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WELCOME TO JOHNS TRAVELS BLOG
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_6e6089b7a42440f48faf535972a19ad4~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_277,h_190,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/55aa70_6e6089b7a42440f48faf535972a19ad4~mv2.png)
My European adventures!
flâneur /flaˈnəː/ Loosely translated from the French as "a person who roams around, deliberately aimless, just observing life."
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![Another beautiful town in the Basque region with some interesting stories.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_61b20492cba143a0bb150d605f3a1f4b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_61b20492cba143a0bb150d605f3a1f4b~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 16, 20242 min read
Another beautiful town in the Basque region with some interesting stories.
After a 3 hours train trip north I arrived in the town of Vitoria-Gasteiz. (I have to say that the train system in Spain runs like...
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![Now to head north and another unfinished church](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_5d7cf4ee754b46438518cd0c4ef50a14~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_5d7cf4ee754b46438518cd0c4ef50a14~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 15, 20242 min read
Now to head north and another unfinished church
Left today for the hidden gem of Valladolid (about an hour by train). But reflected about the wonderful town of Salamanca. In the few...
25 views1 comment
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![Spain's golden city](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_1b8231a87f75439d8aaa07cdbf8753af~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_1b8231a87f75439d8aaa07cdbf8753af~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 13, 20242 min read
Spain's golden city
I arrived here for the Festival of St John, the Patron of Salamanca, for some running of the bulls, however I was told the only bulls in...
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![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_d44e37e552c747f6b67acfa96b995aca~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/55aa70_d44e37e552c747f6b67acfa96b995aca~mv2.webp)
![The WORLD's BEST HAM SANDWICH](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_d44e37e552c747f6b67acfa96b995aca~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_d44e37e552c747f6b67acfa96b995aca~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 11, 20242 min read
The WORLD's BEST HAM SANDWICH
Segovia is a stunning town and this UNESCO World heritage site (from 1985) is famous for a few weird things but today I found the world's...
41 views0 comments
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![Is Spain becoming my most favourite place in Europe?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_0d5f231ebf5f4b15a4e10112fcaee119~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_0d5f231ebf5f4b15a4e10112fcaee119~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 9, 20241 min read
Is Spain becoming my most favourite place in Europe?
I got the super fast train from Barcelona to Madrid (300kph) and arrived to a very hot capital. So an early night with some salmorejo...
32 views1 comment
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![A dodgy realestate subdivision or something else? A church that's taken a long time to build and a stupid pick pocket!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_b011583c019a4c12b602ac344f3096a6~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_b011583c019a4c12b602ac344f3096a6~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 7, 20242 min read
A dodgy realestate subdivision or something else? A church that's taken a long time to build and a stupid pick pocket!
Got the metro today to Park Guell, a sprawling wonderland of colourful mosaics and nature-inspired architecture. It's famous for being...
33 views0 comments
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![Wow - How good is Barcelona? Part 3](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_d7d2a1c22cdc435990ab19461fb7e51e~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_d7d2a1c22cdc435990ab19461fb7e51e~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 6, 20241 min read
Wow - How good is Barcelona? Part 3
Today we knocked out 22,000 steps visiting the Marcat de la Boqueria for some lunch, just the usual pimientos de padron, iberia jamon,...
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![Wow - How good is Barcelona? Part 2. But somethings just don’t make sense.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_f66cfc94f704499d9a9358352032ede5~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_f66cfc94f704499d9a9358352032ede5~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 6, 20242 min read
Wow - How good is Barcelona? Part 2. But somethings just don’t make sense.
When an artist creates his own gallery. I can see why, but before I explain... Yesterday I caught up with Angel's family in Spain. So...
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![Wow - How good is Barcelona?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_e4ffd49001da472ca117c34642e70a43~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_e4ffd49001da472ca117c34642e70a43~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 5, 20241 min read
Wow - How good is Barcelona?
