interior of the church for protection against weathering, and copies were erected at the original site.

Saint Paulus had originally been a Bishop of Trier and had lived in exile in Phrygia (Asia Minor), where he died in 358, his body is now at the St Peter’s Cathedral  (see post).

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As often the case on these off the beaten path sites, no info on the tourist sites that I can find.  I will post the general tourist office of Trier below. Glad to kept the brochure for all these monuments in my home library!

The Trier Tourist office: https://www.trier-info.de/en

The city of Trier on its history: https://www.trier.de/kultur-freizeit/geschichte/ueberblick/

There you go folks, a dandy many times overlook but gorgeous and worth the detour to the Church of Saint Paulus. Enjoy this off the beaten path walk in lovely Trier.

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

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