paris tuesday 20/5/2014

enfin, paris! very tired after driving through pouring rain after waking up early at the bow street runner due to bright sunshine! relaxed after a good italian meal and hoping for a good night's sleep. could be tricky as we came back to a lobby full of spanish schoolkids who right now are thundering up the stairs! tomorrow the sights and exhibitions....

maidstone sunday am

Was hoping for a lie-in but lou did his usual trick of setting his alarm but forgetting his phone was still on french time so dragged from a lovely kip at 6.30! at least he got busy making me a cup of tea! The drive up on friday was sunny but there was a 'vent violent' all the way to paris. We made good time and sailed past beauvais, our intended stop for the night, at four in the afternoon. After several phone calls I managed to 'annule' the room at beauvais and book us into the b and b hotel at boulogne. The buffalo grill provided a good and reasonable evening meal and the bed at the b and b was surprisingly spacious. However lou didn't sleep well because of the hermetically sealed atmosphere of the room. The window had two option, tight shut or too wide for comfort or security! Generous breakfast and on to calais where we were able to get onto an earlier boat. By now the texts were flying thick and fast between gav on his bike riding from brighton and the family in maidstone who were heading to mote park for nephew taylor's picnic! No problems arriving at maidstone (but where was the promised bright sunshine?) where we hit the garden centre for seeds and garden products we can't find at home. Then to the grangemoor for drinks with a hot and hungry gavin before visiting mum. She was not as sleepy as feared after her lunch so we had a good visit before heading off to find the park and the family. Clutching a blanket, crisps, sarnies and drinks we finally found them and joined the fun. Lots of chat and lots of photos but missed the one where taylor, misunderstanding his mum, bit into the large wax number four candle! Around 4ish gav took his leave to begin the long pedal home and we took our goodbyes from all assorted nieces and nephews. Following shir and pete we found our way to a tesco for a cash machine and then, finally, checked in to the hilton. At this point I realised I had forgotten to pack my cossie but, undaunted, bought one from the health club and had a wonderfully relaxing swim. Later we had a bit of a fete with two of my siblings and partners plus three of their offspring in a cosy corner of the bar. A long day but a very rewarding one! Today, more to come and we have that bright sunshine at last!

counting down!

less than two weeks until we head off for blighty and paris. picked up the louvre ticket at carrefour yesterday afternoon and bought some sensible shoes. now we just need the prommise of fine weather for all the walking i've planned :)

bram, toulouse....

yet again the blog wouldn't let me log on. i'm beginning to wonder if google won't allow access from unsecured wifi in hotels. apart from that we had a lovely trip to a very windy bram where we saw an excellent photo exhibition of robert capa photographs from the spanish civil war.

the centre itself was a newly refurbished building with a very welcoming staff and volunteers and a strong smell of paint! afterwards in the face of a gale we took in the sights of bram

and passed a pleasant hour in the archeology museum then went off to look at the canal.

then it was back to toulouse to find the b and b hotel overlooking the canal du midi

so we could visit the chateau d'eau photo musee this morning. only problem was it is shut in the mornings! so we went for a walk and found ourselves close to les abbatoirs art gallery. an interesting building and full of modern art which always confuses or surprises. the water falling on the drum kit did just that!

we shared the space with excited creche and maternelle kids on a school visit. then it was back to pick up the car and head for gagnac.

une petite balade

off on a jaunt on wednesday.....more later!

11/3/2014 warm, sunny and no snow!

sadly, i haven't been able to post on the blog lately. the bar at the top that has the connection tag hasn't been appearing so all hopes of using the tablet on holiday disappeared and then the netbook had the same problem! however, we had a great time with the family in geneva

and then a lovely three nights up in lajoux tramping about on our raquettes. it was difficult to find the starting points of each trail but, once found, they were well signposted.

la chariot, the only bar in town aside from the one in our hotel (triste)had a sunny terrace and generous plates of charcuterie, crepes and chips, with all of which we indulged ourselves.

lou tried the local beer and i lapped up the vin chaud! the hotel food left something to be desired but the room was warm albiet tiny and the bed comfy. we spent the last afternoon in les rousses at a photographic exhibition by a chap who turned out to live in lajoux. 'in a cowhouse with no gas or electricity' i bet he spends a lot of time in the chariot!

we woke up on our last morning to heavy snow but the road was passable without chains so no embarrassing messing about trying to put them on! next year back to the pyrenees we decided.