Stoupa Reunion, 29 June

For once, the sun was shining when we left the apartment to join our friends at the car hire place for a trip to Ancient Messina. There were 9 of us, and we had a lovely day wandering round the site  I was amused when we realised we were all old enough for the senior discount - one does not think of a group of school friends as senior citizens but of course we all are.

After walking round the site we went to a cafe in the village and ate salad (the food here is so delicious, much nicer than I expected), and then went to the tiny museum associated with the site which was mostly statues (usually headless) that had been discovered there.

By the time we got back to Stoupa, including  a photograph stop at a lookout point

there was just time to have a beer and a shower before another communal meal, this time in the Kalogria Beach Hotel. And more farewells and promises to meet again, for although many of us don't leave until Sunday, others are leaving today.

Stoupa Reunion, 28 June

The Swan Whisperer went for a short run this morning, but by breakfast time it was pouring again so we had a quiet morning.

Then we walked over to the Kalogria Beach Hotel to join friends for lunch - I had calamari again, and too much beer (Greek beer is very more-ish) - which took up most of the afternoon, somehow.

And so back to the apartment for a siesta while the SW went for a walk, and then it was time to change into our glad rags and head over to the Enigma bar for the main dinner and drinks of the reunion, the centrepiece of the event.

We ate, we drank, we (or some of us) danced, we talked... And, sadly, said our first goodbyes to those who are moving on tomorrow....

Stoupa Reunion, 27 June

The Swan Whisperer had been going to go for a run this morning, but it poured, so he didn't. We had arranged  to hire a car, so he went and got it and we were away by 09:45.  We were headed to Sparta. The Sat-nav said it was far quicker to go up the motorway and dien the other side, but the cross - country road said no tolls, and we didn't fancy motorway tolls so went on this horrible, horrible road with hairpin bends everywhere, worse than the road between Die and the Vercors, worse even than that road in the Dolomites!

The Sat-nav took us to the wrong entrance to ancient Sparta and  by the time we got there it s raining again and lunch time and the SW, who had a quick look, said he really thought one would learn more from Wikipedia.  So we came away and found a cafė where we had a delicious lunch and then came home not over the mountains - I slept most of the way.

In the evening it was the first of the two official reunions, at our friend's house. It had stopped raining by then and we had a very pleasant evening with food, drink, and Greek dancers who performed traditional dances from all over Greece. And lots of chat with friends....

Stoupa Reunion, 26 June

The weather forecast, which has been predicting rain and storms ever since we got here, finally got it right and it rained on and off most of the day. And I stupidly took an anti-histamine this morning - I bought the Boots ones didn't affect me but I was obviously wrong - and ended up sleeping most of the afternoon. So rather a nothing day.

ETA It would, of course, have helped if I hadn't accidentally bought Loritidine tablets from Boots - I know Loritidine knock me out.... thought they were the other kind.

Stoupa Reunion, 25 June

I slept incredibly badly!  I was too hot, it was either too dark (with the bathroom light off) or too bright (with it on). And I can't tell you how loudly the Swan Whisperer snored! I have moved back into the main room where one can keep the porch light on but there are curtains, and I can close the door between me and him.

I suppose I finally got to sleep as it was getting light, and had a severe headache when I woke. I knew I needed a quiet day, so after breakfast I slept for a bit and then took myself for a luxurious potter round the supermarket. Forgot to buy cheese, but got the makings of ratatouille and dinner ham and salami, etc, which we had for lunch.

Then after another siesta, we went down to the beach and had a dip in the sea, and an ice cream, and then walked slowly back a different way. And soon it was wine o'clock, And we drank a whole bottle with our dinner - I think (and hope)  I shall sleep well tonight!

Stoupa Reunion, 24 June

This holiday is a little different from our normal one, as we are in Stoupa, Greece, for a reunion of some members of the class of 1970 and their spouses, if applicable.

We were up at a disgraceful hour this morning, and took an Uber to Clapham Junction and then a train to Gatwick. We met up with a few people who were on the same flight, but didn't sit with them. The flight to Kalamata was an hour late, but we took off in the end and it was very smooth and uneventful, just a bit bumpy coming down through clouds.

Then a long coach trip across the mountains, during which the holiday rep would not stop talking! And then to our very nice apartment in Stoupa..

After unpacking we walked to the supermarket - only a few minutes away - and then down to the beach and along a bit to where we were meeting the others for a drink and a meal, which was very good. - I think the beer hissed going down - while  we caught up on tales of the Dear Old School and so on. And then a walk back with a friend who has taken an apartment next door, and a night which, although it isn't late by UK time, is definitely late enough for me!

The Rounders Match

There wasn't intended to be a rounders match.  We were just taking the motorhome for its annual MOT and service, but then the parents and sister were all going to watch my youngest niece play in a rounders tournament and suggested we go, too.  We agreed, with the caveat that if the garage phoned to say the motor home was ready, we would head off.  As it turned out, they didn't ring until much later in the day.

My brother had said that the afternoon's matches were due to start at 1:30, and it was not much past that when the cavalcade arrived, the wheelchair rolled down the slope, and we joined my brother and his wife and the other assorted parents to watch the match.

The school is in a wonderful setting, nestled into the Downs, very beautiful and probably totally lost on the children! This was the finals of some kind of tournament, and the school had already lost one match that morning, so were in the playoff for the Bronze medal.

