THURSDAY 21/10/2010 contd
Had a drink in the hotel conservatory and dinner at a nearby Creperie: Mike had roast pork and I had PAVE VIROIS GILLE which is Andouillette sausage [stomach I am told] very nice: Check trains situation on our return to the hotel and all looked good for tomorrow:
FRIDAY 22/10/2010
Rima the receptionist checked the trains again and all was ok so we set of for the station and on out train at 10:42 to arrive in Caen at 10:55am: We had travelled with Molly and Brad from LA and when we arrived in Caen they said they would have to go back as she had left a backpack containing an iPad at the hotel: Just before the train pulled out they came on and explained that so,eone else who was staying at the hotel was going to bring the backpack to Paris and meet them there: VERY LUCKY! After arriving at St Lazare in Paris we caught a taxi to Montparnasse as this we were told was the best thing to do: Was that interesting with Paris traffic and a van which was blocking our passage down a narrow street: 25 minutes and 16euro clocked up we decided to give him 20 euro: Our next train to Tour was on time and then we boarded our last train for the day: It was very full and then more and more people got on: We had chosen to sit near the entrance so that we did not have to drag our bags too far: This area began to fill and then a man with a bike got on: A train staff member came to the door and said something and when I asked the lady near me what was happening she asked where we were going and said we were OK: They had asked that some people get off and take another connection: The space was soon filled again by a disabled girl in a wheelchair with a type of guide dog attached: The train left Tours 10mins late and qrrived in Chinon 10 mins late at 6:10pm: The walk to our cottage was noted as 15 to 20 mins and as the weather was good we decided to walk and checked out restaurants on the way: Restaurants do not open till 7PM: Arrived at La Touraine just before 7pm and after checking out our lodgings for the next week headed to the supermarket for breakfast supplies: Asked a customer in the supermarket where she had purchased her pizza and she told me: As she left the checkout chick called her boss and he took us across the Square to another pizza place and asked them to look after us: Pizza was good washed down with a local red: Home and bed about 10pm: A full day:
SATURDAY 23/10/2010
Into the Square for the Market but only 2 stalls today: To the Tourism office for information and Mass times: On the way back we bought 2 individual quiches and a loaf of bread and to the butcher for Rillon which are a marinated and cooked pork spare rib which is lovely as well as 2 Tourlouse Sausages for dinner another night: We had our lunchat home and were thinking of going out at about 2pm but it was raining: It rained until about 5pm when we went back to the supermarket for a couple of things and then the _ or so minutes walk to 7pm Mass: Dinnr tonight was the Rillon and veg which was very nice: Cheese,pear, apple and wine after dinner:
SUNDAY 24/10/2010
Did the French thing today and slept till 8:30am; had baguette and coffee for breakfast: Put on some washing and left about 10:30, wandered around and then up to the Chateau for the next 3 hours. It was amazing with some Joan of Arc artifacts because this is where she lived for a while and there is also a big statue of her in one of the squares. On our return back down into the square which was only 5 minutes walk we found we had missed out chance to buy lunch as it was after 2:30 so back to base and a packed of dehydrated Minestrone soup left by a previos occupant. People have left non perishables for others to use. Read for a while and went for a walk from 5 till 7pm. Lots of couples, family groups out at this time. Home via the wine shop 50 metres at the top of our stret on rue Voltaire and a bottle of local Rose which was very nice with the scrambled eggs I cooked. Lots and lots of steps at the Chateau. We turned on the TV for the first time and put in a DVD Down came a Spider which we both enjoyed. Lights out at 10:30pm
MONDAY 25/10/2010
This would have been Mums 89th Birthday and we were both feeling a bit flat. We walked off our town map to the east and then found a bakery to buy two Pain du Raison which we know as snails. We were both feeling quite heavy headed and went back to base for a break. Weather was good with sunshine but a sneaky breeze. Had a coffee at a little Brasserie on the square where we had been before. Dinner was the Toulouse sausages and they were really good. Anne and Jeff they were not unlike the Cumberland sausages we had in York. I keep saying goodbye when I should be saying hello but the locals are really good about this.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Saturday 16/10/2010
A late start with breakfast at the stables restaurant: Off to London/ This French keyboard means there could be mistakes and this will be brief/ Reached London at about 2pm/ Met Lauren and went to a pub at about 4:30pm/ We had a great chat, couple of beers, and dinner and then walked with her back to the station at about 8pm: This is slow going: We had noisy people in the room next door in the hotel and they came in at about 3am,talking very loudly: I banged on the locked interconnecting door and told them to shut up: They had no idea where the voice came from but it worked: Total miles travelled in UK 955 miles: The trip from Hever to London was 76 miles:
