Bath Christmas Fair

Saturday 29th November- Ian and I jumped on the train and made our way to Bath. We arrived just before 11 as the stalls were starting to open. We took advantage of the early start and the fact that there were few crowds to make our way quickly through most of the stalls. There were lots of crafts, clothes, candles, and food (surprisingly a lot of cheese stalls). we picked up a few presents then made our way to a few of my favourite shops in Bath, including one stationary store where I picked up an advent calender portraying the Bath Abbey and Christmas fair stalls. After all our shopping we joined the queue at Sally Lunn's and were soon enjoying some warming soup followed by cream tea. We walked around a bit more after our late lunch before catching the 5:30 train back to Bristol. Once home we dropped off our purchases and went to an Advent service at St. Peter's before finally having dinner and unwinding at home

Home again

Since returning from Budapest nearly all the leaves have fallen off the trees. We've had a number of very cold days and the it gets quite dark early in the afternoon. However, we have a fantastic view from our window of st. peter's church.

Homeward bound

After the zoo, we grabbed a panne dolce for a snack, not as good as the first because it was cold but still good. We walked through the park to the Szechenyi baths and admired the architecture then went to the grocery store for some last minute souvenirs before heading back to the hotel. We only had to wait a few minutes at the hotel before our taxi arrived to take us to the airport. A few hours later we were on the plane heading back to Merry old England.

Budapest Zoo

From there we made our way to the city zoo. We saw a number of fantastic animals with lots of interesting sculptures and ornate houses. The most impressive was the domes elephant house with it teal tiles and jade green elephant head at the opening. The interior was palatial with beautiful mosaics and chandeliers. The zoo also had a model of a Hungarian farm, with an interesting hairy pig, dog, sheep, goats and geese. Small ponies were used to cart around the food and waste from the farm. We saw bears, tigers, lions, leopards, meerkat, camels, rhinos, giraffe, kangaroos, wallabies, warthogs, mara (a rodent that looks like a cross between a deer and a rabbit, which I had never seen before), wolves, vultures, owls, cranes and many others. my favourites were the armadillos who seemed to think that we were there to feed them and came running over sniffling at us. Ian was quite intrigued with watching the porcupines eat. It was a great visit.

Final day-City Park

Monday 17 November - we started off our last day in Budapest with some pastry from Gerbeaud. After clearing out from our room we dropped our stuff at the reception desk and made our way to city park. We walked to Vajdahunyad castle which now house the agricultural museum. We also saw the statue of anonymous commemorating the first chronicler of Hungarian history. I touched the tip of his golden pen for good luck on my dissertation.

Pest at night

Once we had wandered around the inner city to our satisfaction we hoped on the metro and headed back over to Buda's castle district to hit some of the shops we had visited the day before. After making our purchases we strolled around the castle district and enjoyed the amazing views of Pest lit up at night from the Fisherman's Bastion and the Sandor Palace before heading back across the river for dinner at another restaurant on Andrassy Utca, This time an opulent cafe with chandeliers and large mirrors. Where we had an excellent meal and wrote some postcards before strolling the rest of the way up Adrassy Utca to the hotel.

Pest-inner city

Following our relaxing morning at the Baths we walked back over to Pest to have lunch and explore the inner city. We had lunch on Vaci street, known for its shopping. We enjoyed the tourist menu which was composed of classic hungarian food: goulash to start followed by paprika chicken with gnochi and a jam filed pancake for dessert. Once fortfied by some good food we stopped in a few souvenir shops then did a tour of the inner city sites. There were lots of beautiful smaller palaces and churches as well as some impressive art nouveau banks and office buildings.

Gellert Baths

Sunday 16 November - After our whirlwind sightseeing tour of the previous day our weary bones were quite happy to go to Gellert to enjoy the baths. Budapest is well known for its baths and there are complexes around the city. We chose to go the baths at the Gellert hotel because they are renowned for their art nouveau splendor and because they had co-ed swimming. We made our way via metro to the river then crossed at the Elizabeth bridge to the Buda side and the Gellert district. We walked past the cave church and a number of ornate stone bus stops. When we finally made it to the Hotel is was typically amazing and ornate. However, it wasn't until we got inside to the bath complex that we were blown away. The Foyer had frescoed ceiling, mosaic tile floors, stained glass stained glass arcades, stone sculptures and a fountain. Our first stop was the swimming pool. The pool is co-ed with amazing carved pillars, marble walls, fountain spouts which constantly circulates the water and jets from the floor. Above the pool is a glass arcade which was partly retracted exposing the blue sky. After circulating in the pool we went to the warm bath to soak our muscles. After the communal pool we separated to the male and female thermal baths. In the thermal baths there were marble floors and tile mosaic walls with square skylights cut into the arched ceiling. There were two main baths, one 36 degrees and one 38 degrees. After soaking in these baths one goes to the cold, dunk bath to refresh, I also visited the steam room before going to have a massage. It was a perfect and absolutely luxurious way to relax.

