Oberstdorf 2023, Saturday 20.May

Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany

Today was the final day of competition, and, as always on the last day, lots of great skating to watch.

After breakfast, we used the services and got the WoMo back into travelling condition, everything tidied up and put away. We returned our Kurkarte and filled drinking water containers and so on, and then headed to the rink for the final day. The weather, now that it is time to go home, was lovely, and even got positively hot later in the day! 

But we had to come away before the last few classes, as we need to get home fairly fast - no extended holiday for us this year - and we had two hours' driving ahead. Which we accomplished quickly and easily, calling in at ReWe en route to do a Last Shop in Germany, and are now parked up somewhere and eating supper. And I couldn't leave Bavaria without one of these, could I? 

Oberstdorf 2023, Friday 19 May

Started out today feeling much better, and was up at the rink in good time to cheer on friends in the two Bronze Women III classes. And chat to lots of other friends, too. Sadly, one told me she is hanging up her skates now, as her body is no longer coping well.

Then I went for a walk in town, basically out by one road and back by another,

and was back at the WoMo in time to get lunch. After which, it began clear to me that I was still rather running on empty, so I spent a quiet afternoon dozing and reading. Didn't want very much supper, although it was delicious - Bavarian liver dumplings in a vegetable stew/soup with rice. Not sure I got the seasoning quite right, though. 

Oberstdorf 2023, Thursday 18 May

I woke up at dawn to see this wonderful sunrise out of my bedroom window!

But it was a premature awakening - I fell asleep again and when I woke, realised that I was exhausted! So stayed in bed most of the morning while the Swan Whisperer went for a hike (up a mountain on Ascension Day!) - we had been going to go on what he promised me was a flat hike, but I couldn't do it, and spent most of the afternoon lying down too.

We had an early supper and then went to the rink in time to watch the pattern dances, which ranged from dire to excellent, and then back home for a cup of tea before bed! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Wednesday 17 May

There was nothing I really wanted to watch until late afternoon today, so after a lazy start (I was lazy; the SW went for a run!) , I set out for a walk. This time, I decided to walk down to the Oberstdorf Haus

and the various parks in that area, and very nice too, and then had a peep inside the Protestant church,

which I had not seen before. Unfortunately, I then turned the wrong way and ended up at the ReWe supermarket just at the edge of town! Naturally, I did a bit of shopping, and was delighted to find that the Tony Chocolonely chocolate that my family gave me for Easter was about half the price it is in Sainsbury's!

However, I was getting tired by then and was delighted to find a bus was due which took me as far as the station. Of course I passed the Swan Whisperer on his way down to ReWe (I'd texted him what had happened)! So I rang him up and said I'd just gone roaring past in the bus!  I had a bit of time to wait for the Ortsbus up to the Wohnmobilstellplatz, but it was worth it, although I was getting cold again - my ice dance sweatshirt, lovely though it is, must be 20 years old now and is not as warm as it once was, and my coat is only mid-season weight. The weather forecast had been unduly pessimistic and, although it was far from sunny, it didn't rain today. But it was very cold, and is scheduled to drop to freezing as the skies clear overnight. 

Anyway, I was very idle and took the bus right over past the rink to the shop just past Norma, which is actually no nearer than the lower stop unless you want to get rolls in the bakery, which I did, cheaper than the ReWe. So then lunch, and  then I fell asleep for a couple of hours and had to have a quick cup of tea when I woke up, before going to the rink just in time to see the one skater I really wanted to see.

L had to have her foot completely rebuilt last year, artificial tendons, heel resited, and goodness knows what else. It's been a long, hard and painful struggle for her, and there are moments when I know she despaired. Her doctors had said she might not even walk again, never mind skate. But she was determined and entered the artistic category for her level and age group - and rocked it! I am sure I was not the only one in tears when she finished. Clever choreography focused on what she can do, not what is no longer possible, and she looked fantastic - and is taking home a well-deserved Bronze medal!