When we arrived, the match was just starting, and the visiting school was batting.  My brother was explaining the rules to my parents, and exactly why the girl in question had or had not run.  It is well over half a century since I last played rounders, and I was glad to be reminded of the rules.  I'm always impressed how anybody manages to hit that very hard ball with such a narrow bat (for American readers, about the same size and weight as a baseball ball and bat); I never could. 

Visiting school was finally out for 4 1/2 rounders, and then Our School went into bat.  The niece didn't particularly cover herself with glory, but played competently enough.  The last girl left in, though, managed to score three rounders single-handed, to massive cheers from her cohorts and the assembled parents, and the half-time score was 9-4.5. 

After a break for drinks and reapplying of suncream (both unheard of during matches when I was a girl - you got a segment of orange to suck if you were lucky, as it was thought that if you drank during exertion you would feel sick, and the importance of proper hydration hadn't yet been realised; as for sunscreen, I don't think it had even been invented!), it was time for the second innings.  All was going well when, just at the end, disaster struck - there was a serious collision which resulted in a girl on our side's being hit very hard on the back of her head with a bat.  The poor child who had done it trotted over to apologise profusely - it had been a total accident, everybody agreed on that - but the child was out of the match, and the substitute had already been substituted once as she had a strained and obviously painful leg.  The team was badly shaken by this, and although they vowed to go and win it "for her", they couldn't get past it, and, sadly, it was all over very quickly with only 2 or 3 of the 8 rounders they had needed to win being scored.  Great was the disappointment, and a fair few tears were shed - adrenaline crash, mostly, I suspect.  I know the feeling all too well.

But, despite the disappointing result, it was an enjoyable way to spend a warm summer afternoon.

Photo: Maggie Wright

Living History weekend at the Weald and Downland Museum

We hadn't been to the Weald and Downland Museum for years, and as this weekend was the Living History weekend, we decided to visit it on our way back from dropping the motor home in Sussex.  We were rather later than we meant to be, but arrived there about 13:30.  The first annoyance was that we were parked miles and miles from the entrance, but there was a buggy that kindly gave us a lift to it, so we didn't have to walk for miles before we got there.  Then we realised that, as it had been cool and cloudy when we left London, we didn't have sun-hats with us and only had a tiny bit of sun cream.  And it was hot and sunny, and hats would have been rather a necessity.  Sadly, the only ones on sale were either incredibly expensive or for children, so we had to do without.

We bought ourselves a venison burger for lunch (judging by the state of my insides this evening, this may have been a mistake), and then wandered off to see what we could see.  It was basically Re-enactor Heaven, including jousting, demonstrations of weapons from the Mediaeval period, and a great many crafts people, some of whom were better at talking about their work than others.  There was a fascinating man who made nets - I am not sure what period he was supposed to be, and didn't quite like to ask - and another woman who demonstrated 15th century food.

We ended up watching "Sir John Paston" have his dinner - ridiculously over-formal for Paston, who was, after all, only a jumped-up merchant.  Plus the squires were far too old - they would have been boys and young men not quite old enough to be knights.  But it gave a good impression of what it might have been like, although I think the women did eat with the men, at least at the high table, and there would have been lower tables where his people would have eaten.

Once that was over, it was almost the end of the afternoon, so we treated ourselves to an ice-cream and then the Swan Whisperer went to get the car, and we drove back to London via the A285 and A3, enjoying the sight of cricket matches on the village greens we passed - proper white flannels, not the pyjamas that international cricketers seem to wear these days!

Beer and Castles Tour, The End

And so we awoke, once again, in the car park at the Cité Europe.  As soon as we'd had breakfast, I rushed into Carrefour for some last-minute shopping, and while I was there went to get a second token for the trolley - they turned out to be free!  Imagine that, Tesco's!  And so while I was there I asked about the loyalty card you need to use the Scan 'n' Shop facility there, and the extremely nice woman set me up for it then and there, so I was able to use it for my shopping!  Of course, it was checked (mine always is, largely because our local Tesco doesn't have the facility so I don't use it very often).

Anyway, once that was done, we finished packing up and went to the check-in at the terminal, rather hoping for an earlier crossing, but we have never seen so many motor homes waiting to cross, so no chance of that.  There were 4 crossings that hour, though, so we didn't have to wait - they said our crossing had been "rescheduled" by 15 minutes, but in fact it did actually set off on time.

And then a long, slow drive up the M20 and across London, until we finally got home.  And then the endless hard work in unpacking the van and putting things away, but it got done at last.  And look - after five years, we nearly have a garden again:

Beer and Castles Route, 31 May

We have been in four countries today. We started off in Germany, where they were having yet another public holiday, but we found a petrol station with attached bakery to get both diesel and rolls for lunch. Then we set off on the long, long trail back to Calais, across Holland and Belgium, with endless road works and delays. We ended up in Ostende, where we stopped for a cup of tea and to stretch our legs, and then asked the Sat-nav to take us the rest of the way not on the motorway. It was a delightful drive alongside one of the many canals, and then through Dunkerque, a town where we've been many times before but we couldn't recognise anywhere, for some reason. Neither of us could, it wasn't just me being feeble.

Then we stopped at the big Auchan outside Dunkerque where we ate supper in. Flunch (not too gruesome!) and did a bit of shopping before heading back to the motorway for the final, quick and easy, run to Calais.

