Christmas Markets, 10 December 2023

Strasbourg, Alsace.

It was a very wet and windy night, and the Swan Whisperer decided not to go for a run this morning. Indeed, had we been at home, it was the kind of day that I would have eaten my breakfast before washing and dressing (except not, as it's Sunday and I would probably have been preaching, so wouldn't have been able to lounge around in night clothes all morning!).

We didn't have to leave the campsite until noon, so the SW did go for a bit of a walk; I stayed in and did puzzles and knitted. We did try to use the services before we left, but there was no water, and although I think we could have got a token from reception, we decided to leave it until we arrived here in Strasbourg. We did empty the grey, though. 

The SW had wanted to park up by a lake about halfway to Strasbourg, but in fact, it it didn't really allow cars to go to its shores, never mind motor homes. So we parked up in a nearby supermarket car park, fully expecting it to be empty as French supermarkets close at noon on Sundays, if they open at all. But it seems to have stayed open - I believe they are allowed to be open all day on a few Sundays a year, most of which they save up for the Sundays in Advent. Not that we needed anything, so I didn't go shopping. After we had listened to our church service - not all of it audible, I have to say - we had lunch and then the SW went for a short walk down to the lake. 

Then we drove to this camp in Strasbourg, checked in and used the services, and then found our designated site. After a cup of tea, during which we researched public transport options (Citymapper works here, so useful!), and what to do about tickets. There was an app to download for them, and after some discussion, we each bought a 3-day travelcard. We are only here for two days, but we may want to do a last dash in to Strasbourg on Tuesday morning, you never know! 

It is very easy to get into the town centre; there is a bus stop about 400 metres away (and, of course, Citymapper could tell us how long we would have to wait), and then you change on to a tram one stop up the road. 

It was not raining, and was fairly mild. We had a lovely walk round the Broglie market - the oldest, and, I believe, the first in Europe - which was, of course, very crowded. We then walked down to Kleber, and the giant Christmas tree

there. That was even more crowded, and we decided that maybe it, and the market round the Cathedral, would be best kept until tomorrow when it will, hopefully, be less crowded. 

We then walked down to Petite France, which the Swan Whisperer likes, and saw the illuminations there.

By this time, I had rather had enough, so we walked up to the tram stop, and one came along in a very few minutes. We should probably have walked back to the campsite rather than waiting 10 minutes for a bus, but it was worth it, especially as we got a bit lost trying to find the WoMo! 

But we found it in the end, and settled down to choucroute for supper, and watching Countryfile on my tablet. 

Christmas Markets, 9 December 2023

Obernai, Alsace 

As we were in no rush this morning, the Swan Whisperer went and bought croissants and a baguette before breakfast, and after it he went for a long walk. Which he didn't enjoy as much as the earlier one he had done, as there was a shooting-party going on, with guns stationed all down the path he wanted to go down, so he had to go to another chateau instead, which he said wasn't so nice.

Once he was back, we used he services and then headed on to a very nice Super U which not only had the supermarket and "Drive" (Click and Collect), but also dedicated motorhome parking, services and launderette, and the petrol station sold gas, which was perfect as we ran out over lunch! So the SW was able to walk over there with the empty cube and return with a full one.

But when we arrived at the campsite, we discovered, to our horror, that I had accidentally booked us in for tomorrow, not tonight! But the extremely nice woman in reception said not to worry, she would fit us in somehow, and to be sure to double-check our booking for Strasbourg as she knew it was full! I did double check, and it's fine! 

We parked up and had a cup of tea, and then went to avail ourselves of the free shuttle into the Christmas markets there. Which were okay - rather smaller than I was expecting, but all the usual things. And the local restaurants were all open and doing a roaring trade, even though it was only about 5:00 pm. We treated ourselves to a mulled wine from a stall, and had a good walk round, getting slightly lost on the way back. 

However, we  found the church that was our landmark, and went in there to see the advertised exhibition of Christmas cribs, to find that we had also come in for the end of a free concert by a local choir. They included a song called "Christmas in Jerusalem", which the choir mistress said had been chosen before 7 October, but felt it was appropriate to include it as it was about three people from different religious traditions celebrating together in joy and peace.  After which, we looked at the cribs before getting the free shuttle back to the campsite. 

Strasbourg tomorrow, for two nights, and then we start for home. 

Christmas Markets, 8 December 2023

Andlau, Alsace

The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, and then went to get croissants for breakfast.

We then spent the morning reading, etc - I may have fallen asleep at some stage and had a vivid dream! But at about 12:15 we got ready to explore this little town. 

Well! For somewhere we had never heard of, and which we only went to because we were desperate to find somewhere to spend two nights, Andlau is a simply lovely place and deserves to be more widely known! We had a lovely walk round it, stopping to take lots of photos of the lovely old houses,

and then we had lunch in a restaurant called Le Boeuf Rouge. We were lucky to get a seat there, actually. Sadly, although they advertised flammekuechen, they only serve them in the evenings, so we had galette de pommes de terre with salad and Munster cheese, including a huge slab of it which I wrapped up in my napkin to take home. Then the SW had Black Forest Gateau and a coffee, and I had a "Café Gourmand", which was lovely, but really rather greedy! 

After this, we went across the square to the local museum, called La Seigneurie, which was superb value for €5 each. Three floors of exhibition space about the local area, including a large room devoted to religious observance, and lots of explanations about the differences between Protestant, Catholic and Jewish worship. Also information about the ruling family, the d'Andlaus, who had lived in the Seigneurie when it was a residence. It was very interesting, and I was sorry that we were the only two visitors. 

Then back to the WoMo, where we have spent the rest of the day. We did not want much in the way of supper! 

Christmas Markets, 7 December 2023

We were very comfortable, if cold, spending the night in the car park at Sélestat. Of course, there was no electricity, so we had to rather ration the heating.

We thought we had better go to Ribeauvillé as soon as possible, to try to get a space in the aire there, but we stopped at Lidl en route to see if they sold mulled wine (of course they didn't - can you really see the French selling it in bottles?), and by the time we got to Ribeauvillé, it was too late, too late... And by the time we realised it was going to be too late, there was a long queue of hopeful motorhome waiting to try to get in!

So I said sod this for a game of soldiers, and we looked up Camping-Car parks, which have the merit of telling you how many spaces they have available! The nearest one was at Dambach-la-Ville, but although it was very nice and there was space, it was rather in the middle of nowhere. This one, at Andlau, is much nearer the centre of the village. 

I was fairly tired today, so didn't go out except for walking round Lidl, but this is Swan Whisperer territory par excellence, and he went for a long, healthy walk this afternoon which he thoroughly enjoyed, while I stayed in and read and did puzzles and so on. 

When he came in, we had a cup of tea, and may have dozed off for a bit. Then it was time to get supper, and I cooked a chicken, leek and mushroom casserole, which I served with mashed potatoes and carrots and Brussels sprouts. Followed by yoghurt. It was lovely! 