After that, there were plenty of other skaters to watch and cheer for, and when the last of the Masters men had made us laugh with his interpretation of Hernando's Hideaway, we treated ourselves to dinner in Zoran's, the restaurant above the rink. I had an Apérol spritz, and Zanderfilet with vegetables, and the SW had beer and tagliatelle with salmon. And so back to the WoMo, and straight to bed! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Tuesday 16 May

Why do ice rinks always have such dreadfully uncomfortable seats? It simply isn't possible to sit and watch a competition all day without developing a servere backache!

Today started with the distressing discovery that I had somehow miscalculated the number of pairs of pants (underpants, if you are American) that I would need, so I had to fish the worn pairs out of the dirty laundry bag and wash them. It is far too wet for anything to dry, so they are hanging up in the shower, still damp!

Once that was done, I popped over to Norma for some necessities while the Swan Whisperer used the services, and then we set off for the rink as the forecast rain started.

We basically stayed there, grabbing a sandwich from the café at lunch time. I did a tai chi practice outside during one resurface, and enjoyed a glimpse of the local cows (difficult to see in this photo)

but by about 4:30 my back was killing me, so I came back to the WoMo and treated myself to a cake from the new bakery with a cup of tea,

and then, because I was cold, snuggled down in a rug. There may have been a nap...

The Swan Whisperer came  in at that moment, and we had the ready-meal I had bought earlier which was not very nice as it was too dry. Now we are  closing up to keep the heat in. And I, for one, am going to bed early! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Monday 15 May

The skating started this afternoon, although there was nothing we wanted to see until about 5 pm. So this morning I went for another walk around Oberstdorf, and this time did a bit of shopping. I had given myself  permission to take the bus back, with a fairly heavy bag, but I just missed one by the skin of my teeth, and the next one wasn't for another 15 minutes and it was raining, so I walked back.

Had I known the weather was going to be glorious, i'd have saved my walk until this afternoon because, contrary to all the forecasts, the sun came out and it was positively hot! The forecast for tomorrow and Wednesday is still dire, though. Anyway, the Swan Whisperer did go for a walk, and when he came back there was time for a cup of tea before we head to to the rink. The mountains were looking lovely in the sunshine,

although there were clouds descending on one of them.

We enjoyed catching up with various friends and acquaintances in the rink, and watching some of our friends skate. We are all getting old now, though, and more and more of our friends have given up - there are  younger ones coming along all the time, of course, but few that we know. Still, always enjoyable to watch those we do know! Even if we didn't always agree with the judges in the artistic category.

Once we had seen all the skaters we wanted to see, we came back to the WoMo and ate cold chicken and salad, followed my melon, followed by cheese and biscuits! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Sunday 14 May

I am not sure whether it was the church bells or the cowbells that woke me this morning! Could have been either, as I'm so deaf I could only hear them faintly! But very much the typical Oberstdorf alarm clock.

After breakfast it was lovely not to have to hurry to get ready to leave or to go and do something before leaving! We do have to keep very tidy, though, as the living space is so small. But I enjoyed my coffee slowly, feeling no pressure to finish it!

When I had finished it, we went over to the new bakery to get rolls for lunch and a Sunday cake each.

Then we went our separate ways - he used the services and, I think, went for a walk, while I went down into the town to remind myself where things were - almost all the shops were shut, of course, this being Sunday, but it was good to see where they were. But in all the years we've been coming here, I don't remember Oberstdorf liqueur and/or chocolates.

Nor a shop selling soap made from the milk of Oberstdorf cows!

Anyway, I walked in up to the rink, delighted to find I didn't even want to take the bus, never mind need to, and went in to say hello to loads of friends - I'd met one lot as I set out and we had stopped to exchange news. Then back to the WoMo in time to listen to our church service. We tried to listen together, but it worked better in the end to use our respective bluetooths on our phones.