Beer and Castles Route, 30 May

Today was All About Wuppertal. And there is one thing which defines Wuppertal and that is the Schwebebahn, or suspended railway, which runs about 25 km through the town and serves the function of a metro or tram.

Citymapper works here, which is always a plus,and we discovered we could buy a day ticket that covered all the public transport in the area for €10.30 for both of us. They were available from the bus driver, too, so we didn't have the boring thing of having to pay for a single ticket to the station!

We found the right bus stop which was not far from the aire, and the bus came in about 5 minutes. It dropped us off at the Oberbarmen station which is one end of the line.

 

It really is an amazing feat of engineering, but what we didn't expect was that the cars would sway about - most disconcerting, and slightly sick-making. On subsequent rides we learnt that sitting as near the front of the train as possible minimised this.

We went to the far end of the line and, after stretching our legs round Woolworths and DM, came back to what we thought was the main town hall but it wasn't, so we got a bus to the central station and then the Schwebebahn again to the station called Alter Markt, where there was a brewery and a town hall, and a cafe where I used the loo and we ordered lunch, which was a big mistake as it took over an hour to arrive and was nothing special when it did. How long does it take to put salad and chicken on a flatbread?

Anyway, it came at last, and we decided to get a bus back to the aire that went a different way and that stopped just outside it. This was very pleasant, but we felt we had done Wuppertal by then, so after a cup of tea and using the services we headed on. First port of call was a supermarket as tomorrow is yet another bank holiday in this part of Germany (how many holidays in one month do you need?), so we had to get the last German things plus milk and yoghurt and so on. And then a rather slow drive to Düren and the aire we have stayed at twice before. We are definitely homeward bound.

Beer and Castles Route, 29 May

Today started off hot, and I decided to walk to the bakery to get rolls for lunch, and after using the services, we set sail for Wuppertal. The SW wanted to go across country through one or two marked scenic routes although, as he said, everywhere is scenic at this time of year. So we put various way points into the Sat-nav and eventually ended up at Stockum, on the Möhnesee, for lunch. There was a kiosk so we went to buy sausages, only to find that this was all they were, just on a plate by themselves, so we were glad of our rolls!

It was a long drive in the afternoon, too, and by the time we arrived at the camp site it was pouring with rain, so we haven't been out. Tomorrow will probably be nice, though.

Beer and Castles Route, 28 May

It was going to be a hot morning, so when the Swan Whisperer went for his run, I walked up to the Netto supermarket to do the day's shopping before breakfast. Of course he got back before I did and didn't have a key, so texted to find out where I was and then arrived to demand to borrow my key just as I was trying to pack and pay. So I made him walk back with me to cool down.

We had breakfast outside, and then headed on, only to find that the car wash place where you were supposed to pay and there were services had closed down, so we got our night for free.

We made a wrong turning, not believing the Sat-nav when it said that this very minor road was the B85, but we backtracked when we realised we were wrong and followed it around some serious hairpin bends until it ended at a town called Berka. And so we have travelled most of it (barring the odd detour) all the way from Passau!

So now along the A38 to Göttingen. We had originally planned to go to Fritzlar, but changed our minds. We are parked in an aire in the car park of a spa complex, with services, etc. The SW went in to see the town but said it wasn't very pretty.

It is very hot, and I think it will storm soon. We ate supper outside, but I don't think we'll leave the chairs and picnic table out tonight, nor have the skylights open!

Beer and Castles Route, 27 May

It was a hot, hot morning. We had vaguely thought of going swimming, but I wasn't feeling  quite 100% so we didn't. The Swan Whisperer did go for a walk round the town, mainly to get rolls for lunch, but once that had happened we set off.

The German summer seems to be very like the British one - three fine days and then a thunderstorm, and the thunderstorm caught up with us when we stopped for lunch at Bad Blankenburg so I really didn't want to go and look at the castle. So we drove on, out of the rain, via the Goethebrunnen at Bad Berka (which we couldn't see as there was nowhere to park), and then via the outskirts of Weimar, dominated by the Buchenwald memorial, to her at Bad Frankenhausen, the end of the route. We still have the inside of a week left, though, and a couple of adventures planned, so watch this space....

Beer and Castles Route, 26 May

Today's drive was mostly through deep valleys with hills covered with pine trees. Our day started with a trip to the supermarket, and then we headed towards B85 again. Our first port of call was a Border museum at Heinersdorf, but, sadly it was closed - I think you need to ring up and book in advance to see it. However, we saw a fraction of the old wall, and the notice that explains that this was where Germany, and Europe, were divided until 1989.

It wasn't quite lunch time, so we drove on for another 20 minutes or so, rejoining the B85 at Pressig, and stopping at a random lay-by for lunch. It has been a hot day and we were glad of the picnic tables provided.

After lunch, our first port of call was Ludwigsstadt, where there is a rather spectacular railway bridge, but its wasn't very easy to see. However, it turned out that back in the day, Ludwigsstadt had been the last (or first) railway station in West Germany. And, indeed, before that, on the border between Bavaria and Thuringia. The next town along, Probstzella, had been the first in East Germany and the old station building is now used as a museum of that time.

Fortunately for us it was open on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (the first time I have ever seen Sonnabend used instead of Samstag for Saturday), and although the man on the desk had such a strong regional accent we couldn't understand a word he said, we got in all right and spent a very happy hour seeing all the hoops people had had to jump through to visit their relatives, even from West to East.