We plan to stay here tomorrow - I want to walk round the village, and there is a restaurant we might go to, for lunch if not for supper. And I expect the SW will want another long, healthy walk. I did ring the campsite where we are going on Saturday night on the off-chance that they would have space for us tomorrow night as well, but they sadly didn't. 

I haven't taken any photos today, so here is one I took last night. 

Christmas Markets, 6 December 2023

Sélestat, St Nicholas Day

Today seems mostly to have been taken up with finding somewhere to spend the night! We had hoped to go to Colmar for the next two nights, but hadn't been able to book into the campsite, and this morning someone reported on Park4night that the aire there was full. So we thought we would try Egolsheim, where there was a very nice, if expensive, aire. Unfortunately, however, the Swan Whisperer had been for a run (not really unfortunate - he loves it) and we were held up more by an extremely slow convoy on the motorway, so by the time we got to Egolsheim, it too was full. So we used the services and had a bit of a think. Finally we decided to come here to Sélestat, where the aire turned out also to be full, but there is a big, free car park just outside, and we are not the only motor home to have taken advantage of it!  So after lunch the Swan Whisperer went for an explore while I had a rest, and after a cup of tea we went for a very pretty walk round the Christmas markets here. They are so much better after dark!

There was an exhibition and stalls in what I think most have been a community centre of some kind, with stalls and, on the top floor, an exhibition of Christmas tables, some of which we liked, and some we didn't.

I am not very good at taking photos at night, but such others as came out will be on Facebook. After wandering around, we came back to the motor home, but the stall en route that said it had mulled wine didn't seem to, when push came to shove, but only sold horrid churros. We didn't bring any from Lidl (will have a look tomorrow to see if they do it here), so had to make do with beer, and then I cooked a butternut squash and chickpea curry for supper, which was lovely. And then it was time for the Advent course on Zoom, and now it is bedtime! The weather seems to have improved and there was hardly any rain! Long may that last. 

Christmas Markets, 5 December 2023

Ecomusée Alsace

We were too hot in the night, as the electric heating kept the WoMo lovely and warm. I slept fairly well, but the Swan Whisperer says he didn't, which is not surprising given that he had had no exercise!

We were away by 09:30 for another long, long drive across France, stopping only for a quick shopping and top-up of diesel, and then later for lunch. We finally got here about 15:45, just in time for the museum's reduced-price entry to kick in.

We were a little disappointed by the museum; somehow it wasn't nearly as good as we remembered from a few years ago. On our last visit at this time of year, there had been some sort of Christmas pageant, which I had not felt well enough to attend and the Swan Whisperer hadn't understood, but nothing like that seemed to be on offer today.

Lots of Christmassy decorations, and a very splendid Santa's grotto, with the elves busily stacking his sleigh, and carols - proper carols, not Christmas songs (but why English ones?) were played, but it was difficult to see which houses were open and which weren't, plus it was cold and drizzling, so I was quite glad to come away.

There is a restaurant which is both in the museum and in the nearby hotel, which said it was open for dinner, but its website hadn't been updated since 2021, when it would not have been, so we didn't try. I had been going to cook, but fell asleep, and in the end the Swan Whisperer made a demigod cheese and tomato omelette with leeks and chips, which was gorgeous!

No heating tonight, other than a quick blast before supper, as we are not on electricity, so we have retired to bed for the sake of warmth, and will read or watch videos until it is time to snuggle down. 

Christmas Markets, 4 December 2023

Clermont-en-Argonne

I had just got off to sleep last night when the fridge started beeping at us plaintively to tell us we were out of gas! So the Swan Whisperer got out of bed and went to change the gas, but after a few minutes, the fridge beeped again. So I got out and reset it, but then of course I was lying awake waiting for it to start beeping again (it didn't) and then wondering whether the Swan Whisperer had relocked the door when he came in (he hadn't), and whether I needed a wee (I did). So it was about 4:30 am before I finally got off to sleep. French time of course, but even still. 

However, it had not frozen overnight, although it was very cold. But a blast of the central heating meant that it was warm to shower and dress (I refused to get out of bed until it had been blasting for several minutes!). We had breakfast, although it was raining so hard that the SW declined to go for a run or even to go and fetch croissants. Nevertheless, it was about 10 before we finally used the services and set off.

Our first port of call was the local Auchan, where the SW got diesel and more gas, and I did a shopping. I'm sure that place is six times bigger than it was when I was last there. One nice thing is that I got a new loyalty card last time I was there, and it is on my phone, and I was able to use it for scan'n'shop. They have a rather clever system whereby you return your scanner to a slot outside the paying area, and then when you get to a till, you rescan your card so it knows who you are and what you have bought. I did have to have 3 items checked, which was just a random check,  probably because I hadn't used the system before, but that didn't take long. 

By then, the SW was back, although he had parked round the other side of the complex, so I had to go back through the mall to get to him. Thank goodness for Google location sharing services, as when I zoomed in, I could see exactly where he was, and I didn't have to phone him and try to work it out from his description. 

Then it was a long, dreary, wet drive along the A26 - over 300 km of it. We did stop for lunch, but that was all. I slept in the morning, but after lunch did a bit of knitting while trying to find some music to listen to that wasn't boring. 

We have, as I thought been to this aire before, one winter's day when we were in desperate need of services and couldn't find any that were not locked out of use. Although we haven't used them this time, we know they are there, plus also showers and loos should we wish to use them. 

I tried to do a bit of a workout as I hadn't had much exercise, but it was cold and wet so I only lasted 5 minutes! But that breath of air was glorious and I felt the better for it. The SW has barely left the WoMo today, escept to use the services and to buy gas. Unlike him, but the weather has been so very horrible. 

However, because we have electricity here, the WoMo is lovely and warm. It won't be tomorrow, as we don't have any services where we plan to park up, but hey. We can go to bed early! 

I was just about to make a chickpea curry for supper - I mean, to the point of getting out the vegetables and spices - when I suddenly realised that one thing I forgot to pack was cooking oil! However, I had bought a ready-meal of kidneys in madeira sauce, which we both love, so we had that with spinach folded through it, and a potato-and-leek mash. Followed by those lovely French compotes with cream on the top. Delicious. I will get cooking oil tomorrow and we can have the curry then, unless we ďecide to eat at the Ecomusée. 

I suppose that if I were nice I could see whether we can stream Mastermind and University Challenge to our television. That, after all, is what VPNs are for. So nice not to have to go to bed more-or-less straight after supper, which we do have to when there isn't electricity. Gas is not finite, and it's a bore when it runs out in the middle of the night. Oh, and the SW has repaired his reading-light, or rather, installed a new one, so clever of him! So that's good, when we do go to bed early. 

Tonight's photo is of the bowl I bought last Holidays, very cheaply, to use as a mixing bowl when required and to mash potatoes in, as we didn't really have anything suitable. We could use the bottom of the steamer, but then you have to decant the water somewhere (it's not a good idea to put it down the sink as it makes the grey water reservoir smell even worse than it already does). 