Then lunch, and then I went to sleep while the SW had another walk, in the rain this time, and then a quiet afternoon reading until it was time to get supper. I found I wasn't very hungry, and rather wished I'd only had half my cake at lunch. Ah well. 

The competition starts tomorrow; I expect I shall go and watch quite a lot of it, but not all! I have bought my ticket, though. 

Oberstdorf 2023, Saturday 13 May

Oberstdorf Allgäu

I don't know whether I was overtired, or what, but I slept very badly, and today started horribly early as the Swan Whisperer wanted to do a parkrun some 35 km from where we had spent the night. We parked up there, rather on a slope, which made having a shower rather difficult as the water pooled on the back of the cabinet.

I decided that toast was too ambitious for me with that slope, so had a fried egg sandwich for my breakfast. When the SW got back after what he said was a very hilly run (25'44", and a new course record for his age band), he did make toast to go with his fried egg.

We decided that, as we were less than 3 hours' drive from Oberstdorf, and had nothing planned to do at wherever we had planned to spend the night, it was silly not to go straight there. So, after stopping to do a small shop at a convenient ReWe, that is what we did. We stopped for lunch at a random rest area, and again 20.minutes later to do the washing up, as the used plates are rattling so loudly. Then we stopped at Memmingen to get diesel and then straight here, even if the Satnav did take us the pretty way! We assume it thought it was quicker.

Anyway, just as we got here the rain stopped, so we parked up and had a cup of tea before the SW went into town to get cash and I popped into Norma to see what they had, which turned out to be a pair of blue canvas shoes, which I wanted anyway, and some potato salad. Also, there is a new bakery between here and Norma, which will be open tomorrow (bakeries are about the only shops in Germany that  open on Sundays and public holidays, although the tourist shops might). So looking forward to getting tomorrow's lunch rolls from there.

It hadn't rained since we arrived, but it's not exactly sunny, and the forecast isn't good. Oh well, that's what you get in the Alps in May. 

Oberstdorf 2023, Friday 12 May

Weil der Stadt, near Stuttgart

(That appears to translate as "Because the town", which  makes me wonder Because the town what!)

So today was All About Speyer. Our first stop was the Technik Museum, which has been on the Swan Whisperer's bucket list since we visited the sister museum at Sinsheim some twelve years ago now. He and I have learnt, over the years, that we enjoy museums more if we split up and arrange to meet at a given place and time. There was a coffee bar just at the entrance, so we agreed to meet there at 11:30, it now being 09:45.

I did rather love the museum - I knew I would - but, sadly, many of the exhibits such as the inside of the 747 or any of the other planes, for that matter, we're up terrifically long flights of steep and/or spiral metal stairs, which I knew I couldn't manage. You couldn't expect them to put lifts in everywhere, but one or two would have been nice!

However, I had a very happy time pottering around mostly on the level, although I did go up to one gallery to see a model railway. The main hall was arguably the most interesting, although one couldn't not visit the space exhibitions with a Russian space shuttle

and so on. But what I really loved was outside, with trains

and boats

and planes.... And inside, a "proper " Paris bus of the kind I used to use regularly  when I lived there, 50 years ago! 

When I was done, I went to the coffee shop and waited for the SW, and when he had had his coffee we walked on into the town, across a park, and visited the Cathedral. Then we looked up local places to have lunch, and found a very nice café that did us a do good light meal,

and then a rhubarb cake for the SW, and an ice for me.

After which we walked back to the WoMo, used the services and headed on south to this aire in Weil der Stadt, which is in an Edeka car park, and we were lucky enough to get the last place! I did some shopping, and now have enough food for the weekend (I didn't use that sauce last night as the veg had made so much gravy it didn't need it), so, except perhaps for la for lunch and maybe a bottle of wine, I won't need to shop until Monday in Oberstdorf!