Sunday 17/10/2010
After breakfastwe walked to St Pancras International Station for our train at 10:25am, arriving in Paris at about 1:45pm, a trip of just over 2 hours: As we were not able to check in to our accmmodation til 4pm wedecided to walk from Gare du Nord the train station and to have a good look around,stopping for coffee and a baguette: At about 5:40pm we left to check out a local church for Mass it was already at 10:30am: We went to a restaurant nearby for a Salmon and creme fraiche pizza very nice washed down with a bottle of Provance Rose and a very short lovely coffee each: Home to bed at 8:30pm because it was cool and windy and we had walked quite a distance:
Monday 18/10/2010
Today started ok and then I went down with a migraine and back to bed until 11:30am: Went out for coffee and a pastry which Brendan my brother tells me is good anywhere in the world: We zigzagged our way to the Louvre but as it was already 3pm decided to just look around and head off: Back to base at 44:30pm for a cup of tea and feet up: At about 6:30pm we went out for dinner as I still was not feeling great: We were told by the waiter that there was to be a train strike in Paris and he did not know if we would be able to travel:
Tuesday 19/10/2010
Went for a walk to check out if trains were running and yes some were: Took a taxi who initially did not want to pick us up, to St Lazare to find that the 10:10am train would not be running and we would be leaving for Bayeux at 12:10pm: We arrived in beautiful Bayeux a couple of hours later than expected originally and walked to the Hotel Churchill which was a lovely walk except it poured with rain just as we approached the hotel: The rain stopped then so we went out or a walk until about 6pm because it is still light until about 7pm: No restaurant at the hotel so we found a pub with 3 courses for 12:20 euro plus a carafe of red: Back home about 9:30 and we feel very safe walking the streets here;
Wednesday 20:10:2010
We visited the Tapestry Museum today and this was AMAZING: I know Pauline, Michael and the girls have been here so they know what I am saying: Back home about 5pm for a nanna nap and then out to a little restaurant for a Galette; buckwheat pancake: Mike had the Forestiere which was mushroom,ham and cheese and I had the Normandie which was black sausage, camembert, apple and cinnamon BEAUTIFUL:
Thursday 21/10/2010
Today we picked up the remainder of the old town tour we started yesterday and stopped off at a little cafe we found yesterday for a coffee and a snail pastry hich we found after talking to the lady that all the pastries and baguettes are made by her and her husband: Mike went out to sketch while I went to buy some fruit and ome baguette for lunch: I mixed up by greeting and my farewell in french today and the lady in the shop and I had a laugh about it: Mike came back from sketching just after I started this and has gone again to do some more: The lady at reception saw him sketching on the brige and asked me if hesketched: I said he did and to ask for a look when he returned: She was ready when he walked in the door: CNN news today says Lady Gaga has postponed hr 2 Paris concerts because of the strikes: Petrol is running very low and has been limited to 15 litres each car: There are demonstrations in Paris re changing the retirement age from 60 to 62: Reimer in the reception here at the hotel will check for us tonight if our scheduled train is running tomorrow as we are due to travel Bayeux to Caen and chenge trains which she says we nay not need to do and may be able to go straight to St Lazare to then chenge to Montpanasse and on to Tours and Chinon: We hope all will be well: Wait for the next update:
A late start with breakfast at the stables restaurant: Off to London/ This French keyboard means there could be mistakes and this will be brief/ Reached London at about 2pm/ Met Lauren and went to a pub at about 4:30pm/ We had a great chat, couple of beers, and dinner and then walked with her back to the station at about 8pm: This is slow going: We had noisy people in the room next door in the hotel and they came in at about 3am,talking very loudly: I banged on the locked interconnecting door and told them to shut up: They had no idea where the voice came from but it worked: Total miles travelled in UK 955 miles: The trip from Hever to London was 76 miles:
Sunday 17/10/2010
After breakfastwe walked to St Pancras International Station for our train at 10:25am, arriving in Paris at about 1:45pm, a trip of just over 2 hours: As we were not able to check in to our accmmodation til 4pm wedecided to walk from Gare du Nord the train station and to have a good look around,stopping for coffee and a baguette: At about 5:40pm we left to check out a local church for Mass it was already at 10:30am: We went to a restaurant nearby for a Salmon and creme fraiche pizza very nice washed down with a bottle of Provance Rose and a very short lovely coffee each: Home to bed at 8:30pm because it was cool and windy and we had walked quite a distance:
Monday 18/10/2010
Today started ok and then I went down with a migraine and back to bed until 11:30am: Went out for coffee and a pastry which Brendan my brother tells me is good anywhere in the world: We zigzagged our way to the Louvre but as it was already 3pm decided to just look around and head off: Back to base at 44:30pm for a cup of tea and feet up: At about 6:30pm we went out for dinner as I still was not feeling great: We were told by the waiter that there was to be a train strike in Paris and he did not know if we would be able to travel:
Tuesday 19/10/2010
Went for a walk to check out if trains were running and yes some were: Took a taxi who initially did not want to pick us up, to St Lazare to find that the 10:10am train would not be running and we would be leaving for Bayeux at 12:10pm: We arrived in beautiful Bayeux a couple of hours later than expected originally and walked to the Hotel Churchill which was a lovely walk except it poured with rain just as we approached the hotel: The rain stopped then so we went out or a walk until about 6pm because it is still light until about 7pm: No restaurant at the hotel so we found a pub with 3 courses for 12:20 euro plus a carafe of red: Back home about 9:30 and we feel very safe walking the streets here;
Wednesday 20:10:2010
We visited the Tapestry Museum today and this was AMAZING: I know Pauline, Michael and the girls have been here so they know what I am saying: Back home about 5pm for a nanna nap and then out to a little restaurant for a Galette; buckwheat pancake: Mike had the Forestiere which was mushroom,ham and cheese and I had the Normandie which was black sausage, camembert, apple and cinnamon BEAUTIFUL:
Thursday 21/10/2010
Today we picked up the remainder of the old town tour we started yesterday and stopped off at a little cafe we found yesterday for a coffee and a snail pastry hich we found after talking to the lady that all the pastries and baguettes are made by her and her husband: Mike went out to sketch while I went to buy some fruit and ome baguette for lunch: I mixed up by greeting and my farewell in french today and the lady in the shop and I had a laugh about it: Mike came back from sketching just after I started this and has gone again to do some more: The lady at reception saw him sketching on the brige and asked me if hesketched: I said he did and to ask for a look when he returned: She was ready when he walked in the door: CNN news today says Lady Gaga has postponed hr 2 Paris concerts because of the strikes: Petrol is running very low and has been limited to 15 litres each car: There are demonstrations in Paris re changing the retirement age from 60 to 62: Reimer in the reception here at the hotel will check for us tonight if our scheduled train is running tomorrow as we are due to travel Bayeux to Caen and chenge trains which she says we nay not need to do and may be able to go straight to St Lazare to then chenge to Montpanasse and on to Tours and Chinon: We hope all will be well: Wait for the next update:
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Wednesday 13/10/2010
This morning we roamed around Edenbridge (village about 7 miles away) Went to visit the Church of St Lawrence (catholic) and spoke to a couple of ladies who had just attended Mass and they invited us in to join them for morning tea. Lovely group and we spent about 1/2-3/4 hour there, met the priest and had a cuppa and cake. Mike was thrilled because there was a homemade bread pudding/cake. Bought some sandwiches from Tesco - very good and cheap (£1.75) with lots of filling a good brown bread. In the afternoon we visited Hever Castle and gardens (only a mile up the road) and spent about 3 hours there. Beautiful interior with lots of carving and marquetry. The gardens were equally good even though it is autumn. When we arrived a week ago the place (general countryside) was much greener than we expected. We noticed yesterday that the yellow of autumn is beginning to show. We bought a pizza for dinner and took it back to our room. The chef from the take away realised we were Australian and said he had spent about 3 1/2 years in Sydney and told us of a place to visit at La Spezia in Italy because it is where his mother was married.
Thursday 14/10/2010
Off th Hastings today. We walked along the foreshore to the Old Town and then up and down streets here. Had fish and chips on The Stade (foreshore area). Saw the net sheds where the fishermen hang their nets to dry. Drove to Rye where we walked around there for about 2 hours. There are so many interesting things to see. Left there about 16:50 and stopped in at The King Henry VIII Pub at 18:10 for dinner of Roast pumpkin and Stilton Risotto. (the chef is going to email me the recipe), washed down with a couple of Winstable Bay beers.
Friday 15/10/2010
Into Edenbridge to get my £20 back for a phone card I purchased on Wednesday and found I can not use in Europe (useless). We drove around many, many little very narrow roads in the area of Edenbridge and Hever Country Club, back to base for a sandwich (Tescos) and then to East Grinstead for a stroll around. This place has the longest row of timber houses in the country and also has a shop with cork panel front which is the oldest in the country also. This information was provided by the man in the bookshop which we visited (his shop has the cork). Home via Lingfield and to the Henry VIII again for dinner - Mike had Lamb Shank in Red Wine which he said was very good and I had Slow Roasted Pork Belly (to die for). We washed these down with a Grant Burge 2008 Merlot. The desserts looked soo good we could not resist. We shared a Summer Fruits pudding with custard and a Waffle with Movenvick Walnut and choc chip icecream.