When we finished there, we drove up to a village called Leutenberg where there was a castle that is now a hospital. The SW went to see it, but I was too sleepy.

And so we went on to Saalfeld, passing another couple of castles on the way, and are parked up here for the night. A free car park, but no services here; however, as we used them this morning, we don't need them today, and I believe there are some at the local garage in an emergency.

Beer and Castles Route, 25 May

The Swan Whisperer went for rather a longer run than he meant this morning as he thought he was heading up the hill to the Plassenburg castle, but missed his path. Oh well, no harm done this time....

After breakfast we walked up to the museum. It was in fact three museums in one - a museum of brewing, one of baking and one of herbs and spices. The woman on the ticket desk said she wouldn't recommend we did all three in one morning, so we just bought tickets for the bakery and the herbs and spices one. The brewing museum was said to be as big as the other two put together, so I'm glad we didn't try to tackle it.

One of the disadvantages of being officially old is that you already know an awful lot of the stuff in museums, and there wasn't much about milling flour and baking bread that we hadn't already come across before. An interesting history's section, though, going from the Egyptians to the Romans, then to the middle ages and early modern period, with some interesting information on the legislation in the various city-states that comprised Germany until very recently.

Then on into the herb and spice museum which began with a trip along the Silk Road, bringing exotic spices to Europe, and where they went by sea (and the kinds of vessels their were transported in), and a but about the land route north of Venice. Then some descriptions of the various herbs and spices in everyday use and a history of their use in cookery and medicine. All very interesting, but I was tired. Our entry fee entitled us to some bread to eat on the spot and a sachet of herbs, rather nice. I believe if you'd been to the brewing museum you got a small glass of beer.

We walked back to the motor home and then on to a local bakery to see if they did the sausage in bread that this area is famous for, which they didn't and we felt bad for disturbing her lunch, but she told us where we could find them in the town, which we duly did and ate them (and very delicious they were, too). Then we bought a few bottles of the local brews, and it was time to say farewell to Kulmbach.

Our afternoon drive first went up to Weißenbrunn, where we saw a famous fountain,  the Jungfergettl Brunnen, which is a fertility figure with water pouring out of her boobs. Then to Kronach, where we caught a glimpse of the Festung Rosenberger, and so to Mitwitz, where we would have liked to have seen the Wasserschloss, but when we got to the car park an officious official told us we couldn't park there - although why not just for half an hour - and insisted we move on, despite our pretending not to understand.

Then we decided to leave the route for a détour to Coburg, where we saw the castle that Queen Victoria called her second home, and I think a glimpse of the one where Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. But again, parking was difficult, and I was incredulity thirsty, for some reason, so we drove on a little way to Neustadt bei Coburg, where there is a very nice aire, like the ones we have spent the past few nights at - free, but you pay for electricity and water if you want them.

Beer and Castles Route, 24 May

After breakfast, and after using the services, we drove a few kilometres up the B85 to Sulzbach-Rosenberg, where we had a very pleasant walk around Sulzbach (we didn't go into Rosenberg). While I was in the supermarket, the SW found a scenic route and a car park which he said might be nice to have lunch in. It was, but it was a long old drive to it and because I was hungry I felt a bit car sick. Oh well, lunch soon sorted that.

But it began to rain and there was a thunderstorm while we were having lunch. I fell asleep, but I gather the SW went for a short walk. We set sail for our aire for tonight, in Kulmbach, but added in a détour to see the Rathaus in Pegnitz (not very impressive) and the Opera house in Bayreuth. Which is large, which it had need to be, but in no way beautiful.  The SW said that if it hadn't been so wet he'd have parked up and we could have seen it close up but it was too wet to want to do that! I agreed! 

Then because it was wet and rush hour and we didn't want to go on the motorway, the Sat-nav took us round the houses on minor roads, so we saw a succession of pretty villages, including Trebgast.

This seems a very nice aire. It's free, but suggests a voluntary donation of €3. Electricity is provided but seems quite expensive, so we've not taken it tonight. There are services, but we probably won't use them.

Beer and Castles Route, 23 May

Today was All about Amberg. As we don't have to do grandparent duty as soon as we get home, the Boys being in Scotland that week, we have postponed our return for two days, so have plenty of time to play with. So we had a fairly quiet morning, after the Swan Whisperer had been for his run, and then walked into town via the city walls.

The SW had found a load of plaques that commemorate the history of the town placed to celebrate its 975th birthday in 2009, which he wished me to translate for him, which I did very badly but we got the gist of it. We then entered the inner city by the nearest available gate, and then walked round the pedestrian area until we got to the market square where we had lunch. Beer, of course, and the most enormous Currywurst you have ever seen!  We decided we didn't rate the local brew as much as Regen's,so haven't bought any.

Then it was time to visit the Air Museum, which was not, as you might suppose, about flying but about air itself. There were a lot of rather dull pictures and sculptures, and then some exhibits you could play with, like an air-controlled  pinball table and a flying carpet (they didn't let you sit in it though). It was all quite interesting, but only quite. 3 stars I think.

Then we headed back to the town square and ate ice cream, and then headed back to the motor home. Alas, my tummy has gone back on me a bit so I haven't wanted much  supper and have slept a lot of the afternoon and evening. The SW went to the supermarket but appears to have gone to Birmingham by way of Bethnal Green as he sends to have gone all round the houses. Not that it matters - he enjoyed the walk.

