Early summer holiday, 28 and 29 May 2025

La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur, Normandy, France

Normally at this time of year we are either at or on our way home from (or on our way to further adventures after) the ISU Adult Competition in Oberdorf. However, this year, due to the current refurbishment of the rink, the competition isn't until the end of June, and with the NCC holiday in mid-July, the dates simply don't work for us. So we are spending 16 days in France, instead.

We couldn't set off very early yesterday as the Swan Whisperer had a meeting in the afternoon that he couldn't get out of, but we packed and loaded the car with everything except the stuff that was in the fridge, and when he was leaving the meeting, he rang up and told me, so I had everything ready to go when he came back, at about 4:00 pm.

My sister is away for a couple of days and, so as my mother had fed us last time we were down, and we knew we would have very little time with her, I brought down some food to share (pork pie and rice salad, since you ask!) and we ate rather quickly and were away by about 7:35 pm. We had booked on the 22:54 crossing, but in the event we just managed to get on the 22:14, going straight through passport control with our brand new passports! While we were waiting for, and on, the crossing, we unpacked our things - the fridge stuff and the groceries had been done earlier - and were pretty much ready to fall into bed when we got to the aire at Blériot-Plage.

Neither of us slept terribly well, and were awake early, but didn't hurry. It is Ascension Day, which is a public holiday in France, so of course it was raining! The big supermarkets were open, though, albeit with reduced hours, so our first port of call was the Auchan, where I did some shopping, primarily for washing--up liquid, since my mother's cleaner has moved hers and she doesn't know where it is, so I gave her the bottle that was in the WoMo!

We were driving down to this very pleasant aire the other side of the Pont de Normandie, where we stayed in March; it was the first time we have used our new Satnav, and it is sufficiently different from the old one to be a bit of a learning curve. We persuaded it to take us on a more scenic route, not just straight down the motorway, and it was a lovely drive!

We stopped for lunch, and for the Swan Whisperer to have a mid--afternoon coffee, which he swears keeps him awake, and then it was a straight run here. There was a bit of a hold-up over the Pont de Normandie, as it is on a contraflow system because of Works, and getting the traffic down from 8 lanes through the toll to 1 took some doing! But it didn't take long, and the drive was as spectacular as ever (photos on Facebook). The Swan Whisperer has gone out for a walk, and I think I'll go and do a qi gong or tai chi workout in a minute. 

Exploring Brompton Cemetery, 26 May 2025

Another Bank Holiday, another excursion.  This one was a bit of a bucket-list option for me, as we went to explore Brompton Cemetery, in Fulham.  Many, many years ago now I lived round the corner from there, and one of the most surreal moments of my life came when I was going past the entrance to the cemetery and a van drew up and two men got out, carrying a television, which they proceeded to take towards the entrance....  I suppose that one or other (or both) of the lodges at the entrance gates were inhabited and the residents of one of them wanted to hire a new television, as was the norm in those days.  But all the same....

So, you know what it is like when you live near a place, you never somehow visit it.  And I don't think it was really a place to visit back then.  These days, it is run by the Royal Parks, and the western lodge is a café and loos, and the eastern one is the visitor information centre.  There may or may not be tenants on the upper floors - I didn't ask!  The cemetery is still in use today, but it is also a public park and a Grade I listed one, at that.

We decided to go by the most sensible route of a bus to Clapham Junction and then the Mildmay Line to West Brompton (it's the first time I'd been on the Overground since its separate lines were given names).  The first train was, alas, cancelled, but it wasn't long until the next one came in and we could sit down while waiting for it to leave.  And, of course, the cemetery's northern entrance is only metres from the station.

So we wandered up and down the many paths, finding some famous graves - Dr John Snow, who proved the link between cholera and contaminated water; prize-fighter John "Gentleman" Jackson, ballet composer Constant Lambert and, of course, Emmeline Pankhurst, on whose grave people are still putting flowers.  

Much of the cemetery has been left to run wild, as a haven for wildlife - there were lots of birds, including a murder of crows, and a squirrel, but I believe there are also bats and rare insects.  Some of the graves are still tended, of course, but with over 200,000 people buried there, many are left to run wild.  Even some of the more modern graves - one, raised in memory of "Our beloved mother" was very unkempt and uncared-for, and we wondered how beloved the mother in question had actually been.  Graves ranged from ornate mausoleums, over-the-top Victorian marble angels and so on, to plain marble slabs, and pretty much anything in between.  I'll put lots of photos on Facebook.