Christmas Markets 3 December 2023

So we are off on our annual trip to the Christmas markets of Europe.  This time, we are going to Alsace, which we have done before and are looking forward to doing again. 

I was preaching this morning, so we couldn't set off until after that had happened, and by the time we got away it was about 11:45. It was a very smooth run down to Sussex - we had got the first 25 minutes or so of the journey just going down to church - and we arrived there just after 1. After a delicious lunch of soup (made by my mother), bread and cheese (supplied by us), we loaded up the WoMo and set off. We were away shortly before 4, and arrived at Folkestone just on 6 pm, to be offered a crossing an hour before our booked one. And in the event, we were loaded on to the one 90 minutes earlier, which was terrific. 

Even so, it was past 8 pm, French time, before we were parked up in the aire at Calais and cooking pasta and (pre-made) sauce for our supper. 

It is a bit colder here than it was in the UK, but not by much, and just as wet! The forecast for the UK had been horrible - snow and freezing rain - but in the event it was much milder than it had been. All the same, because the heating in the church I was preaching in had failed, we were really quite chilled. I am looking forward to curling up in bed with warm pyjamas and a hot-water bottle! 

I didn't take any photos today, so here is one of a ginger monster that I took yesterday on my way to tai chi! 

Early autumn holiday, 8 October 2023

Of course, when you actually want to wake up early, you don't stir until the alarm goes off at 07:30! So it was a bit of a rush to have breakfast, start packing up and be away shortly after 9, but we managed it.

It's about a 45-minute drive to Cité Europe, where I did a dash into Carrefour for the things I hadn't been able to get yesterday, and then we went straight to the terminal. We were offered a crossing 30 minutes earlier than the one we'd booked on, but I'm fact it was only 15 minutes earlier, which was as well given the length of time it took to get through passport control, etc. We only had to wait in the holding pens for about 5 minutes.

After which it was a smooth run to no 6, which was expecting us to a very delicious Sunday lunch, as my nephew and his partner were there, too. They all went out for a drive round the woods while we packed up and cleaned the WoMo, and then it was time to go delayed by the Swan Whisperer'leaving his phone on the WoMo and having to rush and retrieve it.

We got back to London about 7:30 or so, unloaded the car (the eggs got dropped, so supper was an omelette!), did a bare minimum of unpacking, and so to bed. 

Early autumn holiday, 7 October 2023

The last full day of our holiday, sadly. Still, it's time to go home.

We bade our hosts farewell, buying some more of their utterly delicious yoghurt while doing so, and then headed into a nearby town to do a Last Shop, only they didn't have citrus tea or the extremely delicious chickpea salad that we enjoyed and I'm not sure what it contained (I think parsley, lemon and garlic, and perhaps a little olive oil, but wouldn't swear to it) . So if there is time tomorrow I want to pop in to Auchan or Carrefour or somewhere similar. Not the end of the world if there isn't time.

After this, we drove to the beginning of one of the more famous "pavé" section of the various cycle races, especially Paris-Roubaix, the Pavé d'Arenberg, where we also had lunch as we had timed it well! 

We decided the aire in Calais was too soulless, not to mention too expensive, for a Last Night, so we decided to go to this very nice aire in Esquelbecq, where we have been before. No sign of the peacock, though!  It's about 45 minutes from Calais, so we'll have to get up betimes (we can, when we have to!). 

I had been asleep on the drive over, and the Swan Whisperer wanted to "rest his eyes" (ahem!), so I went out for a short walk in the immediate area, which is indeed as nice as he said it was last year! He did similar when I came back, although I'm not sure where he went. I went to the local convenience store, but they didn't have what I wanted, alas. Also looked round the church and the brewery (its shop, not the actual brewery). Photos on Facebook, as per. 

Early autumn holiday, 6 October 2023

Chèvrerie La Bêle Fontenoise

The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, and then after breakfast just sat; I thought he was recovering before heading for a walk round Rouen, but he said he was waiting for me! Miscommunication rules!

Anyway, we thought we would drive down to Chamery via a village called Chigny-les-Roses, where we hoped to be able to empty the loo. We couldn't find the services, alas, but we did find a France Passion place, where I might suggest we spend the night on a future trip. It's all very well driving through Champagne, but I'd really like to get a chance to taste the eponymous wine, and this doesn't seem to happen!

However, we arrived in Chamery a few minutes later, and, for some extraordinary reason, it occurred to the Swan Whisperer that as well as putting €2 into the machine, he could press the button - and the services worked! We have only been going there for the past eight years...

Anyway, we then decided to go to Epernay, rather out of our way, but we decided we'd like to visit a museum about champagne. Unfortunately, when we got there, there was nowhere to park, so we had to come away. After which we rather thought "sod this for a game of soldiers!" and drove up here, to this goat farm near Cambrai. This is brilliant! 

We went into the shop and bought some goat's cheese - I tell you, you haven't lived until you've tasted goats' cheese stuffed with chestnut puree, it's lush! The very friendly people told us where to park up, and then said we might want to go and watch the milking, which should happen about 6:00 pm (it was actually a little later). 

It was more than just watching the milking; the goats have to be milked in shifts, and the farmer spent the first shift showing the children (there was a group of young families who had come to shop and stayed to watch) where the milk came from, and encouraging them to squirt their mothers with milk direct from the teat! And showing them how they put on the clusters and so on. Interestingly, goats are much cleaner than cows, so he can milk them in his everyday clothes and doesn't have to wear rubber aprons and boots, like you do with cows. He also didn't wash the udders, or disinfect the clusters between goats, although he pointed out that the milk went straight to the dairy from the goat without coming into the open air in the meantime, and the clusters are disinfected for at least an hour after the end of milking. 

Once the first lot had finished and been released, he rather dismissed us, so we came back to the WoMo and have been there ever since. There are two camper-vans here as well as us, one Swiss and one German. 

We had some of the goats' yoghurt with fruit for supper pudding, and it was delicious - I shall buy some more tomorrow before we head on! 

Early autumn holiday, 5 October 2023

Reims

Well, I don't know what happened last night, but we both forgot all about Compline, and I was asleep before 9 pm! Slept really well all night, too!

This morning we went  for a walk round Troyes, which was lovely, although rather longer than anticipated as the way we thought would be a clever way back to the WoMo was longer than it looked on the map. Still very enjoyable, though. We did stop for a coffee, which was delicious and a much-needed rest.

Once we had got back to the WoMo, we headed off to Reims via Chalons-en-Champagne, where we stopped for lunch and to do some shopping. At Reims, the woman at the hostel said the site was full, but I asked her to let us in anyway to use the services. Sadly, the drain for the loo is blocked so we weren't able to empty it, but we could empty the grey and take on fresh water. And there was just one space left in the aire, so we grabbed it! The SW has, of course, gone for a walk, but even he had a nap first, although he says it's because his phone needed charging! I expect it did... 