Beer and Castles Route, 22 May

Another lovely morning, so after a leisurely breakfast we headed firstly to the supermarket to stock up on eggs and fruit juice and so on . This took longer than it might have done as the supermarket was in a mall, and there might have been some window shopping....

However, once I had finished, we drove up to Weißenstein to look at the ruins of the castle there, and then back to buy some beer, which I had forgotten to do (the SW had to be dissuaded from buying an enormous crateful, as the idea is to taste the different beers in the towns we pass through). And then finally we set sail to Amberg, which is a lovely town and has services, which we were beginning to need rather badly. We arrived quite early and the SW went for a walk, and he has been trying to persuade me to do like wise ever since, but I am having a tired day and tomorrow is another one.

Beer and Castles Route, 21 May

This is still the Oberstdorf Plus tour , but I have renamed it to fit in with where we are on the holiday.

So we woke up in Passau this morning, and the Swan Whisperer went for a run even before he'd had his tea, which I thought unwise, but he said he'd had a lot of water. As today is a public holiday in Germany the shops are not open, but it does mean parking is free. So after breakfast we drove into the town and parked up under a bridge over the Danube, and then walked around the Old Town, looking into the Cathedral and then walking to where the Inn and the Iltz join  the Danube. And back along the bank of the Danube, which wasn't as nice as it might have been as it was wall-to-wall river cruisers tied up!

We then drove out of town and had lunch in a car park cum children's playground somewhere, and then drove on to this town of Regen. Some kind of festivity was obviously just finishing as we arrived, and the traffic out of town was horrendous! But the Sat-nav took us to our home for the night, which is in a pub car-park, which you can use if you eat in their restaurant. They even supply electricity for an extra €3.  The Swan Whisperer went for a walk and got soaked - the weather had been lovely all day and then suddenly it poured! And as soon as he got back to the van, the sun came out again! 

The meal was delicious  and very good value for money, only Google Translate let me down by not knowing any of the words I didn't know! I ended up with pork slices and noodles, with salad, and the SW had venison goulash with a dumpling and salad. Then he had a plum strudel and I had ice cream.  There was a Bavarian band playing, rather too loudly for indoors, I thought, but enjoyable none the less. 

And back to the motor home with another one next door whose dog whined very loudly the whole time they were at dinner, and they parked far too close to us. They have pulled all their curtains, even though it isn't even trying to be dark, and we think they are watching television. They might as well be at home!

Oberstdorf Plus, 20 May

I have done nothing much today except sleep! I woke up at my usual time and got back into bed with a cup of tea only to awaken two hours later. Forced myself out of bed and into the shower, and we had poached eggs for breakfast. The next thing I knew, we were stopping for lunch in a place called Rosenheim, which seemed quite pretty and we found a car park that was free as it is Sunday.

After much we set off again, and I slept again until we arrived in Passau. It was a lovely afternoon and we sat in the sun for a bit, reading,and knitting - I knitted, anyway - and then the. SW went for a walk, and I got supper, and now I an ging to bed even though it is not yet 9 pm.

Oberstdorf Plus, 19 May

We were up early this morning to get everything ready to move the van. After nearly a week of static camping, this took a bit of doing - switching electricity to 12 volts, making sure everything was put away and all the windows and cupboards closed, etc. Somewhere in all this we had breakfast and I went to the supermarket, and then we used the services and finally done up to the Oybelehalle car park above the rink. This is free with the tourist card so we obtained our ticket and then the Swan Whisperer went back to the camp site to give them back and get his deposit back. 

Then it was the final day of competition, including free dancing, artistic pairs and the elite skaters, including the incomparable Midori Itô and Gary Beacom.

And then a quick drink to toast a friend's birthday, and we were away. We are spending the night at a place called Marktoberdorf, about an hour's drive away, and the post-Oberstdorf exhaustion has hit. All I want to do is go to bed!  But it has been a lovely week, and wonderful to see old friends and make new ones.

Oberstdorf Plus, 18 May

The sun was shining this morning, and I could see mountains I hadn't seen all week! It was very cold until the sun rose, though, whereupon it was difficult to get out of bed as it was so lovely in there with the sun shining in!

The Swan Whisperer and I walked down into the village as I thought he might find a pair of trainers he would like in the cheap sports shop there, and eventually he did. There were some sandals there I rather coveted, too, but, alas, not in my size. Good thing, really, as I didn't really need them. He then went off back to skate on the public session, and I went to Müller and to Woolworth's to buy some more "tossies" for people as I was running out of soap, bd then caught the bus back to the motor home via Norma for orange juice and mushrooms.

Then to the rink to watch various friends skate, including  a very long Silver Ladies II (why can't one's friends all be drawn in the same group?), during which I may have fallen asleep. The SW had gone out for a walk with friends.

Finally back to the motor home for dinner and now the SW has gone back to the rink to watch the pairs, and I've gone to bed, as I'm cold!

Oberstdorf Plus, 17 May

There was not a lot I wanted to see this morning so did a load of washing and went into Oberstdorf to ťry to buy a new rücksack, successfully. Then back for lunch but the washing wasn't dry and we couldn't get any more tokens until later. I had a nap, then cooked a frittata to take down to the rink to eat while watching the Bronze and Silver pattern dances. After which I began fading fast, so we went back to the motor home and had ice cream and a cup of tea before a slightly earlier bed than usual!