When we had wandered down to the South end and back again, we had lunch in the café, and then went back down to the South exit to catch a bus.  We had thought of going to the exhibition at St Paul's, but we were getting tired by then, so got a 211 to Battersea Power Station Station and then it's only a short walk to the terminus of the P5, which took us home.

Buses, flypasts and new shoes. 5 May 2025

Today was the May Day holiday, so of course the weather, which has been being absolutely lovely, went back on us and it was seriously cold and showers on and off.  I would have enjoyed today's excursion a great deal more with a warmer coat, or at least a jumper rather than a light fabric jacket under my summer coat!  Yet two days ago I was out with nothing more than a t-shirt on my top half!  It's supposed to get warm again next weekend, though.

There were a great many things we could have done today, including a local street party and an Open Day at the Windmill, but we decided to go into central London to watch the flypast in celebration of VE Day.  This is technically not until Thursday, but I don't think the Government thought two Bank Holidays in one week was a good idea!  So most of the celebrations, including a military parade, and this fly-past, were today.  I suggested we went into Brixton and caught whichever came first of the 3, 59 or 159, and head to the South Bank, which is always a good place to watch flypasts.  And get a sandwich before it kicked off.

The bus that came was a 159, but it was stopping at Lower Marsh - unsurprisingly, since no buses were crossing the river due to road closures for the parade - and I suggested we went to the café in Tommy's to get our sandwich.  Which we did, and actually sat there until it was time for the flypast, which we watched from the garden there - not really the best place, as mostly what we could see was the backs of planes disappearing over the Houses of Parliament.  Although that was quite impressive.  And it finished with the Red Arrows, as scheduled (photo courtesy of the Swan Whisperer; I didn't take any).

The Swan Whisperer needed new everyday shoes - he has just got new running shoes, which seem to be helping with a long-standing foot injury/problem of some kind, but his everyday shoes were a disgrace!  So we decided to get a no 12 bus to Peckham, where there is a Clark's outlet store, and failing that, a Shoe Zone.  On the way, we crossed paths with masses of policemen, but they were not catching criminals or sorting out the traffic; it was fairly obvious that they had been part of the parade, and had then been having lunch somewhere (or were about to have lunch).

When we were on the bus, we realised we totally didn't know the end of the route, so decided to stay on until its terminus at Dulwich Library, and then get another bus back.  Which we did, rather fun seeing parts of Dulwich which were new to us.  We had to wait about 10 minutes for a return bus - a 197 - during which I got very cold indeed, but it came at last and dropped us off at the Aylsham Centre, where new trainers were successfully purchased!  We had a look round Morrison's but simply couldn't find any of the things we needed, so came away and caught a 345 back to Brixton.  During which time the sun came out and thawed me out nicely through the front windows of the bus!

Of course, we had just missed a 35, so the Swan Whisperer walked to Tesco's and thus home while I waited the four or five minutes until a 355 came, and I went home.  I did go into Lidl, but nothing seemed to want to be bought, so came home and fell asleep in my chair..... but it was a fun day out, even though cold.

The Silvertown Tunnel

The Silvertown Tunnel opened today and I hoped we would be able to go through it on opening day - after all, how often is there a new tunnel under the Thames, especially one that has come in on time and on budget? 

It was also the first day of the Easter holidays and the Boys were coming.  We were having Boy 2 in any case, but the Lanky Teenager also chose to come, to our joy.  He expressed a desire to visit the Science Museum, and I booked tickets, but I haven't been very well this week and realised I would probably not have enough energy to enjoy it, so the Swan Whisperer picked them up at Tavistock Place and they went to the museum.  I think they had a good time, but they are getting to the monosyllabic age.  

I, meanwhile,  spent a quiet morning, although I went to Lidl and tried, unsuccessfully , to make a start on Sunday's sermon.  The men arrived back shortly after 13:00 and we went to lunch in the café opposite - they all had an English breakfast

and I had avocado toast. 

The Swan Whisperer had been for a run before breakfast, and the Lanky Teenager had been playing badminton before his, so they were hungry! The boys and I had smoothies, too - mine was five berries and they had a similar one but with a different mix of fruit.  

The Swan Whisperer had to do a quick errand in Brixton that couldn't wait, and we set off about 15:00, going via Peckham and Blackheath.  You take the same road that you take towards the Blackwall Tunnel (now also toll), but it is clearly signposted that you need to be in the right-hand lane, and the turn-off is very clear.  It is a tunnel, which is all that can be said for it, although the boys commented on how clean it was.  It won't stay that way for long!  We weren't quite sure how to get from the other end up to the 'Stow, but Google was helpful there, and we got there shortly after 16:00.  My grown-up Boys made a cup of tea for us all.  We drove home the usual way - via the A12, Limehouse Link and Tower Bridge - and, although it was rush hour, it was an easy journey.  