Millennium Monument

Finally after dinner we strolled up Andrassy Utca to the Millennium monument which was striking at night especially with a three quarters full moon overhead. From there we walked to city park getting a view of Vajdahunyad castle at night and finally back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

St. Stephen's at night

With our Gerbeaud pick me up we had renewed energy as we returned to St. Stephen's Basilica for a concert. The concert was presented by Members of the Franz liszt school. WE were treated to Handel, Mozart and Beethoven amidst the splendor of the Basilica. The concert gave us a great opportunity to see the Basilica fully lit up and really admire the detail and colour of the decoration. It was a wonderful evening. After the concert we had a lovely diner at a Abzint, a cafe on Adrassy Utca. It was a great meal with good service and a modern atmosphere.

Gerbeaud

Once we had crossed the Danube once again and were back on the pest side of the city, we decided to treat ourselves to something sweet and rest our feet. We made our way to the famous Gerbeaud patisserie where we got a sampling of pastries and the best hot chocolate I have ever had. Not only was the food great but the atmosphere was suitably luxurious. Chandeliers illuminate the rooms with their damask wallpaper, gold framed mirrors and ornate bistro tables. It was a much needed break from all the on the go adventures of the day.

Chain Bridge

After St. Stephen's we made our way to the chain bridge. The chain bridge was the first connection across the Danube, opened in 1849. It has four magnificent lion statues guarding the ends of the the bridge. We were lucky enough to be crossing the bridge as it turned from twilight to night and thus saw the lights come on on the bridge and along both sides of the city. The bridge gave great views of parliament and Sandor castle lit up for the evening as well as the city lights reflected in the river.

St. Stephen's at sunset

St. stephen's Basilica is a lovely church, with a dome surrounded by complex statues. We entered the church and I was overwhelmed by the intricacy and luxury of the ornamentation. Pillars topped with gold, 12 candle candleabra along with paintiings, mosaics, friezes, stained glass and sculpture. In a side room, we saw the hand of st. stephen ensconced in its ornate shrine. We then climbed the many stairs to the top of the church where we emerged outside the dome just as the sun was setting. We were able to enjoy fantastic views of the city as the sun gilded the spires and domes across the skyscape.

Pest side

From Magrit Island we walked to Pest to the main train station, from there we made our way up Adrassy Utc (likened to the Champs elysee) Where we poked our head into the fabulously ornate opera house. Next was on to St. Stephen's Basilica.

Magrit Island

Magrit Island is located between Buda and Pest and is basically a massive park. It holds a sports complex, alpine slide, ruins of a Franciscan church, an ornate water tower and Hotel. Path crisscross the island revealing benches and fields as well as a small zoo. The Island was known for its large rabbits which are now housed in the zoo, but Ian's favourite animal was the small brightly coloured ducks. Many people rent small bicycle driven carts to explore the island but we made it about 2/3 up the length of the island on foot before heading back. We stopped for a sausage and large pretzel from a street vendor for lunch.

Sandor Palace

From the Fisherman's Bastion we went to Sandor palace. There is a cog-wheel railway which connects the palace to the chain bridge below. At the palace gate we met the Turul bird statue which represents the Hapsburgs and overlooks the palace courtyard and the city. The Castle courtyard also has great views of the city along with fantastic bronze statues around the palace. We wandered around the castle courtyard at the edge of the courtyard stalls are set up selling souvenirs. At one stall we bought a cinnamon flavoured panne dolce. This Hungarian treat is a bread baked into a hollow cylinder shape which pulls apart in a spiral. It was warm and wonderful. From the palace we walked along some of the interesting side streets making our way to the Vienna arch and the district walls. We walked down to the river and up to Magrit Island.

Fisherman's Bastion

Once arriving in Buda we meandered around,appreciating the lovely architecture and quaint streets and steps. Eventually we made our way to the Fisherman's bastion. This is one of the sights that I really wanted to see when planning the trip and it did not disappoint. Built in 1905 this "neo-gothic masquerade" offers amazing views of the city. We were lucky to have warm weather and blue skies so it was comfortable walking around and making the architecture all the more striking. We walked around the Bastion taking in the views as well as the arches, pillars, and statues as well as the musicians playing on the steps. Right next to the bastion is St. Matthias church with its amazingly tiled roof. From there we made our way to the Sandor Palace stopping in some souvenir shops and a small market along the way.