Oberstdorf Plus, 16 May

I knew when I went to bed last night that I was going to have trouble getting up, and indeed I woke with a splitting headache (no, I had had precisely one Apérol Spritz) and after we had used the services I went back to sleep again for a couple of  hours . So we didn't get to the rink until  the early afternoon, but in time to watch the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Masters Ladies III classes. These are basically women in their 50s (I think the age category is actually 48-58) and even within each class (except perhaps the Masters) the skill levels are very different.

We popped out for a quick bite to eat in the restaurant during a section of skaters we don't know, but otherwise more or less stayed put.  Three days down, three to go!

Oberstdorf Plus, 15 May

The second day of competition started off very wet indeed. We watched our friend who was in the first class of the day on the live stream! 

There wasn't a great deal I really wanted to watch during the early part of the day. The Swan Whisperer, who had wanted to go for a walk this morning, decided to skate the public session instead and I stayed in the motor home, knitting and reading. But then the rain stopped, so I went to Norma (the supermarket next to the motorhome park) and bought some necessities. I had arranged to meet the Swan Whisperer for lunch at the downstairs snack bar in the rink, which I duly did, and then we watched a couple of classes before he decided to go for his walk after all. I went into town and pottered around there for a bit, and then came back to the van and fell asleep with my head on the table which was uncomfortable and I was chilled when I woke up. It felt good to get back into the nice warm rink!  

We watched some of the Silver Ladies III, and then had a quick, but delicious, dinner in the rink restaurant, before coming downstairs to watch the skating until the end of the day. And got back to the van  just as the rain started!

Oberstdorf Plus, 14 May

Today was the first day of competition. I woke up early, feeling much better, and as I knew the Swan Whisperer wanted to go for a run, woke him up too. He went on his run, and then we had breakfast and were all cleared up and ready by 08:30 so we could be at the rink by 9 and on duty on the accreditation desk, which we did most of the day, with a break in the middle for lunch (Käsespätzle, mmmm), after which I went shopping and then round the town on the Ortsbus. Bought some red wool to make a cardigan for the other great-nephew, having finished the one for the first during the morning session. There will be masses left over - enough for sweaters for both grandsons, shouldn't wonder!

When we finished being on duty, we went and watched skating for a while, and then went back to the motor home, but it was raining and although we had our macs with us we were cold and wet! Supper was just rolls and cheese after the enormous lunch!

Oberstdorf Plus, 13 May

We got up at a reasonable hour, for once, and I went to get rolls for lunch while the Swan Whisperer got breakfast - the bakery was only a few minutes walk. We got away just after 09:30 and, apart from stopping for an hour for lunch, made a very quick and easy run of it, arriving here in Oberstdorf at about 15:30. 

Alas, my lungs, although massively better most of the time, do not seem to like being at altitude, and it rather feels as if someone has wrapped a very tight belt round my ribcage underneath my boobs. I hope I shall adjust, but I really don't feel like strenuous exercise just now. So I didn't go to the team GB get-together, but I did go to the rink party and official opening of the games, seeing old and new friends, hugging and being hugged, trying to catch up with news when you couldn't hear a word people said.....

And so back to the motor home and A Nice Cup of Tea before bed.

Oberstdorf Plus, 12 May

The first few days of this holiday are always one long, long drive to get us there, and today was no exception.

We started off with a walk, however, around the open-air area around  the museum, including the slag heap, which was interesting as it showed how nature was recolonising it gradually. 

Before heading off properly, we stopped at a supermarket for rolls for lunch and one or two other things, including a cake for supper pudding.  But I forgot to buy eggs.

The Swan Whisperer decided he would stop to buy diesel by the Moselle, more or less en route, and we would probably find a place to stop for lunch. And, indeed, we found a lovely motorhome aire just by the river, and had just settled down with our bacon and avocado rolls when the people who belonged to the caravan behind arrived and made it clear that we were to move so they could move their caravan. Which they ought not to have parked there in the first place, as a caravan is so not a motor home. And then, to add insult to injury, I dropped my second roll! 

So that was lunch ruined, although partially redeemed by both ice-cream and strawberries for pudding! 

And then we drove on and arrived in Mannheim at about 16:30, in time to have a cup of tea and a rest before our niece arrived, and to follow the end of the day's stage of the Giro on the app I have installed for the purpose. 

We had a lovely evening with the niece, including a long three-way conversation with the SW's brother, who is on his first Continental motorhome holiday and loving it! He has yet to venture this far, but I bet he will one day.  The niece very kindly gave us some eggs, which  we swapped for half a jar of Marmite! 

And tomorrow the last long leg south to Oberstdorf and the competition.

Oberstdorf Plus, 11 May

Is there anything nicer than waking up on a fine morning in Cité Europe and realising that it is the first morning of your holiday?

We didn't hurry to get up, but drank our tea and caught up with things. We finally got up about 08:30 and had breakfast, and then I went and did some shopping in Carrefour. I was annoyed  because I'd used a trolley, as I wanted a 5L carboy of drinking-water so of course my wristband didn't register my step count. Fortunately, the other app I have on my phone did.