Going through a tunnel is not very exciting - but I'm very glad we did it on its first day!

Tea on the River, revisited

 Three years ago, we celebrated our wedding anniversary by having an afternoon tea cruise on the river Thames.  Today, we did it again, courtesy of a Christmas present from my sister.  

Last time, we went on the Victoria Line and changed at Victoria, but this year Citymapper, TfL AND Google all insisted we took the Northern Line to Bank and then the Circle or District to Tower Hill (or walk from Bank).  So that's what we did, and arrived in nice time to board.  

I hadn't upgraded us or anything, but we were shown to a table for two in the very front of the vessel, which was lovely!  I didn't think the tea was anything special, and didn't eat two of my cakes (and wished I hadn't bothered with another one), but the sandwiches were nice, especially when we said we wouldn't eat chipotle on beetroot bread, We they gave us extra egg mayonnaise instead.  There were only plain scones, not sultana ones, and the cream was not clotted or even whipped, so rather went everywhere!  But I'm not complaining.

Our route today went right downriver to Greenwich, and a very apologetic captain explained that the tide would almost definitely be too high to prevent us going under Blackfriars Bridge on the way upstream, as, indeed it proved.  We didn't mind, but it must have been very disappointing for the tourists.

When we got off, they made a total nonsense, and we had to wait while passengers boarded a Uber river bus - this was quite unnecessary, I thought, as there were plenty of other corridors we could have used.  But we got off in the end, and then walked up to Monument and caught a bus home from there.  We are now drinking fizz to celebrate!

There will be photos on Facebook, as per - I hope they don't duplicate other photos I've taken from the river on previous cruises, but it's hard not to photograph iconic London!

Spring Holiday 2025, Thursday 27 March

Blériot-Plage, Hauts-de-France, France

After breakfast this morning we went on a short walk round the local opark, which delighted us by being called the Parc de la Morrelle, with the River Morrelle flowing through it!

Sadly, I didn't set my watch correctly, so have no record of time or distance, but judging by the step count was about 1.5 km.

ETA  Google Fit did record it, and tells me it was 2.05 km, further than I'd thought. Anyway, it was a very pleasant walk. It started off very misty, but the sun was breaking through at the end, and it was very much warmer! 

After coffee, it was time to set off, across the Pont de Normandie, which still had a very large cloud across it,

and you couldn't see much at all from it. The second half - my favourite, I think - was much clearer and you could see down to the ground below.

We drove up as far as the Aire de Baie de la Somme, where we stopped to have lunch, and then the last hour up to Coquelles, we're I visited both Lidl and Carrefour to do a Last Shop in France, and so up here to the aire in Blériot-Plage for our final night here. Not, however, our final night in the motor home, as it is going in to have some work done on it on Saturday, so we will sleep in it in the courtyard of No 6 tomorrow night. And then back to London and I'm preaching on Sunday. Not sure when we'll be off again - possibly early June, and definitely late July! 

Spring Holiday 2025; Wednesday 26 March

La Riviere Saint Sauveur, Normandy, France

We had a lovely walk around Juigné-sur-Loire this morning, something that we hadn't done before, for some reason, although we had stayed there twice before. Actually, I do know - the first time, we had coffee with some friends, and last time the friend, now sadly widowed, came and had coffee with us before we headed on. However, there wasn't time to tell her we were coming this time, as we only decided last night, so there was time for a walk this morning.

It really was lovely - quite apart from the scenery, the birdsong was incredible! The Swan Whisperer and I even thought we heard a cuckoo, but we may have been mistaken. We definitely heard robin, blackbird, chiff-chaff, wren, great tit, blue tit, goldfinch, dunnock, coot and mute swan! Merlin also says we heard a short-toed tree creeper, but we aren't so sure about that! 

We then had a long, fairly dull drive across France to this aire at the foot of the Pont du Normandie. Tomorrow is our last full day, and we get back to Calais in the evening. 

For the Swan Whisperer, the highlight of the holiday have been the huge variety of flowers we have seen on the roadside - today was loads of primrose and cowslips, among others. I have loved watching the trees gradually green out, although here they are far less green than they have been further south. Spring is definitely here, even if winter is reluctant to let go!