Early autumn holiday, 4 October 2023

Troyes, Champagne

A very frustrating day! The Swan Whisperer having said it wasn't worth going into Is-sur-Tille, we didn't  bother, but once we had cleared up breakfast and used the services, we headed on. Now, what we hadn't realised was that if you turned left out of the CCP, rather than right as he had done last night, it was a much better way into town, pavements all the way, 100m from a convenience store - and the town itself, from that angle, looked quite nice and I should have liked to have visited it. But too late, too late, so we drove cross country, first to the Lac d'Orient, where the SW went for a walk, and then on to the village where we had hoped to spend the night.

It really was a lovely drive, though - beautiful countryside sprinkled with pretty villages, and we both really enjoyed it. We stopped at a big and very empty Auchan for shopping and lunch.

But when we got to the France Passion place where we had planned to spend the night, nobody was home and it was totally not obvious where to park. We waited for over an hour (having a cup of tea while we waited) and then came sadly away. Probably as well for my purse, as they sell alpaca wool and so on... The Swan Whisperer found this car park in Troyes, where we are parked up next to what I think is the Seine.

Early autumn holiday, 3 October 2023

Is-sur-Tille

This morning I overslept, which didn't really matter as we were in no hurry; all the same, it meant we didn't get away until after 10:30. We went for a lovely walk around the old town centre of Chalon-sur-Saône, which was rather beautiful. The Swan Whisperer, who had explored the previous evening, said one of the streets was very Euro-high-street, but when we explored it together, we realised it was mostly French chains, and very few international. So it was a typical French high street, but not necessarily European! 

We came back through the public park next to the aire, and hoped to cut through the botanical gardens, but when we got to the exit, it was locked, so we had to go back to the gate we had come in by and walk round it back to the WoMo. Not impressed! 

We then set off to a big Carrefour on the way out of town, mostly so the Swan Whisperer could get diesel. I did a bit of shopping, but was very restrained and didn't buy 6 sheep's yoghurts for the price of four, as I bought some rhubarb compote for him, which he loves (and some chestnut mousse for me to have while he's having them, as I dislike rhubarb). And I resisted (with difficulty) buying a box of two cream buns reduced for quick sale. 

Anyway, after that we basically drove up the "Route des grands crus" north to, and past, Dijon; we drove through Nuits Saint-George, where we have often spent the night, either at the motorhome aire or in a hotel in pre-motorhome days; past Marsonnay-la-Côte, and the hotel where, twenty years ago, my mother spilt tonic water on the cushions on the window-seat! 

And it rained! We have had clear blue skies most of this holiday, and it has been really warm, but today it was cloudy and then at one stage the heavens opened. This, of course, was because the Swan Whisperer had just washed the windscreen, which was converted in dead insects. 

Anyway, we arrived here at Is-sur-Tille and after a cup of tea, the Swan Whisperer went for a walk which he then said had not been worth going on, as pedestrian access to the town was rubbish, and the town wasn't worth seeing when you did get there! Oh well, I expect we can find something to do en route tomorrow. I hope so, anyway. 

Photospam on Facebook, as per usual. 

Early autumn holiday, 2 October 2023

Chalon-sur-Saône

Today was a massively better day! The Swan Whisperer went for a run, although sadly he is still not fully fit and had to walk some of the way, especially uphill. But I am so very pleased he is feeling like running again - two weeks ago, even a week ago, he really didn't want to even try. Of course, it will take him some time to get fully fit again, you have to expect that, but I'm pleased the Alpine air did the trick, as we both hoped it would. 

Once he came back and we had had breakfast, we said farewell to our delightful hosts (who did not offer to sell us anything, which was a relief - you don't have to buy, but you do have to look if they want you to, and the Swan Whisperer always feels we ought to buy something). 

Our first port of call was the nearby village of Crémieu, which was said to have a mediaeval centre. It most certainly did, and we had an utterly delightful walk around it. There will be photospam galore on Facebook! Just the kind of walk I love, although there were some fairly steep slopes, and I bottled out of the steps up to the 12th-century chateau!

There was a convenience store, so we did the day's shopping, and as the SW was with me, he paid! Win all round! 

The Swan Whisperer decided he didn't want to spend the night in the place I had carefully chosen, but then faffed about deciding where he did want to go, eventually deciding on a Camping-Car Park in Chalon-sur-Saône. We set sail, but when we got here found there was a free municipal aire in a much better location than the Camping-Car Park, with free services! So we parked up here, and he went for a walk; it looks as though we are seriously not far from the town centre, so I am looking forward to exploring it tomorrow morning. 

Early autumn holiday, 1 October 2023

Saint-Hilaire-de=Brens

Not a good day today; I woke up with a splitting headache and feeling slightly feverish, which I hoped would go away if I ignored it. Alas, that was not to be, and although I should have loved to have gone to the local market, I simply couldn't find the energy!

So we used the services and set off. I hadn't realised that we would be retracing our steps a lot of today, something I always hate doing and would not have done had I realised. Which I didn't until the Swan Whisperer said he had marked the sports ground where we had spent the night as a good place to listen to our Church service and have lunch. 

Which also didn't work out as planned. The Satnav kept telling us to come off the N95, and we kept saying "No!" Unfortunately, the Satnav knew best as all of a sudden there was a height limit of 2m6, which is fine for a car but not for a motor home. We discovered later we could possibly have been let through - it is mainly to stop too many lorries going down a very steep slope - but as we didn't know that at the time, we thought better not. So we turned round and then were directed up the most horribly narrow road, all hairpin bends with steep drop-offs, just the kind I hate, and when we finally got down to the main road again we discovered that I had misprogrammed the stop (we had reset the Satnav when we turned round as it was having conniption fits by then), and I'd only been and gone and sent us to the launderette instead of the sports ground! Anyway, the SW sorted that and at one stage we had his phone and the Satnav telling us which way to go. 

We had been trying to listen to our church service, but it was impossible to hear against the road noise, and by the time we got parked up it was practically over. I thought I'd go for a leg-stretch around the playing-fields as I didn't really want any lunch, but couldn't remember the way I'd been the other day, and didn't really want a long walk, anyway. 

I did manage a scrap of cheese for lunch, and two big glasses of the German iced tea I like really helped. It's white tea, flavoured with elderflower, and not too sweet the way, for instance, Liptonice or Fuze Tea is. 

After which, I dozed while we drove back on the main road and up the motorway, and felt a lot better when I woke up. We are at a France Passion farm not that far from Lyon, and the people are so nice. They have been celebrating Monsieur's mother's 95th birthday, with 76 people in the village hall, 22 of which were her great-grandchildren! 

It is a duck farm, which also has lamb and chickens and stuff. And a cat!

And I am feeling a lot better and hoping to get a good walk round the village of Cremieu tomorrow, where there is a mediaeval centre. 

Early autumn holiday, 30 September 2023

Saint-Firmin

I haven't really done much today. We set off at about 10, having used the services and so on, and first port of call was a supermarket for the weekend shopping. Then we drove straight here, to Saint-Firmin, and that's about it, really!