Then we were off for the first long, dreary drive across Belgium. We stopped briefly to get rid of used coffee, and for lunch and another walk at the Strépy-Thieux canal lift,

and a third time as the SW needed a break. It wasn't actually too bad as it was fine and the traffic wasn't too awful, for Belgium. And finally we got to the far side of Liège, and the aire at Blegny Mine that we stayed at in December. It is somewhat fuller now, funny that!

The SW went for a walk while I read and knitted and then he came back and we got supper. I've gone to bed, although I've no plans to snuggle down just yet - it's only 21:00!

Oberstdorf Plus. 10 May

It's that time of year again, when we set off to Oberstdorf for the annual. ISU International figure skating competition.

However, at home, they have been building new flats on the top of our block, and refurbishing it. Its been a total nightmare and gone on for far too long, but this week they have got to the part where they resurface the back yard. Of course, the site manager buggered off on holiday without telling the contractors that the garages were in use and people needed access to them. We knew this week would be impossible, though, so parked the car in the Youth Centre until last night. But it was obvious that we would not be able to bring the motor home up, so we had to load everything into the car, very early, to get away before the workmen came.

We weren't quite sure that everything would fit in the car - we have done this before, but there's a difference between going away for the weekend and going for three weeks! But it did, and we got away shortly after 7.00 am. We stopped at a Tesco to buy breakfast sandwiches and orange juice, and arrived at No 6 at about 9.30. After coffee, the Swan Whisperer went to get the van,and put stuff in it, and then I did the putting-away while he took the dog for a walk and the others went for a little drive round.

By this time it was lunch time, and after lunch we set off. First port of call was a Homebase in Shoreham for gas, and then it was motorway all the way, and we got on the Shuttle an hour earlier than we had booked. So I had time to get a few things from Carrefour (which shut early as it is Ascension Day) while the Swan Whisperer got supper.  Sadly, I wasn't very hungry, for some reason, and am very tired, so am going to have an early night.

Bread and Beer festival

A  hot bank holiday, for once, and we decided to stay local, and go to the Brixton Windmill Bread and Beer festival, which is held in Windmill Gardens, about 15 minutes' walk from where we live.  I hadn't been to Windmill Gardens for six or seven years - I think we took The Boy there once when he was still in a pushchair, and now he is nearly 8, but the Swan Whisperer says he walks past it on his way down to church.

The gardens were rammed when we arrived!  The main bread stall, the Old Post Office Bakery, was totally sold out and deserted, and there were very long queues for beer stalls (not surprised - it was hot!).  There was a van from a local coffee shop, but that was not so popular.  The Friends of Windmill Gardens had a colourful stall, too.

Any maypole dancing was obviously over when we arrived.

but the Morris Dancing was still going on very happily:

There was also a sound stage, and you could queue to go inside the Windmill itself, but we didn't do that.  We did, however, spend some time reading posters about the history of the mill.

It's not the first time, obviously, that we have visited it - I think it closed to the public in 1990, but we certainly visited it on an Open Day before then, when the Daughter was little.  It's good that there is still a working mill in Brixton, even though the flour is now ground by electricity rather than wind power - it hasn't done that for a very long time.  The sails do turn, but are in poor condition and need to be repaired, which I think is the next thing the Friends are hoping to do.

We were surprised by the crowds - not the numbers, that was not surprising on a lovely day.  But the demographic was primarily white, middle-class young families; more Walthamstow than Brixton!  Whether the demographic has changed this much without our noticing, or whether people came from further afield and local people didn't bother, we didn't see anybody we knew.  But it was a pleasant interlude in a busy day!

South of France, 4 April 2018

So we woke up this morning and the sky was blue!  Ah well.... so it was a matter of getting up, getting breakfast, clearing away, and then heading to the terminal via the services at Coquelles.  We got a crossing 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, and were home shortly after noon, UK time, with plenty of time to unpack and put things away before lunch! 

Next time we're off will be to Oberstdorf in May, and we have not yet decided what we will do after that.

South of France, 3 April 2018

We had parked up beside a lake which, of course, the Swan Whisperer went for a run round this morning!  After breakfast, I decided to walk round it, such took half an hour, about 6 minutes longer than I was really able for, but nice exercise, and there was a heron!

We then drove back to Calais, stopping in Rouen for diesel and in an aire for lunch, and then in the Baie de Somme for a cup of tea. And then in Coquelles we stopped in at the motor home place where they exchanged the bin with no questions asked, and made sure the new one was not broken.

And so to Cité Europe, where we did a last shop (except for bread for tomorrow's lunch), and then ate in the Flunch, which was pretty dire, but I enjoyed a nice piece of lamb. 

When I woke up here two weeks ago, the sun was shining brightly and it was a lovely day to start our holiday. Tonight it is raining, as it has been all day!  France making itself easy to say goodbye to?

South of France, 2 April 2018

We left our friends at about 14:30 after a lovely lunch, and headed north. We are on the homeward run now, and tonight we are parked up outside Chartres. 

Cooked supper and delighted to discover the ice-cream still frozen in the freezing compartment of our fridge. It has worked so well these holidays, as had the heater.

South of France, 1 April 2018

Hallelujah!  Christ is risen!  Easter Day has been pretty much a rest day - we had arranged to go to an English service in a village near Lezay, to meet our old friend who lives in the area, which we did, and then went with her and her church to an Easter lunch in a local restaurant, and back to hers, where we passed a very pleasant and peaceful afternoon and evening, and are now spending the night.