Oberstdorf 2023, Thursday 11 May

Speyer, Germany

We had a really lovely morning at the Thermapolis spa in Amnéville. We went there last year, and will definitely go again! Well worth the detour. My smartwatch said I had swum 600 metres, which of course is ridiculous - it was mostly being carried round the lazy river. And getting a wonderful water massage on thighs, legs, bum, back and shoulders! Brilliant.

After which, it was quite a comedown to have to shop, but I hadn't shopped since we left home and we were running low on staples. We ate in the supermarket car park, including delicious Gariguette strawberries and cream,

and then drove here to Speyer. Roads not at all bad, although there was one horribly bendy bit - I had  been asleep, and it woke me up!

We are parked up in a motorhome site next door to the museum,

which we have long wanted to visit, and will do in the morning. We loved the one at Sinsheim, years ago now, and this has been on the SW's bucket list for a very long time. The aire is quite expensive, but all-inclusive, which is nice.

Sadly, the aubergine pasta I had planned for supper can't happen, as the aubergine had gone mouldy, so we are having a clean-the-fridge vegetable stew with a sauce I happened to buy in the supermarket to see if it was nice! 

Oberstdorf 2023, Wednesday 10 May.

Amnéville, France

Oh dear, what a day! Last night I discovered that the bag with things like my dry mouth spray and favourite essential oils had been left at home (fortunately not my medication, and I did have spares of the most important things). Then this morning the Swan Whisperer said we must have left the eggs at home as there they weren't! I said I knew I'd packed them (I remembered doing so), but I couldn't see them, either! So the SW said he would look in the boot. But where were his keys? Again, they weren't anywhere he expected to find them. Last time he'd used them had been when he turned on the gas, but they weren't in the lock and they weren't in the locker with the cylinders, either - he borrowed my keys to check. Finally he found them in the container beside his bed, and then remembered that he had accidentally emptied his pockets when undressing last night!  Whereupon he did look in the boot for the eggs, and there they were!

It was far too wet to go for our planned walk along the canal, which was disappointing, so we set off on the next leg of our journey instead.

The first part of our drive was incredibly stressful as it was pouring with rain and the Belgian motorways were as rammed as usual, so incredible amounts of spray! But eventually the rain stopped and we decided to call in at the Euro Space Centre, which we had some trouble finding! We had been before, some 11 or 12 years ago now, and it was not as nice as we remembered. There had been a small visitor centre and you didn't have to go into the (eye-wateringly expensive) museum to see anything of interest. We did look round the gift shop, and while there was some stuff we could have bought for the grandsons, we were not sure whether they are "into" space and astronomy and that sort of thing, so we didn't.

Then we drove on through gradually improving weather through the rest of Belgium, and then through Luxembourg, where we stopped for (relatively) cheap diesel, and into France. We are parked up in a Camping-Car park in Amnéville, where we have stayed before, too go to the Thermapolis spa baths. We thought of going this evening, but the OAP discount ends at 16:00, which it then was, so we decided to wait for the morning. 

Technology hates me today! They're is a tai chi Zoom class on Wednesday evenings, which I wanted to join, so the SW kindly said he would get supper. But as he didn't know how to make the planned asparagus risotto, I wrote out the details for him and posted them to my recipe blog. But Facebook, when I linked it, decided asparagus risotto must be some kind of weapon or something rude, and gave me a warning! And my Bluetooth keyboard isn't working properly! 

Then I couldn't get my tablet to get the sound right for my class, so had to join on my phone, which was not ideal, and then my smartwatch didn't record the class although I could have sworn I'd set it to! Truly, technology hates me! But the risotto was delicious! 

Oberstdorf 2023; Tuesday 9 May

We are not yet, of course, actually in Oberstdorf; in fact, today we have only gone as far as Maurage in Belgium, where we are parked up beside the canal. 