The Swan Whisperer did go for a longish walk this afternoon, but we are in the middle of nowhere. The pitches are horrendously sloping, half the electric points don't work, the WiFi doesn't work, and there is very little phone signal. I am not a happy bunny, but you do get a few duff places everywhere. And there were some spectacular views on the drive here!

Early autumn holiday, 29 September 2023

Crots

The Swan Whisperer actually went for a run this morning, first time since he fell ill! Less than 4 km, but it's a start. He says he's very unfit still, but that's only to be expected. Later in the morning, he went for a walk, as did I a little later (photos on Facebook, as per usual). It was a bit confusing, as there is a vast campsite just near us (now closed for the winter), but then great signs saying it's a hunting preserve.

I don't think they hunt campers....

We didn't do much the rest of the day; it was always going to be a rest day. We basically sat in the shade of the WoMo and read, or watched videos, or dozed, until the mosquitos started biting, whereupon we came in and had supper! 

Early autumn holiday, 28 September 2023

Crots

It is roughly the midpoint of our holiday, and we are having a couple of very relaxed days in the Alps. For some reason I have been very tired today, and apart from wandering into the town to visit the supermarket, I've done very little. 

The Swan Whisperer walked up to investigate this clock tower

while I was shopping, and then we did very little until after lunch, when we finally got our act together. 

Unfortunately, when we were using the services, the cassette stuck, and the lever broke off! We thought for a few minutes we'd have to come straight home, but the SW has managed to work out how to get it out with the help of a screwdriver (that sounds like some awful schoolboy joke), and it should be fine until we get home.

We only had about 50 km to drive today, if that. This Camping-Car Park is a lot busier than last night's, but by no means full! Its big disadvantage is that there is no shade other than that provided by the motor homes themselves, but we put our chairs and table out and sat out to drink our tea. The SW went for an explore, but I stayed in and drowsed a bit.

We are planning to stay here tomorrow night, too, and I hope and expect to feel up for a walk as we are near a lake, almost a sort of beach resort! I want to explore at least a bit. 

Early autumn holiday, 27 September 2023

L'Argentière-La-Bessée

We are approximarely half way through our holiday, so we changed our sheets, towels, etc, which took up the first part of the morning and it was not until 11:00 that we set out for our walk. Not my favourite walk of these holidays, I must admit, as it was quite steep in places, and much of it on a footpath through woods.

It was the sort of walk I enjoy having done, but don't specially enjoy doing!

Our first port of call was a local Intermarché for a bit of shopping and the SW to have coffee, and then we drove down here to L'Argentière-La-Bessée, stopping on the Col de Lauteret to have a rather late lunch.

It is not the most beautiful Camping-Car Park, as it is surrounded by hydro-electric works, but it is not far from the town, which looks worth seeing. And there is a mirabelle tree which has shed its load, so we picked up a bowlful of windfalls and stewed them to have with yoghurt or fromage blanc tomorrow! 

Early autumn holiday, 26 September 2023

Notre-Dame-de-Mesage, Auvergne

The weather has - tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon - been being absolutely glorious, warm and sunny. But it is autumn, and early mornings and late evenings are chilly, if not cold. This, of course, means that there is a heavy dew overnight, and my feet got soaked when I went out for an early-morning dash round the playing-fields before breakfast! I was delighted to find some field mushrooms, which made a wonderful addition to the meal! 

After breakfast, our first port of call was a supermarket, and we were delighted to find, while we were there, that it had a launderette in the car park.

We are just under half-way through our holiday, so decided to profit from the occasion to do a load of laundry. I shopped and the SW got diesel and then his coffee while this was happening. Unfortunately, though, the dryer wasn't working, and although it did take the worst off, our clothes were by no means dry. However, Park4Night is very good at telling you where there are public laundry facilities, and I discovered there was one within a few minutes of where we are staying tonight, so we had lunch and then spent most of the afternoon driving down here. 

We drove down past Grenoble, and the turnoff to Villard-de-Lans, wishing that we were going there for the Mountain Cup again - so many wonderful memories, so many friends made, so much fun had.... I do realise it's uneconomic to hold it now, and the rink is not particularly helpful, but I know I'm not the only one to miss it badly. Not that I skate any more, and it's only a dream...but we did have such fun! 

Anyway, we got here at last. We are parked up in the car park of a tennis-court/football pitch complex, and there is a constant stream of cars dropping off children for practice! I could be in Walthamstow on a Monday night - the main difference being the adults don't go in with their children to register them, but just turf them out of the car and drive off. 

The SW has gone for a walk which he says looks lovely - I'm hoping to do a shorter version with him in the morning - and I will start supper soon. I had been going to do a chicken casserole, but we are not quite level this evening, and that sort of dish is easier to cook on the level, so we'll have Leberkäse with an egg and chips and a fried tomato, I think. The casserole can wait - and by then I will have bought leeks and mushrooms, which always improves it! Last night's fishcakes, by the way, were delicious, but did fall apart rather.... And I have finished my gooseberry chutney!

Early autumn holiday, 25 September 2023

Saint-André-du-Vieux-Jonc

We did like the campsite we were in last night, mostly because the owner was so nice. He not only took orders for bread last night, he even delivered it! And he let us put off registering, etc, until we were about to leave.

First port of call was a Super U; didn't need much, but got almost everything we did need, except I forgot fizzy water. But then there was a problem with the hab door, which didn't want to lock, and the Swan Whisperer didn't remember that this has happened before or how to fix it. However, he managed in the end, and we drove to Besançon, where we parked up at what we think is the citadel.

We had lunch, and the SW went for a quick  explore, but I was very sleepy and, indeed, ended up dozing most of the way to here, near Bourg-en-Bresse, which is a lovely little aire for 5 motor homes, gravel pitches separated by bushes, in a park (photos on Facebook).

The SW is sat outside reading, but I made fishcakes for tonight's supper and put them in the fridge to firm up (I am very bad at making fishcakes, but they will taste good,whatever!) and then went  for a wander and got soaked testing the taps on the services! So am in my pyjamas, but as another motor home has now joined us, don't quite like to go out to do a tai chi practice! Oh well! 

Early autumn holiday, 24 September 2023

Geneuille, Franche-Comté

Gérardmer, it transpires, is pronounced "Jeremy" (or thereabouts) because the name derives from Gérard d'Alsace, who established a tower or hunting lodge or something on the banks of the Jamagne (local river); the suffix "mer" coming from an old Oil language word meaning the garden. Hence its pronunciation; conversely the nearby villages of Longemer and Retournemer take their name from "mare", the water body in old French, but which explains why their suffix is pronounced "mère". 

So that is where we were this morning. I got up first and went to the bakery for a baguette and pains aux raisins, which threw me by having chocolate in them. No thanks! But the baguette was sourdough and lovely! It was a glorious morning, but very cold and very misty.

The bakery was only across the road, so when I got back the Swan Whisperer was still getting dressed, so I started to get breakfast. 

