"The Many (Mis) Adventures of DR N": ELBA!!!

Piombino is a flat, plain, somewhat ugly port city on the Mediterranean coast South of Livorno.

Having said that... it is also the gateway to the Isla d Elba.

Thatsa right... The same Isla that Napoleon Bonaparte served his exhiled time in 1814, until his escape by sea a year later. The ferry ride was modern and relatively swift. About 90 minutes to the Island in a tranquil glass green sea. Sun glinted from the water like a spotlight on ice. This would be a fabulous crossing on a full moon night with your sweetheart, I thought. Today, in the 30+ C temperature the sea breeze at 15 knots was a welcome relief. Hang onto your hairpiece boys and girls, the wind whips to quite a frenzy as we cross.

This Island is but a dot on the sea. Nothing like its French cousin visible at sunset, Corsica or Sardinia to the south... Elba is barely large enough to cover in 1 day if one sticks to the main roads and limits the photography. Ha... fat chance. The Island deserves a weeks vacation (or more) a scooter rental availble in several locations, a beach towel and snorkel gear. The diving is some of the best in the Med I´m told by Martin a Scot that left his home 8 years ago, and hasnt yet found another.

Very good quality roads crisscross the Island like a spiders web in the May heat. Heat waves shimmer across the mountains as I ride off the ferry. I stop at the local Tourist bureau to get maps and directions. Accomodation is first on my list as the time is nearly 7 pm. Not a problem I find, there are literally thousands of rooms available from 1 star to 7 maybe even 8! This time of year there are limited tourists, the smart ones me thinks. Signs at every corssroad point out the direction of various establishments so with guidebook in hand (well in map pocket of tankbag) I set off and shortly find the Scoglia Bianco.

A purrfect spot on a dead end road overlooking Corsica in the distance and prone to georgeous sunsets.

My room with half board (breaky and dinner/supper is 50E per night. The dinners are a multi course choice each night, I cant eat it all...

My first evening is spent with a local bottle of Elban white wine, very good... and a large Napoleon bottled water. What could be more perfect than that. My room is very modern, white and clean. I have a lovely view of the bay from my bathroom window. At night I leave the french doors open to catch the evening breeze. It´s very beautiful I have to say. Definately worth the 68E crossing price.

Looking for a honeymoon spot... or a nice 10 day Getaway from it all... Pisa (nearby) has an Int airport and flights arrive daily to Elba. Rent a 50 or 125 and enjoy yourself.

As I ride the main road the following day, stopping a hundred times, no a thousand times for photos, I cant help but wonder what a Magnificent planet we live on... I mean, How did this happen!? My wanderings have given me a yet greater appreciation of this world.

The roadtwists and turns... there are no straigths that I ride, longer than a football (thats soccer to us Norte Americanos) pitch! I jink and dive the Divvie like a Spad chasing a Fokker (or being chased!!) over the Western Front in 1917. There are bikes everywhere!!! Mostly Beemers I see, but everything from SuperMotards (very popular in Euro) to Gold Wings and everything concievable in between. I even see a few Divvies like Piroska! The riders are FAST!! I am always amazed at how quick they fly on these mountain roads.

The Island is amazingly green in spots... I liked Cavo especially, a quiet (for now) little coastal town where I grab a bite to eat, have my Coca Cola and dip me feet into the sea... want a safe stock to buy? Buy Coke... I drink enough while on holidays to keep the prices rising.

If you like History or just reading tales... Elba has lots in Spads... oops Spades! And just shimmering in the near distance is Monte Cristo. Yes that fabled Island is just off the port quarter from where I now stand. Gonna rent the movie version again when I get home. haha... I have a few movies to see it seems. "Under the Tuscan Sun, The Count of..." you get the pictures right.

Europe is simply another World. I could easily spend my whole month (or three) in Italia! There is just so much to see and gawk at. That Torre de Pisa, this fabulous rock across the sea, the roads... my goodness the roads!!!

Really, there isnt a lot of times I wish for company more than this visit to this Island. To walk the beach, sit in the sun under a stencilled umbrella sipping a cold Iced tea (wink wink) wandering tiny streets hand in hand. Yup... give me my sweetie (uhh, my other sweetie) after all Piroska is lovely but not keen on laying in bed with me. A week or three like I say and I could very (very) easily get lost in any number of place.

Gradac Croatia, Athens, and now... Elba.

As I write this on yet another unfamiliar keyboard, Whitney Houston is belting out the theme from "The Bodyguard" God that woman could sing...

Life is good. No... that isn´t entirely what I was thinking... Life is to Live. It is Grand, like this place...