We got up at sparrowfart this morning, had a quick breakfast and then loaded the car and were away before 7:00, arriving in Sussex at about 08:45. We unloaded the car into the WoMo, and put away the things that really had to be put away, leaving clothes and bedding for later. We then drove it round to No 6, only to find that my sister was doing her Pilates class so the family weren't ready to take us round the woods. We should have walked... 

Anyway, I helped my mother make salad - we had leftover cold chicken and Coronation dressing, which we shared with them. When my sister was ready, we went for a drive round the woods to see the bluebells and other wild flowers. There is a lot of comfrey - boneset - but I didn't take a picture of it.

 

Lunch was early, as my mother and sister were going out, and we needed to get on, so after the meal we said our goodbyes and headed off to Folkestone. I slept through most of the motorway bit. 

Quite unlike last time, we were offered a crossing half an hour earlier than scheduled, and got through Passport Control with no delays at all. After that it was a very easy, if dull, run to our overnight place, although at the last minute we had to divert due to a road closure. It was pouring with rain, although this has now stopped, and we were hungry, so supper was the end of the chicken hotted up in some stock, baby new potatoes and tenderstem broccoli, and very good it was, too. Followed by yoghurt, and now a cup of tea with biscuits and cheese! 

On the Buses

Today, 29 April, was All Change on many of London's bus routes.  Three of the routes involved went through Brixton, so it was a no-brainer to travel on them and see what had changed.  The Swan Whisperer did a parkrun, and I did tai chi, and we met up outside Brixton Library at 10:30 to catch our first bus of the day, the no 3.

Now, the 3 used to go to Horse Guards (back in the day, it went further, up Regent Street, I think, but can't really remember), but from today it goes to Victoria Station.  It really wouldn't be the sensible option normally, as it is a lot longer than the 2, which is the main bus between Brixton and Victoria; however I can see that it does provide useful links once you are in Kennington.  Instead of turning left after crossing Lambeth Bridge, it goes straight on up Horseferry Road and Artillery Row before turning left into Victoria Street, and so to Victoria Station.

Our next bus was a no 11.  This used to be the best bus in London, running from Chelsea all the way over to Liverpool Street Station, and it was the route you recommended to tourists as a great way of seeing many of the sights without having to take an expensive tour.  I believe much of its former route - up Whitehall, along  Fleet Street to St Paul's Cathedral, and so on, has been taken over by the 26, which we need to explore sometime.  Anyway, its new route after Victoria was very dull - straight down Victoria Street, over Westminster Bridge, and so to Waterloo.

The next bus that interests us is the 59, on which I used to commute to Russell Square when I was working in the area.  Alas, no more - if I want to go to that area by bus in future, I'll have to change at Waterloo on to a 68.  However, the bus does now go over to Smithfield and St Bartholomew's Hospital, turning right at Holborn and going along High Holborn, Chancery Lane and Newgate Street to get there.  Our journey was slightly spoiled by the driver's forgetting that the bus stop at Waterloo had changed, so we had to run to catch it, and then the driver, presumably annoyed with himself, was grumpy.

By the time we got to Smithfield, it was about 12:00, so we decided to walk back along the route to Red Lion Square where the rerouted 133 now starts.  It, too, used to go to Liverpool Street, but now goes to Holborn instead.  It was a lovely walk along a part of London we really don't know at all.  With distant views of St Paul's Cathedral

north from Holborn Viaduct

and distant views of the Post Office tower (now, I believe, known as Telecom Tower):

When we were nearly there, we stopped and got some lunch in a nearby Prets, and then found the first stop for the 133.  Unlike the 3 and the 11, not all the bus stops have been updated to reflect the new routes.  This one had, though: 

but in fact, the 59 and the 133, which both start in Streatham and go through Brixton, are going in opposite directions along the route!  The 133 now goes past St Paul's Cathedral, which will be useful as and when we want to go to that area.