This was a disaster! There was nothing wrong with the baguette or the scrambled eggs, but first I knocked the aeropress over, spilling all my coffee grounds into the sink (It could have been worse - it could have been on the floor!), and then, when I had ground a new lot, the straining lid fell off the aeropress and into my cup, taking all the grounds with it. The Swan Whisperer rescued it, but the resulting brew was so weak and (by then) a bit cold that I had to have another cup after our walk. Most unlike me - I usually only have one cup a day, and perhaps a small cup after tai chi on Wednesdays. 

Anyway, after breakfast we did go for a walk, which was lovely. We didn't go all round the lake - it is 6 km all the way round, and the SW, who did it yesterday evening, said the path was very uneven and unpleasant to walk on. He also didn't really want to do it again! So we contented ourself with walking to the lake and round a bit of it before heading back to town - about 3 km in total. 

Then it was time for church, which we were able to listen to on livestream from our home church, and when it was finished we headed south towards this village which is, I think, near Besançon. We stopped for lunch en route, so didn't get to this campsite until about 5. Nobody in reception, so I rang the proprietor who said to settle in and he would come and see us in due course.

He's just been - lovely man; we are to register and settle up, etc, in the morning, and have ordered our baguette and croissants for 8:30! It is a pleasant campsite - I've not taken any photos yet - but very basic, but on the banks of the Ognon - the river Onion!!! Photos of Gérardmer on Facebook. 

Early autumn holiday, 23 September

Gérardmer, or Gérômé, as it is pronounced locally.

So we are back in France, but not before shopping in Germany! I was delighted to score both Federweißer and a basket of squash to take home (I am about to drink at least some of the Federweißer!), among other things. 

We also stopped off at a DM, where I got various travel-sized bits and bobs.

Then we tried to get back into France, but roadworks on the bridge meant access was basically for cars and small vans only, and just too narrow for us, so we followed the lorry route which took us practically half way to Münich (I exaggerate) before getting back. We found out, too late, too late, that there would have been an intermediate route we could have taken, which would probably have been a great deal quicker. And then, if course, the Satnav had reset itself so it took us through the Saint-Dié tunnel, which we had asked it not to do! Pity it can't pay the toll for us, too!

We eventually arrived here and parked up in an enormous aire, which is free during the day, and just €7 overnight. I should have liked to have accompanied the SW on his walk, but feel rather tired and a bit achey - not unwell, just stiff - so decided it could wait until tomorrow, even though most of the shops will be shut. 

Early autumn holiday, 22 Se[ptember 2023

Kehl, Germany.

It's days like today when you know why you have a motor home and go on touring holidays rather than spending the time in one place!

We got up early this morning and we're away by 09:30, retracing our steps about 20 km to visit the town of Bitche (pronounced "Beach") which we had gone through yesterday and looked worth visiting.

Indeed it was. The motorhome aire was free, although we only used it to empty grey water (I believe buying water and rinsing one's loo out did cost about €2, but we didn't need to do that), and actually parked in the main car park. What we had come to visit was the Citadelle, which was up rather a steep slope - to my irritation, I couldn't manage it without a couple of stops for breath. But I got there in the end, and the SW was very patient with me!

Once we got there, we discovered that there was a path all the way round, about 1km long, and fairly flat, which they recommended you walk round, so that's what we did. It was seriously lovely, views both over the town and of the citadel itself, now a monument.

When we had gone all round it, we went back to the van and headed to a local Intermarché, where I did a shopping and the SW got diesel. I don't know why people say the French are unhelpful - this is almost never true in my experience, and today was no exception; the bill came to a little more than the authorised limit for contactless, and I'd left my credit cards in the WoMo - so she suggested I pay in two lots! Which I did. Very helpful.

Then it was time to head on - not very far today, just to Kehl, where we have been so many times before, usually much later in the year as a base for the Christmas markets in Strasbourg. The SW set the Satnav to cross the Rhine at a barrage - forget its name - and then take us up-river towards Kehl. It was lovely - you can't see the actual Rhine, as it is up a high embankment, but there is a small stream or canal flowing alongside - presumably for overflow purposes - which obviously has a lot of fish in it. We saw loads of heron, a coot or two, masses of swans, and a cormorant. I could not think what the latter was called, and had to have recourse to the silly poem about laying eggs in paper bags.

The aire is fuller than it usually is in December (such a surprise!) but there was still room for us. I would have liked to have gone into Kehl to shop, but when push came to shove, I realised I would get over-tired if I did; I still have to pace myself a bit despite being massively better. The SW set off to go to Strasbourg, but he missed a tram and then it started to rain, so he came back. And I had bought us choucroute for supper - we were, after all, in Alsace - so we have just eaten that, and I think it is time to close our shutters for the night. 

Early autumn holiday, 21 September 2023

Obersteinbach, Alsace 

I slept badly last night, with the result that I went back to sleep after my alarm clock had gone off, and didn't stir until gone 9. This put us late for the morning, and it wasn't until about 11:45 that we found ourselves in the blissfully warm waters of Thermapolis. We have been here twice before, and it was as good as ever, and rather less crowded. After a wonderful massage and pummelling that left me very relaxed and sleepy, we thought we had better do some shopping before lunch. 

However, when we arrived at the nearest E Leclerc, we found that the car park was surrounded by height barriers, so there was no way in for the likes of us! Well, if they don't want our custom, they needn't have it. Their loss! 

We had, we realised, parked up by a bakery, so I went in and bought a multigrain baguette and a couple of chaussons de pommes, and we had a nice lunch, albeit without the carrot salad the Swan Whisperer has been longing for (I didn't buy it when we arrived as we had some coleslaw to finish; that has now happened). 

Then it was time to head on to our next port of call, here at Obersteinbach. We have been here before , too, but it stopped being a France Passion host during the pandemic. I was delighted to see that it has started up again - it has now put in loos and a picnic area, as well as the barn where you can see the goats.

We bought some yoghurt at the farm shop, plus a saucisson sec and a couple of goats' cheeses, one pepper and one "Garden vegetables". And an ice-cream cone each.

As we have Plans for tomorrow, and want to get away early, the SW decided to go for a walk in the woods, as he does love it. However, the sky looked very threatening and just as he said he was about to go, the heavens opened! That was a fairly short shower, though, and he dodged the raindrops to go up to the border and see a rock formation he likes.

And then he came back and we had supper (tomato and vegetable sauce with tortellini and cheese), and it is raining and raining! I do love to hear the rain on the roof, but I hope it will be away before morning. 

Early Autumn Holiday, 20 September 2023

Amnéville. 

Bother, bother, bother! We realised today that I had - and the Swan Whisperer had not noticed I had - misdated the spreadsheet, so we have a day less than we thought. It actually doesn't really matter, though, as the campsite where we had been going to go on 29 September closes the next day for the winter, so we can just leave it out and have the planned rest day then. I think, though, we might have to find a launderette a little earlier, we shall see!

