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After another good night's sleep we are woken by the early morning traffic. The sea is still pounding the breakwater as there is almost no difference in the tides. Early morning joggers pass by in designer sportswear with music players strapped to arms or waists. A police minibus comes to collect the 4 or 5 policemen who kept watch over the aire through the night, all yawning as they are driven away.
We set off at 10:45 and immediately cross into Italy continuing along the coast road and through rock tunnels into Ventimiglia. The town is busy but traffic moves calmly, nothing like the stereotype reputation of Italian drivers. The main street is long and straight with many old buildings with balconies and wooden shutters, painted in dark yellow, pink or green. Overhead is a network of trolleybus wires and old, ornate lamps.
For a few miles we are on the main A10 travelling through more tunnels, about 12 in all, until we climb through San Remo, famous for its fearsome car rally. Normal traffic is limited to 30-40 mph along these roads but competitors reach over 100mph. The town is full of scooters and 3 wheel pickup trucks, flowers and street-side cafes. A large marina stretches out below us.
Just past San Remo we reach our site, the family run de-Wijnstok. We are greeted by a friendly English speaking lad who shows us to our pitches under tall eucalyptus trees. We get set up and sit out for lunch before wandering into the nearby town of Imperia. Nick and Grete set off on their motorcycle.
Imperia sits on a mound growing out of the sea, ochre buildings with ginger rooves following the natural contour. At the top is an old fort-like structure and tall church spire. We walk along the promenade above the beach and into the town. It seem like every other building is a pizzeria. Traffic is busy and pavements are not good so we return to the beach area and make an obligatory visit to a gelateria for ice creams.
The only blemish in the scenery is the Grimaldi car carrier Grande Benelux making its way out of Genoa.
On the way back to the site we call into Simply, a supermarket, to get steak for dinner, plus some Primitivo wine at €3.80 a bottle.
In the evening we sit outside and finally get to cook with the gas barbeque we've been itching to use, and prevent further itching by keeping the mozzies at bay with scented tea-lights in a table-top chimenea.
At dusk we go in and finish dinner with chocolate and lemon ice creams.
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