We had great fun this morning, but in many ways I'm not impressed with TfL's route changes.  So often now one has to change buses instead of a route going directly.  TfL will say it's not a big deal since you don't have to pay another fare, but that's not really an issue for people with passes, etc, which I think a majority of  people have, except tourists and those who no longer commute regularly.  But really, it means that one will have to allow a good ten minutes longer for a given journey, and what about those with mobility issues, heavy luggage, or small children?  What if it's raining?   Fares are not the only issue!  

Still, we had fun, and maybe one day we'll do the trip in reverse - starting with the 133, walking back to Smithfield and taking the 59 as far as Waterloo, then the 11 back to Victoria and the 3 back to Brixton!

Another day on the river

 My family have developed a very nice habit of giving the Swan Whisperer Experience vouchers for Christmas, which we then like to redeem around the time of our wedding anniversary.  This year, my sister gave us tickets to the Abba Voyage concert, which we went to last week and both thoroughly enjoyed. It was amazing, and I do recommend it if you ever get a chance.

Meanwhile, my mother gave us the treat of a champagne afternoon tea at the Courthouse Hotel, Soho AND (it came as a package, but was two separate Experiences really) a day trip on the Thames with City Cruises.  We redeemed the afternoon tea on Friday, which was our anniversary, and very good it was, too! 

Then today we went on the river.

We didn't actually profit very much from the Hop-On, Hop-Off, as the cruises only stop at 2 places between Westminster and Greenwich, which are the London Eye and the Tower.  But we went down to Greenwich, which was a lovely trip in itself. 

We were hungry when we arrived, and there is a branch of Zizzi just by the pier, so went in there for lunch.  I had Chicken calabrese 

which was delicious, followed by an ice-cream sundae.  Also delicious!  Then we went for a walk around the Cutty Sark

and the old Royal Palace (now a university and the National Maritime Museum),

and then back to catch the next boat back upstream.  There were superb views,

but oh dear, the live commentary was dire - almost the same jokes as going down, but badly delivered, and he was totally patronising about the women (who he called "ladies") who built Waterloo Bridge.  I was very unimpressed, and even if I'd had any cash on me would not have left a tip.

We had planned to get off at the London Eye, but it didn't stop there on the way back, so we got off at Westminster Pier, and then walked up to Whitehall through the public subway at Westminster Station, and then eventually - it was rush hour by then - on a bus home!

Early spring holiday, 8 March 2023

Sangatte, Pas-de-Calais. 

This holiday is very nearly over. The drawers, which less than two weeks ago were bursting at the seams with clean clothes, now have just one or two sad garments lying around on the bottom - clean clothes for tomorrow, and the "spares" that have not, thus far, been needed. 

It began to rain last evening while we were parked up at St-André-de-l'Eure, and rained on and off all night. I do rather love lying in bed listening to the rain on the roof! 

I decided to go and buy the bread and croissants for today's breakfast, enjoying such sights as St-André-de-l'Eure had to offer en route.

Sadly, the first bakery I came to, the woman greeted me pleasantly enough but then absolutely refused point-blank to take a "foreign" credit card, and was really rather rude. The French have this image of being rude to their customers, but until now I have never found this to be the case. So I went across the road to the local Spar, which had lovely fresh baguettes (still warm) and the croissant and pain au chocolat I wanted, and the young man who served me couldn't have been nicer. 

After breakfast, we used the services and then drove on for what seemed like ages up to Abbeville, so I could do a Last Shop in the Hyper-U there, getting various bits and pieces for my mother to enjoy sharing with my sister as well as stuff for us. By the time I had done that, lunch was really rather late! 

After it, we set off up the motorway in the pouring rain, but just before we turned off to Sangatte, we saw that the ground was covered with snow!

We quite thought we had left all that behind in the Massif Central! We knew, of course, that it had been snowing in the UK, but didn't realise it had also crossed the channel. Fortunately the roads and so on were clear, so no problems. 