I wish I could say that the Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, but he is not yet quite able for that, but he did go for a walk/jog before breakfast. After it, we both went for a walk into the village of Montaigu, which wasn't particularly attractive.

Then I went to the farm shop where we were staying and bought some pâté, eggs and some "porc en gelée", which will make a nice meal sometime.

Then it was time to head on, first looking for a burger bar in a London bus which was supposed to be in the village, but we didn't find it, and then stopping at the next village to go to the bakery, where we bought quiches and a lemon and a rhubarb tart for lunch (so we haven't had the pâté yet, after all!).

We arrived here in Amnéville at about 16:30, and after taking on more water (we will use the rest of the services in the morning), we had a cup of tea, and then the Swan Whisperer went for a walk and I read and knitted. Tomorrow we will go to the Thermapolis, our main reason for going this way. I hope the weather will remain as glorious as it has been all day - even now, at 20:15, it is still very warm. 

Early autumn holiday, 19 September 2023

Montagu, near Laon

We didn't hurry this morning; the Swan Whisperer went to get croissants and a lovely fresh baguette for breakfast, and after it he emptied the loo and the grey, although he didn't bother taking on any more water as we already had plenty. 

We decided to drive most of the way on the motorway, as it would have been much slower on non--toll roads. However, first we went to the Auchan on the outskirts of Calais and I did a shop and the SW tried to buy gas, but neither he nor the cashier could make the cage open, so he gave up and had coffee instead. 

After that, it was a matter of driving along a rather dull motorway. We stopped for lunch in a service area, and then didn't stop again until we came off the motorway when the SW made another attempt to get gas, this time successfully.

It was not long after that that we arrived at this France Passion farm, where we were warmly welcomed. The shop won't be open until tomorrow morning, but we hope to buy some charcuterie there. And maybe some eggs and some farm honey, we'll see what they have. 

Madame warned us that she closed the main gate at night, but didn't say what time, so the SW was reluctant to go for a walk in case he got locked out. We plan to have a walk tomorrow morning before we head on. He lay on his bed and read, and I did a tai chi practice, read and knitted, and then got supper, which was pre-prepared kidneys in madeira sauce, new potatoes and carrots, followed by the most delicious chocolate mousse with raspberries on the bottom. And I treated us to patisseries for lunch as it was the first full day of the holidays!

Early autumn holiday, 18 September 2023

Calais, Rue d'Asfeld motor home park

One reason why I was a little stressed when the trains went wrong yesterday was because I knew there wouldn't be much time to unpack and repack before heading off again this morning. 

I had done as much packing as I could before I went to Bradford, but still had to sort out my overnight bag, and decide what knitting, etc, I wanted to take with me. And pack the second crate with stuff we needed until the last minute - tea bags, coffee (which I nearly forgot)), Marmalade, etc. And even then there seemed to be an awful lot of things to pack into various nooks and crannies. And I regretted not having packed the tomato chutney when we had our belated dinner! 

We finally set off at about 10:45 and half an hour later - not that we had gone that far as the traffic was terrible due to a road closure and the new LTNs - had to turn sadly back as the Swan Whisperer had left his phone behind. However, we arrived in Sussex at about 12:45, just in time for lunch. After which I went to sleep, but the SW was very energetic getting the motor home, transferring stuff from the car, unpacking that which needed to be unpacked, etc. 

We left Sussex at about 16:40 and had an uneventful journey to Folkestone, arriving at the terminal in time to be offered a crossing an hour earlier than the one we had booked on. So we said yes please, and went straight through passport control, etc, and only had to wait a very few minutes in the holding pens. An uneventful crossing, during which we finished unpacking, and then we drove to this aire in Calais, which is pretty busy, and the Swan Whisperer got supper, which we have now eaten and are about to have a cup of tea before going to bed! 

I haven't taken any photos today, so here is one of the cream tea I had on Saturday. 

Saltaire and Haworth

This weekend I'm in Bradford for the New Chalet Club Annual General Meeting. As they try to do every other year, but for obvious reasons haven't been able to do since 2019, it is a residential weekend.

I came up by train from London yesterday, changing at Leeds, although I had to use Plan B and go to Bradford Interchange rather than Plan A to Bradford Forster Square (which is next door to the hotel) due to a signal failure. However, it is only a short walk from Bradford Interchange.

Always lovely to meet old friends and make new ones on the Friday evening, and today was the planned excursions. 

In the morning we went to Saltaire, the model village created by Titus Salt, and specifically the New Mill,

as they call it, now a Venue with an art gallery, café, and various shops - antique, jewellery, expensive outdoor wear, books and stationery, that sort of thing. I had a cup of coffee and then went up to the top floor where there was a history of the place, and also a film about Sir Titus, as he became, and how he really did try to make his workers' lives better! Mind you, he was very against drunkenness, and did not allow a pub in the village (the one on the main drag is called "Don't tell Titus"!), but did build an Institute where people could go in the evenings for classes or to socialise and play games, etc. 

All very interesting, but I wanted to go to a craft shop that was just near where we were to get the coach, and time was getting on, so I came away and went to the craft shop, where I got what I wanted. The woman running the shop was lovely, but very slow, and I was nearly late back!

We ate our packed lunches on the bus, like a pack of schoolgirls rather than the pensioners that a majority of us are, and soon arrived in Haworth. It was a long, hard pull up to the village from the coach park, but I managed far better than I expected! 

First port of call was the church, which was lovely, and there was a memorial poster about Patrick Brontë, the father, who seems to have been a lovely person! You get the impression that he was a strict, joyless type, but not at all - he campaigned for better conditions for those in the workhouses, etc, and preached a God of love, not fear.

But the church was lovely anyway! I loved the Communion table and the mosaic thing of the Madonna and child near the font (apparently made out of toast!). 

Then it was time to visit the Old Parsonage Museum, which was pretty much as you might expect it to be, but still interesting. And then I walked down to look at the rather twee shops and found some of our party having a cream tea in a café, so treated myself to one, too,

and then, as we were all tired, went back to the coach to await the rest of the party.

Back to Bradford, and I nipped into the mall across the street from the hotel as I needed to go to Superdrug - gf course went in the wrong entrance for it and had to walk all round before I found it. Now back at the hotel and resting before changing for our formal dinner. Tomorrow is the AGM and Book Sale, and then back to London before heading off again on Monday morning! 

Out and About

The best day of the summer so far - and according to the weather forecasters, it will be the only one - so we thought we had better make the most of it!

The Swan Whisperer wanted to visit the new Battersea Power Station, so we caught a P5 up there; to be honest, I didn't think much of it - it's just an expensive shopping mall with extortionate restaurants! 

(Not my photo, by the way!) We had a look round, but then came away and had lunch in Wagamama.  I had suggested having lunch there the other day, but the Boy said it wasn't nearly as nice as it used to be - and he's quite right, it isn't!  And about twice the price it used to be, too - but they still do free green tea, which I do like.  

