alan h's activity

Questions Asked

I'm planning my route down for a months visit in July.

Mon, 06/04/2012 - 08:13

I logged on this morning to my local webcam, to look at the snow on the ski slopes.

Thu, 01/05/2012 - 04:47

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14995588Loved the note about changing the locks!

Wed, 09/21/2011 - 09:20

I have just got back from my latest trip to Italy, and thought some of you might be interested to hear about a Swiss hotel that we stayed in on the way down.It is the Hotel Engel in Stans [near to Lake Lucerne, a few minutes from the motorway

Mon, 07/25/2011 - 05:21

For many years now I have used the likes of 'mappy', 'via michelin' etc for calculating different routes down to Italy - for us its a part of our holiday, so we don't always want to take the quickest/shortest route down.  We prefer to vary the rou

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 09:25

Today I received an email from the Swiss Travel Centre.  The relevant portion is;- "The GBP price for a Vignette will increase from 01 June 2011 and we wanted to give you the opportunity to purchase this years’ Vignette before the pric

Mon, 05/23/2011 - 09:45

I've just driven down and back for a [much too] short holiday, and feel that an update on how fuel prices look on the way down would be useful to fellow travellers The following is a good site for seeing what prices have been like  

Mon, 04/04/2011 - 05:02

P&O have introduced a new ferry on the Dover - Calais route - its called the Spirit of Britain. They seem to have a special offer on at the moment [on this ship only] I've just booked a return crossing [car + 2] for £60 - significantly less th

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 06:08

Does Tomato soup exist in Italy? We were feeling a bit under the weather when we went out to Italy 2 weeks ago.  As part of the R&R process, I fancied some soup, and looked around the supermarket.  There were lots of different soups, but I rea

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 08:29

The route/timings for next years Giro d'Italia have been posted http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/   My son rang me up to inform me that the route passes about 100m away from

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 07:04

Comments posted

Answer to: a european video
Sun, 09/13/2009 - 04:26

The Zebra crossing bit - priceless!!!!!

Thu, 09/10/2009 - 13:13

They stopped the World service to Europe a couple of years ago  [for a while I thought my SW radio was bust!]

Mon, 09/07/2009 - 14:54

My place has an ][old] fan assisted radiator - its brilliant.  Normally i don't use the fan part [so it works like a normal radiator], but in Winter, when i first get to the house I switch on the fan - the rise in temperature is noticeable and pretty quick, In my lounge [approx 5m by 10m with concrete floors and ceiling and no double glazing], we get a 2 degree rise within 30 minutes or soif you take the cover off mine it looks like a big car radiator [lots of fins for heat exchange] - but you do need to ensure that it gets a good supply of hot water from the Central Heating system

Answer to: Sloe Gin Recipe
Wed, 09/02/2009 - 18:23

My family recipe [I still have some sloe gin that's over 30 years old - but daren't try it unless I've had a few 'stiffeners' first] I cup of sloes [each pricked once or twice]1 cup of sugarput in a gin bottle and top up with the strongest gin you can get [Dad used to get  it, via a friend, from the local US base(shows how old the sloe gin is now - they all shut years ago!)] Shake well and place in cupboard - shake every weekAfter 3 months take all but a few of the sloes out of the bottle and top up with gin -Drink in a liqueur glass Done now - ready for Christmas

Answer to: Hows life
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 11:08

Wiki says;Ubi bene ibi patria   - ("Where I am at ease, there is (my) country"), used by those who put their well-being above patriotism. This … expression …. reminds of a verse (Teucer, fr. 291) of the Roman tragic poet Marcus Pacuvius (ca. 220-130 BC) quoted by Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC):

Answer to: TV set from UK
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 05:57

You should be able to go to the Set Up menu on the TV and choose a setting that will work properly - probably a generic one for Europe [not France] or specifically Italy.

Fri, 08/28/2009 - 16:56

the Proloco website for Portovenere is http://www.portovenere.it/  

Fri, 08/28/2009 - 08:59

Have you thought about sticking with your Renault, and just hiring a suitable 4x4 locally when you think you'll need one?

Wed, 08/26/2009 - 06:00

I read it as the story of a family that decided to get out of the rat race, made a successful life in Italy, but still missed the 'buzz' of London.  I certainly didn't see it as "we hate the place, but we happily make money from it" Indeed the last paragraph of the article;-"During our two years in Loro Piceno, we sang in choirs, played in local football teams, became fitter and stronger than ever in our lives, lugging 20kg crates of olives up our vertiginous slopes. We have gorgeous Italian friends who will last a lifetime and never be seen in the same clothes twice. But we have never been happier to be living in London " Hardly says that they hated it - rather that they found they preferred London