And so tomorrow we will be packing up and heading home. Unlike our holiday this time last year, we didn't find the spring. It is much later this year, and I regret not having packed warmer clothes! But eventually the spring will come, and in May we hope to be off again to Oberstdorf. 

Early spring holiday, 7 March 2023

St-André-de-l Eure. 

I felt a very great deal better today, although not up to walking into Montrichard as well as round it and back again. The Swan Whisperer did go in first thing to buy fresh bread and croissants - the first time we have had them this holiday, and found a large car park in the middle of town so that we could drive up there and park up while we went for what could only be described as a potter around the centre, and, briefly, along the Cher. 

When we got back to the WoMo, I nipped into a very convenient Carrefour City and bought eggs, which we needed, and then it was time to drive on another couple of kilometres to this aire, at St-André-de-l'Eure. The SW went for a walk that was longer and duller than he anticipated, but I expect the town centre will be rather nice. I might volunteer to get up early and get the croissants tomorrow, which will be the last full day of our holiday, so will have to include a mammoth shop! We do already have tomatoes.... 

Early spring holiday, 6 March 2023

Montrichard, Cher

When I told my mother on the phone that I was very well, I meant it. But, alas, as the evening wore on I started to feel rather dizzy and faint, didn't want my supper, and then couldn't sleep. So although I felt a bit better this morning, I wasn't able to walk round Lac Ponty, which I had been looking forward to doing, and, in fact, haven't left the WoMo all day. And to add insult to injury, I misprogrammed the Satnav and we ended up in the middle of nowhere after a very long drive. Found a Camping-Car Park not too far away, so we are here for the night, but ut is not the dairy farm we had intended! 

No photos today, so here is one the Swan Whisperer took the other day of the Pyrenees from Rébénacq. 

Early spring holiday, 5 March 2023

Ussel, Corrèze

It was a bitterly old night again, and a sharp frost this morning. After breakfast, we went on a lovely ramble round La Cavalerie, which has a lovely section inside the ramparts.

Lots more photos on Facebook. 

After this, we had planned to drive into Millau, but found in time that the Auchan there isn't open at all on Sundays, so we made a quick trip to the local Spar on the outskirts of La Cavalerie for milk and bread - I scored a lovely fresh baguette, still hot; at lunch I was just eating it by itself, it was so good and fresh! Lucky I picked it up as I went into the shop, though, as by the time I was ready to pay, they had all gone! 

We decided to drive over the Millau viaduct 

instead of going through the town, and then continued up the A75, trying unsuccessfully to listen to our church's Zoom service, but the preacher's microphone wasn't on and we could only hear the hymns, so eventually turned it off and listened to Gospel hymns on YouTube music instead! We came off the motorway to drive up to the Garabit viaduct - quite why we didn't just go into the aire, I do not know, but I wasn't driving! Anyway, we were lucky enough to see the one train a day (presumably there is one in the other direction, too) go over it. 

The Swan Whisperer took it upon himself to change where I had originally planned for us to spend the night, and we are alone in this campsite just outside a town called Ussel, in Corrèze. We are by a lake, and I hope to walk round it in the morning - it is not as big as the Ramée at Tournefeuille. It is called Lac Ponty, which amuses me as when I was at boarding-school, that was our name for the loo!

It was a very scenic drive to get here, and I have taken far too many photographs, which will be in a separate post on Facebook. 

Early spring holiday, 4 March 2023

La Cavalerie, Aveyron

Lovely to wake up at Mas Alart this morning!

The Swan Whisperer went for a run, as he always does here. After breakfast we said goodbye to our hosts, and headed on. First port of call was the local Lidl. In hindsight, I should have walked there - it is only about a kilometre, if that - and let the Swan Whisperer pick me up, but that didn't occur to me. 

After shopping, we drove down to the beach at St-Cyprien, and walked down to look at the Mediterranean. The SW dipped his hand in, as he had done in the Atlantic at Hossegor a couple of days ago. I find walking on sand too tiring, so went back to the WoMo once I'd taken a few photos. 