Arrived Monday 3rd June about midday after a 4-1/2 hour train journey from Marseilles through the Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise...
43 views0 comments
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![An Underrated Destination](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_af5c62c44f3144e0b4367c5c51cff68b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_af5c62c44f3144e0b4367c5c51cff68b~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 3, 20241 min read
An Underrated Destination
France's oldest city as well as one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited settlements. I was warned before coming here that it was a...
37 views0 comments
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![Today was all about Napoleon](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_12c429311f9f419e9caddc943485529a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_12c429311f9f419e9caddc943485529a~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 1, 20241 min read
Today was all about Napoleon
Napoleon was born here in 1769 and spent his childhood in Ajaccio. Everywhere you look there is reference to Napoleonic heritage:...
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![I'm Back!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_6a5d9f4156614222989fc3d81e80d147~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_6a5d9f4156614222989fc3d81e80d147~mv2.webp)
johnff750
Jun 1, 20241 min read
I'm Back!
Three days without internet and much to blog about!. I left Porto early Wednesday for the 2 hour coastal drive south to Ajaccio - the...
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![Geology 101](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_c5ea5c3fb1bb459e8a14538e8ff5ae98~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_c5ea5c3fb1bb459e8a14538e8ff5ae98~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 29, 20242 min read
Geology 101
Woke early this morning for the 3 hr boat trip to explore the Reserve Naturelle de Scandola and the Calanche de Piana (Caves of Capo...
37 views0 comments
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![Is this one of the world's greatest (and scariest) drives?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_725d58051b44430c81c54ae16606160d~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_725d58051b44430c81c54ae16606160d~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 28, 20241 min read
Is this one of the world's greatest (and scariest) drives?
Left my accomodation in Corte for the drive to the coastal town of Porte and what a drive it turned out to be. It should normally take 2...
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![Another way to eat Moules](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_0c891d393603428db1569b1dc71fefdd~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_0c891d393603428db1569b1dc71fefdd~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 27, 20242 min read
Another way to eat Moules
Yesterday was spent exploring the old town of Bonifacio and I did something I have never done ever! I caught the tourist train to the top...
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![Viva La France](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_b7952d2eb8e647eaaf34a43a391c393e~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_b7952d2eb8e647eaaf34a43a391c393e~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 25, 20241 min read
Viva La France
It is so great to be back in France! The ferry from Sardinia to Corsica takes an hour or so (it is only about 12Km), but wow, wow, wow...
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![Arrivederci Sardegna, Bonjour Corsica](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_ae9d8ec82d9946fc93389eef66903655~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_ae9d8ec82d9946fc93389eef66903655~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 24, 20241 min read
Arrivederci Sardegna, Bonjour Corsica
After 32 days on this beautiful island it is time to leave for some more adventure. Today pretty well summed up the past month. Woke...
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![Sardinia throws up one more surprise!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_2bd1842483ab4bb1becd4ae2dd1cf367~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_2bd1842483ab4bb1becd4ae2dd1cf367~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 23, 20241 min read
Sardinia throws up one more surprise!
Well two actually! The first occurred last Sunday night when a dodgy mushroom pizza went to work. At first I thought it was mushroom...
28 views0 comments
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![The Oldest Tree in the World](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_cbf4835d8d134f39aa731a205a4daba8~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_cbf4835d8d134f39aa731a205a4daba8~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 20, 20242 min read
The Oldest Tree in the World
Before I explain, I will fill you in on yesterday's adventures. Woke late (it's becoming a habit) and made my way to Valledoria to have a...
30 views0 comments
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![The Little Mermaid](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/55aa70_54da4979eca0488281afb2de3e52c5b8~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/55aa70_54da4979eca0488281afb2de3e52c5b8~mv2.webp)
johnff750
May 18, 20242 min read
The Little Mermaid
Well today I discovered something which will be of interest to my niece, Lucy. It turns out "The Little Mermaid 2" (not the one on the...
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