South of France, 31 March 2018

Our 39th wedding anniversary dawned bright (sort of), so the Swan Whisperer went for a run, and did get rained on, but not badly. We filled up with water at the walnut farm, then made our farewells and went into the nearby village of Sers to do the vidanges (emptying).  

Then we drove into Angouleme and had a very cold walk round, too cold to be enjoyable, really. We thought we would go to the nearest E Leclerc to get diesel and groceries, but although we got the former, we couldn't find anywhere to park that didn't have a height limit, not impressed!  So we drove a little further and found a Géant, which was (gigantic, I mean) and I forgot to get milk, which was annoying, but we think we have enough to do until Tuesday, as we are staying with a friend tomorrow. 

After lunch I had a bit of a nap, and then we drive over to have a look at the Charente, and to a village with an ancient church whose name escapes me, but which was very pretty. And then on to Lézay, where I had booked us into the restaurant we ate at with a friend some years ago now, and the aire is just across the road, very civilised!  Food delicious, but rather too much for me!

South of France, Good Friday 30 March

It rained in the night. A lot!  I woke quite early to the sound of rain on the roof and then drowsed off again. When we finally got up (the Swan Whisperer did not go for a run this morning!) it was still raining, but as we ate breakfast it changed to sleet and then to snow!  It even began to lie a little, to the point that you could see where we had been when we moved off! 

However, we were at about 800 or so metres, and almost as soon as we headed off we began to go downhill and the snow changed back to rain, which became more and more showery as the day went on, and by lunch time we were in bright sunshine. This was in the village where Richard the Lionheart was killed, called Chalus. The castle he had been investing at the time is still there, but the SW, who went exploring, found it was only open in June and July, so we came away and drove very cross-country to this walnut farm in the Charente where we are spending the night. They showed a film about the harvest of their walnuts, but sadly, they didn't seem to know about pickled green walnuts, so delicious!  I bought some, of course, and then the SW came back from a walk and eventually I got supper. Spring is really here, now, with flowers out and even some trees beginning to show green.

South of France, Maundy Thursday 29 March

We are in the middle of nowhere - I think in the Limousin area - and seem to have taken a very long time to get here. We woke up quite late, and after breakfast drove into Sévérac-le-Chateau, aka Sévérac-en-Aveyron, to shop. At least, I shopped while the SW went for a walk.

Then we had coffee and caught up on social media as there was quite a good signal there.  And then it was a matter of driving all day - first up the A75, which is always lovely, and then what seemed an inordinately long way across country, very pretty and reasonably good roads, to the Limousin area and this very nice aire. It is free, although the services aren't, but they are out of user for the winter anyway, and we only need to empty our grey water, having done the rest at the farm where we stopped last night. No electricity here, but we have been joined by two other motor homes so far, so a popular stopping-place!  All the same, I could wish we were still in the Midi - it is noticeably colder here!

South of France, 28 March

Leaving the Mediterranean today, sadly, to begin to head north again. The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, so what else is new (my phone will now do that phrase automatically!!), and I went on to the beach for a few minutes. Then we crossed the roundabout to go shopping - had I known how close the supermarket was, I'd have walked!  

We headed off towards Montpellier and the A75, although the Satnav took us all round the houses. Nice to see a bit of Montpellier, though, although we didn't go into the centre, of course  We thought we could get diesel, but the canopy over the pumps was too low; however we got some in the end. Then up the A75 - such a lovely road - and out to Roquefort, where we stopped for lunch and then the SW bought a huge hunk of the eponymous cheese, which I think will have to share with the family.

We decided we'd like to see the Gorges de la Tarn, which we well worth it, although we didn't think quite as spectacular as our beloved Gorges de la Bourne in the Vercors. But we're glad we went there, although the road out had about 8 or 9 180° hairpin bends in it!  Yuck, but we knew it would be.

We thought we were stopping the night in Severac-le-Chateau, but the Aire is, in fact, at a farmhouse just outside. Obviously run by people who have their own motor home, as it has everything one could possibly want, and very cheap. So we are comfortable for the night.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, we did go under the Millau Viaduct, as spectacular as ever!  No photos this time, though.

South of France, 27 March

I was too hot in bed last night, and nearly foraged for yesterday's t-shirt to wear instead of my long-sleeved pyjamas. And had trouble getting up this morning so was only just heading into the shower when the Swan Whisperer came back from his run.  

After breakfast I went for a walk and looked round the fish market. They had some good stuff, but none of it was cleaned and the thought of cleaning fish in the motor home - no. Just no!  So I came away and we went to a supermarket in Fos, and then drove down to nearly the mouth of the Rhône to catch a ferry across it. We were afraid it would be cars-only, but no such thing, there was even a public bus on it!  

Once we had crossed, we found an aire in Salin-de-Giraud we we had lunch, and then lovely drive around the Etang de Vaccarès, during which we saw horses, flamingoes and cattle, just as one should, and down to Aigues-Mortes. We thought we might come back to the place I had carefully chosen for us to spend the night, but the Swan Whisperer decided otherwise, so we are now in an aire in Le-Grau-du-Roi with a plastic roller-coaster on one side and a block of flats on the other (to be fair, there is a pedestrian exit to the sea, but I am unimpressed!). At least other motor-homers are quiet - once you have closed the blinds for the night, you very often wouldn't know there was anybody else around!