Day 8 - Como to Grenoble

Day 8 - Como to Grenoble

I had a great sleep and really didn't want to get up, but today is the day we go to France for the start of the Tools on Tour.
Ross & Judy left early for their train trip to Grenoble, Dom, Mark, Jo & Sue were going for a hydrofoil trip on the lake and are not expected to arrive in Grenoble till late. We prefer to leave early, have a walk around and see what the place is like.
Another good breaky, packed the car, made some phone calls and we were off. No trouble for Bob to drive out of Como and soon we were driving along at 150km/hr. Yee Haa.

Morning tea was at bronolgo which was a quaint village. Great coffee and pastry for the three of us for only 5.4 Euro. It cost us about 20 Euro to get there as there were so many toll stations. They know how to make money and keep people employed.

Andy took the pilots seat and we headed off for the last half of our journey.
We were straight into the mountains where we drove from tunnel to amazing bridge and back to tunnel. We arrived in Grenoble and booked in with the missus not being happy at all and leading us astray a couple of times. Getting to the train station to drop the car off and meet Dave and Jo was also provided a scenic tour of the city as we drove around with the miss us constantly recalculating on how to lead us astray.

With the car dropped off we went for lunch. We soon found out that all cares etc close at 2.00pm and reopened at 7.00pm. Hmmmmmmmm. Off we went back to the train station to have a roll from the cafeteria. Dave and Jo arrived looking well. While packing them into a taxi Ross and Judy arrived also looking well but having had an interesting journey.

Bob Andy and I walked from the train station to the centre of town as the trams were not coming to the train station. This was a great thing as we entered an amazing city centre with parks and lots of shopping. Today is the day Rob has entered anew phase of his life by purchasing a man bag. Yes I have done it and what a great idea. I can now walk around with my camera, Ipod, wallet and all things I could need while out and not have my pants fall down due to the weight in my pockets. Sensational.

We trammed back to the apartment had a shower and headed out for dinner. With a group of 11 we rearranged the tables at a cafe in a square in town. Beer, pizza and hamburgers were the order of the night with a delicious meal being served, with 8l of beer all for 17 euro each. Great value.

Dinner was followed by an ice-cream and a walk around the many streets of Grenoble. What we found left us all amazed. There are many plazas in the centre of Grenoble. We thought ours was the main eating one. How wrong we were. We walked through at least 6 squares, all filled with hundreds of people eating out and one with thousands as they had a huge outdoor screen showing movies while everyone ate and drank. There were parks with hundreds of people eating from the rear of cares. Streets lined with people eating. The night was very hot, minimum of 18 predicted, and at 10.00pm was when it seemed the most peoplenwere out, which seems the norm. Lots of children playing in very large fenced off playgrounds. A beautiful atmosphere which was a pleasure ton walk around in and soak it up.

Again the people seem to stay up late and get up late.

A great day with amazing scenery on the way to France, beautiful meal and an atmosphere that was a pleasure to be emersed in.