Saturday 16/10/2010
We have had breakfast and are about to finish packing to head into London for the night before we catch the Eurostar tomorrow. We are meeting Lauren (neice for those who don't know) for dinner in London and are looking forward to that as I know she also is.
This morning we roamed around Edenbridge (village about 7 miles away) Went to visit the Church of St Lawrence (catholic) and spoke to a couple of ladies who had just attended Mass and they invited us in to join them for morning tea. Lovely group and we spent about 1/2-3/4 hour there, met the priest and had a cuppa and cake. Mike was thrilled because there was a homemade bread pudding/cake. Bought some sandwiches from Tesco - very good and cheap (£1.75) with lots of filling a good brown bread. In the afternoon we visited Hever Castle and gardens (only a mile up the road) and spent about 3 hours there. Beautiful interior with lots of carving and marquetry. The gardens were equally good even though it is autumn. When we arrived a week ago the place (general countryside) was much greener than we expected. We noticed yesterday that the yellow of autumn is beginning to show. We bought a pizza for dinner and took it back to our room. The chef from the take away realised we were Australian and said he had spent about 3 1/2 years in Sydney and told us of a place to visit at La Spezia in Italy because it is where his mother was married.
Thursday 14/10/2010
Off th Hastings today. We walked along the foreshore to the Old Town and then up and down streets here. Had fish and chips on The Stade (foreshore area). Saw the net sheds where the fishermen hang their nets to dry. Drove to Rye where we walked around there for about 2 hours. There are so many interesting things to see. Left there about 16:50 and stopped in at The King Henry VIII Pub at 18:10 for dinner of Roast pumpkin and Stilton Risotto. (the chef is going to email me the recipe), washed down with a couple of Winstable Bay beers.
Friday 15/10/2010
Into Edenbridge to get my £20 back for a phone card I purchased on Wednesday and found I can not use in Europe (useless). We drove around many, many little very narrow roads in the area of Edenbridge and Hever Country Club, back to base for a sandwich (Tescos) and then to East Grinstead for a stroll around. This place has the longest row of timber houses in the country and also has a shop with cork panel front which is the oldest in the country also. This information was provided by the man in the bookshop which we visited (his shop has the cork). Home via Lingfield and to the Henry VIII again for dinner - Mike had Lamb Shank in Red Wine which he said was very good and I had Slow Roasted Pork Belly (to die for). We washed these down with a Grant Burge 2008 Merlot. The desserts looked soo good we could not resist. We shared a Summer Fruits pudding with custard and a Waffle with Movenvick Walnut and choc chip icecream.
Saturday 16/10/2010
We have had breakfast and are about to finish packing to head into London for the night before we catch the Eurostar tomorrow. We are meeting Lauren (neice for those who don't know) for dinner in London and are looking forward to that as I know she also is.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Arrived in UK
Finally got to use this blog. Ask Nathan why it did not work. We left Canberra 15 minutes later than scheduled on Friday 08/10/2010) which was not a problem as we had allowed plenty of time for connection to international. Out flight from Sydney to Hong Hong was delayed (due to mechanical problems) from 15:15 to 17:35 which meant we landed in Hong Kong at 00:05 on Saturday 09/10/2010 and arrived at the Hotel just after 01:30. We were awake again at 06:50 and could not get back to sleep. We first caught a cab to look at new glasses for Mike (ordered and will pick up on way home in 5 weeks), walked Nathan Road, Kowloon arriving back at the Novotel about 16:00. We were tired so had a drink and then just sat in the foyer and relaxed. We had dinner and were picked up at 20:15 for the airport. Flight was on time and we arrived at Heathrow on time at 05:30 Sunday 10/10/2010. After picking up the car we got lost on the way to visit my niece, Maree, her husband Mark and their children John and Erin. After lunch with them at their house we drove to Hever in Kent where we are staying. Very very tired by this time we showered, had dinner and were in bed by 20:00 to wake on Monday at 08:30. Monday we drove to Tonbridge Wells and strolled round for about 4 hours. Tuesday we drove to Canterbury and walked around there for about the same time. Canterbury Cathedral is AMAZING. The old buildings here are very interesting. On Monday night we went up the road (drove 1km) to the Wheatsheaf (a local pub) for dinner and last night we had dinner in The Old Eden in Edenbridge (just 7 minutes on very winding country roads away). Mike says they are all very winding country roads. When we landed in Heathrow it was overcast and we thought we were in for a very dull day however it turned out very nice by abour 10:00. Monday was a nice day with temps about 18 degrees and yesterday was a mix of sunshine and cloud, wind and a temp about 10-12 degrees. Today were are going into Edenbridge to look around and then to Hever Castle which is only a mile up the road from the Hever Golf Club where we are staying.
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