We drove a little further to the fishing village just outside Canet-en-Roussillon, which we had been to before, and enjoyed a walk around it. We had hoped to go on a trail to what was called a "grau" on the beach opposite, but again it was all sand, so we just took a photo of what looked like a stone pier.

It was very windy when we walked north along the lake, and we were glad to turn back. Not a long walk today, only about a mile, but enjoyable, nonetheless. 

It wasn't quite time for lunch, so we drove on to Toreilles and had hoped to have lunch beside the sea there but, alas, the road ends some distance from the sea. So we ended up parking in the reception area of a closed campsite to have our lunch! 

Although we had a long way to go today, the Satnav said it was only half an hour longer if we didn't pay toll, so we decided to do that. We drove cross-country (although the roads were excellent) to Beziers, where we were able to get on the A75 and drive up it almost to Millau, where we have parked up in the village of La Cavalerie, which we did drive through last time. The SW has explored - sadly, the local bakery is on its annual holiday, so still no croissants for breakfast! And tomorrow we will explore before heading north. 

Early spring holiday, 3 March 2023

Mas Alart, Saleilles

Well, I did it! I walked all round the lake at Tournefeuille, a distance of almost 5K! This isn't much, but is huge for me, as I haven't been able to do so much since (a) having blood clots in 2017 and then, just as I was pretty much recovered, going down with Covid in March of 2020. I did use my trekking poles to help, mind, but could probably have managed without. Infuriatingly, my smartwatch stopped recording 2/3 of the way round. It has become very unreliable of late, and will be replaced when I get home! 

So after my walk - the Swan Whisperer had run the distance before breakfast, of course - we headed off towards Saleilles, stopping first of all to buy quiches and bread for lunch and then at Carcassonne to eat said quiches. We had travelled on the motorway up until then, but decided to come off and go via Limoux and Quillan, along the lovely D118 and 117. I knew we had gone along the latter about 18 months ago, but had no memory of stopping overnight at Limoux until I reread my blog for that day! It is an amazing road - there are sections cut through rocks, fast dual carriageway sections (none of them very long, though) and pretty little towns and villages along the route. Then suddenly you are in Perpignan and traffic, and then out the other side and going past roundabout and roundabout to get to Saleilles. 

The shop was open when we arrived, and we were recognised and warmly welcomed. We stocked up, needless to say! It is a lot less cold here, although very far from hot. And tomorrow we will be have to go and have a look at the Mediterranean before heading north! 

Early spring holiday, 2 March 2023

Tournefeuille, Toulouse. 

The fine weather that we have been enjoying for the past few days has abandoned us, and today has been very grey and dreich, although not exactly raining. Which is sad, because I didn't take a photo of the snow-capped Pyrenees yesterday, as I thought they might not come out, and today they were not visible to take a photo of! 

Our first port of call this morning was a Super U to buy another cube of gas and some groceries - I was pleased to find loo stuff, which we were getting low on. Also oat milk, which I had not seen here before, and which I prefer on my cereal. 

We had hoped to visit Paul this morning, but when we had parked, we realised that the car park we usually use was quite a lot nearer the station and the funicular, so we headed towards it, only to find that it was out of use due to Works, and we had no way of turning round! We couldn't find another parking space - didn't really expect to, on a weekday, so headed on a long cross-country drive, down many typical French avenues,

to Tournefeuille, a suburb of Toulouse. We have been here before, in 2019, for the SW to do a parkrun, but, sadly, parkruns have had to be stopped in France due to regulations about organised sporting activity here. Anyway, tomorrow is Friday, not Saturday! 

By the time we got here, there was just about time to have a cup of tea and a little cake before the SW had to have a meeting on Zoom, followed by another one on Teams, which he is doing in the bedroom. It is almost dark, so I am going to close up in here and think about supper!