So many countries, so little time.

Days 3 and 4 of the holiday have passed by in a bit of a blur of amazing sights and curiosity at the differing European logics.

 

Day 3 began in Calais. Quick breakfast and then set off down the road. We drove passed the edge of Dunkirk with a promise to visit again and then round the side of Lille and across the border into Belgium. With the EU border logic in full force all you get when changing countries nowadays is a tiny blue sign but the most obvious difference about Belgium is the quality of the roads, they are terrible, pot holes I am fairly sure you could loose entire cars in. I am sure by driving deteriorated rapidly as I started to drive around the holes instead of just gong in a straight line. Later on in the day we crossed another border into Luxembourg and straight away the roads were good smooth tarmac! We did stop of in Rochefort in Belgium looking for where they make the cheese. Turns out that Rochefort is in France but the one we found was very scenic and enabled a very pleasant walk along the river. The hotel for that night was the Luxembourg Hilton Doubletree. Nice lobby but the room was not as nice as the cost would suggest and the Wi-Fi was only available in the lobby and very very slow. I did expect better.

 

Day 4 took us south from Luxembourg and back into France, south towards the hills of the Ballons des Vorges. Beautiful scenery especially in the Valley of Munster. I only wish I had a sports car and an empty road to do it justice but steady safe driving did enable me to see the scenery a little better. In the afternoon we crossed briefly into Germany and then across the border into Switzerland. I did expect passport checking or some interest on the border as it is not an EU country but I was happily waved on through. It does worry me what you could get away with if you wanted too. Around the edge of Basel and then along the extremely well signed Swiss motorways until we got to the Holiday Inn in Bern. Nice hotel, though a very peculiar glass door into the bathroom but everything else was simple, effective and fresh. I know I am terrible for swing stereotypes in different countries but parts of this holiday do reinforce it. The Swiss do seem so very very organised and efficient. Its impressive!