After which, we went to catch a bus to Clapham Junction as the Swan Whisperer needed new sandals and trainers and that is now our nearest branch of Clark's.  Of course, the nearest bus stop was closed, so we had to walk to the next one, but that didn't matter.  

Shoe-shopping successfully accomplished - I saw a pair of good winter shoes I rather coveted, so I might go back tomorrow, especially as I have a £10 Asda voucher to spend, although I couldn't be bothered to go to Asda today - we walked down to the ice-cream shop and I treated us to a cone each.  And then a bus home!  Not a massively exciting day, but at least different!

Young V&A and 10 Ages of London

The Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green is an old friend - we've taken the Boys at least twice.  But it has now reopened after having been closed for two years, now calling itself  Young V&A and I, for one, wanted to see what they had done to it.  The Boys are probably a bit old for it now - they are 13 and almost 10, but I thought, well, we can always snark....

We had originally been going to meet them at Liverpool Street Station at 11:20, but their mother said she'd gathered you really needed to be there before 11 if you weren't going to have to queue for hours, so we met them at 10:20 (the time their train comes in on the Overground) instead, and went straight to the Central Line for the one stop to Bethnal Green.  There was no queue to get in, but we were very glad we had gone so early, as on our way out, at nearly noon, the queue snaked about round the block!

The Swan Whisperer was desperate for coffee, so we went to the museum café first of all, and he and the Boys all had coffee while I, adequately caffeinated for one day, had fizzy water.  Then we set off to explore - the first gallery we went to was aimed at children learning their letters and colours.  Round the other side of that floor, there were a lot of familiar exhibits, mostly with rather dumbed-down captions, inviting visitors to imagine they were doing thus and so.   The Rachel Whiteread dolls houses are still there, in a section called "Small Worlds", and I think the original ones - the ones that used to be in the V&A until the 1970s - were still there, but I didn't see them.  There were also Sindys and Barbys, and lots of other dolls and miniature things.

Then we went up to the second floor where they had the Design Galleries, aimed slightly more at people the Boys' age; this had a lot of seemingly random things, but grouped by type - shedloads of scooters, including a Microscooter that had a built-in suitcase!  Then all kinds of other design objects, from clothes to toothbrushes!  The Boys were beginning to flag by then and needing what they will insist on calling "the bathroom" - I enquired whether they planned to have a bath!  We eventually all used the facilities and came away, very glad that we had gone so relatively early.  

It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, and certainly looks fresh and new, with a more airy feel to it.  I think I should like to go back on my own one day in term time so that I can take as long as I want to look at things.

The Boy had asked if we could have lunch in Spitalfields Market, so we got a bus there, and spent awhile wandering around the market and deciding what to eat.  Finally we settled on the pasta restaurant that Boy Two said he'd been to before and really liked, and after filling up on pasta, we went to find the place where they were doing rolled ice-cream, which the Boy badly wanted to try (so did I!); I did a video of one being made which I'll post on Facebook.  It was fun to watch the ice cream being made, but really, when push came to shove, it was just rather good ice-cream, really!

We then had to decide how to spend the afternoon.  I had read about a walk called the 10 ages of London and we decided to do that.  A quick bus down to London Bridge started the walk in prehistory - only the Thames is left from then, and it was very different.  Then the Romans - we enjoyed seeing where the Roman bridge was, and a model of the mediaeval bridge in the church of St Magnus the Martyr - there was also a piece of wood that they think was part of the original bridge and whose tree would have been alive in Jesus' day!  We walked past the office building that contains the Roman baths - not available to visit today - and up to All-Hallows-by-the-Tower  where we admired the Saxon arch. 

On past St Olave's with its three skulls above the gateway (mediaeval),

and then to St Andrew Undershaft for the Tudors.  

A brisk walk then, past Fenchurch Street station (none of us had been there before, and I was gutted that my photo of it didn't come out) and across Eastcheap to Pudding Lane (both the Boy and I wanted to call it Pudding Mill Lane, but that is somewhere different!) where the Great Fire of London infamously broke out, and out the other end to Monument.  This, of course, was the Stuart era.  

The guided walk suggested going on down to find the only pub that is said to have survived the Great Fire (and, of course, the Blitz), but both Boy Too and I had Had Enough by then, so we decided Monument would have to Do for the Stuarts, and we ended up walking up King William Street to the Bank junction, where we could see the Mansion House (Georgian) and the Royal Exchange (Victorian), and we decided that we had seen more than enough 20th- and 21st-century buildings to count!  So we got on a bus back to Liverpool Street Station, where we got some refreshments and then met the Daughter for a quick cup of tea before she took the Boys home, and we wearily clambered on to the next homebound 35.  Both of us fell asleep on the bus, and how the Swan Whisperer thinks he'll have the energy to go to dance club, I do not know!

Meanwhile, I have never put quite so many links in one blog post before!  There will be more photos on Facebook.

70th birthday trip, Tuesday 27 June; travel day 14/15

So, it's over! We are home. I think I'm glad to be home, but I'm tired tonight. I've done the bare minimum of unpacking - everything else can wait till the morning!

We enjoyed our breakfast in the hotel this morning - pretty standard, really. Why do they all (except the one in Budapest) have identical coffee machines? Anyway, our train was at 10:36, but because it had taken half an hour to get from the station the previous day, we ordered a taxi for 09:45, and, of course, it only took ten minutes to get back to the station! Ah well!

The train, miraculously, was on time and we arrived in Köln at noon. We put our luggage in the consigne and headed out to the Cathedral which looms over the station. When we had looked round there, we wandered down to the river

and then through part of the old town, stopping to have lunch (Currywurst for the SW, plain Bratwurst for me) in a random café. As we weren't too sure how long it would take to retrieve our luggage, we headed back a little before we need have done.

The left-luggage system is very clever - you go to a locker, tell it how long you want it for: up to 2 hours, up to 24 hours, longer... and it tells you how much to pay, which you can do by cash or card, then the locker door opens and you put your stuff inside, and it issues you a ticket and a receipt. But the clever part is that the whole locker then moves down to a storage area, so when you come to retrieve it, you can go to any locker door, insert your ticket, and it brings your stuff up just as you put it in! Takes a minute or two, but that's all.  You don't have to remember your locker number or passcode like you had to in Copenhagen, which was the only other place we availed ourselves of such facilities (in Budapest, we just put our cases in the hotel luggage room, and they didn't even charge us!). 

Anyway, eventually we got on the Brussels train, and then there was more time to hang about until it was time for the Eurostar. I do wish one could rely on German trains to be on time, as we could have had much shorter connections, although perhaps not in Köln, as we like it there. 

They feed you on the Eurostar if you're in Standard Premier. The choice was between chicken salad, which the SW chose, and a falafel, hummus and quinoa salad, which I chose, which was very nice, although the falafel were a bit dry. This was followed by a very nice lemon tart. The SW had wine, and I had lemonade, which was Fever Tree and very nice, for a change. Not too sweet. 

And then a horribly hot Victoria Line  and a bus, and home.