Parliament

Saturday 15 November-On our first real day in Budapest we decided to cross the danube and explore the castle district in Buda. We had a bit of trouble finding the metro station closest to our hotel and ended up passing by a very crowded flea market. However, we finally managed to find the metro and the ticket guards helped us figure out how to purchase our tickets from the automated machine which can be used in either Hungarian or English. The metro was station was very clean and the trains were fashioned, blue with large silver numbers. There were few stops but we took the metro under the river to the Buda side. The trains are also quite deep and the escalator consequently are quite steep and long. However as we emerged from the metro we were greeted with a fantastic view of parliament across the river.

Hungary anyone?

Friday 14th November- Ian and I woke up at 1:30 in the morning to catch the bus to Gatwick airport. From there we flew to Budapest, taking a taxi to the hotel. After a quick change we made our way to the gallery by 3:30. The exhibition, Crossroads, opened at the MAMU gallery at 6:00. There were lots of friends and family of the 11 UWE artists as well as some Hungarian supporters of the museum. The gallery owner, the show organizer from UWE and the UK ambassador to Hungary all spoke at the opening and my work had a prominent place during the speeches. At about 8:30 Ian and I started walking toward the restaurant where the after party was being held. We saw a lot of lovely lit building and ornate lampposts along the way. We met up with the other artists at the restaurant and had something to eat before heading back to the hotel.

Oxford

Saturday 8 November - Since we had the car for the weekend, Ian and I decided to take a trip to Oxford. We actually parked outside the city and took the bus in as it is difficult to drive directly into/around the city. It was a lovely, warm and sunny day and we wandered around as we pleased. There are lots of old stone building and stone streets. Because it is a university town there are also many museums. We visited the Museum of science and the natural History museum. The natural History museum was amazing, it had skeletons of a wide range of animals including elephants, a polar bear, a giraffe, as well as dinosaur skeletons. There were also many stuffed animals and creatures in specimen jars. There were also displays on minerals and fossils. While in Oxford we had a nice lunch at the Newshop restaurant and visited the Bodleian library. There were lots of nice shops and quaint streets. We stayed until a little after five, at which time it was quite dark then made our way back to Bristol.

Bridgewater carnival: squibbing

When we went to the carnival last year we went with a group and had to leave the parade early and miss the infamous squibbing. Squibbing is a tradition unique to bridgewater and is difficult to describe. We almost missed the festivities again as we had to get the car out of the parking lot by midnight and the squibbing did not take place until 11:30. However, it was worth both the wait and the stress. A number of squibbers (about 50) lined main street in two columns. Each carries a squib which is a long stick like a broom handle with a firework at the end. They then light small fires between the columns and on the signal the squibbers all light their squibs and hold them over their heads. The effect for both squibber and crowd is like being inside a firework or a rainstorm of fire. THe squibs last for about 5 minutes with much yelling and shouting. It was an amazing experience.

Bridgewater carnival: floats

Friday 7 November - Since we had such a great time last year, Ian and I decided to go back to the Bridgewater carnival again this year. We rented a car and brought along three of our friends, Aisling, Anna and Caryn. It was quite an international group as they represent England, Ireland and South Africa respectively. We left Bristol just after five and parked in Bridgewater around 6:30. We made our way to the parade route and found a good spot to stand, we had a clear view and were near the beginning of the route. The parade began a little after seven and was amazing. The common themes for floats this year were carnival, jesters, one world and America. There were tons of lights as well as great costumes and dancing and lots of enthusiasm. We had a great time.

Flash.... (no bang)

Wednesday 5 November, On the official Guy Fawkes day I went to the Bristol zoo to enjoy bangless fireworks. The show was designed with the animals and young children in mind. There were loads of people with pushy pushchairs and pushy children but the display was quite beautiful. There were fireworks similar to the traditional ones, only smaller and rooted to the ground as well as spinning fireworks, lanterns and streaming fireworks with no bang at the end. It was an interesting alternative, however it was difficult to know where to look without the sound.

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Saturday 1 November - Ian and I braved the wind and rain to see at least part of the fireworks display this weekend. Throughout november we will hear and see fireworks almost every night as people celebrate "fireworks night" or Guy Fawkes day. The Brits often celebrate by having private fireworks displays and parties with bonfires in their backyards. The towns and villages also have larger displays. The display this year was mostly red and green fireworks and not particularly exciting (although spirits were quite damp considering the rain). However, we are looking forward to continuing the celebration this weekend when we go to the Bridgewater carnival.

Bristol at night

Ian and I generally take a walk every night after dinner. Over the past week, with surprisingly clear skies, we've watched the moon grow full. I snapped this picture as we made our way to the park near the suspension bridge, the moon was quite bright and it certainly felt like a fall/Halloween night.

Zoo days

Saturday 17 October - Ian and I decided to go to the zoo today. I haven't been to the zoo in ages and Its been about a year since Ian and I went together. We had a great time visiting the reptiles, fish and bugs and then wandering around to see the red panda, seals, penguins and red panda. It was quite crowded with pushy little kids and their inattentive parents but we had fun.

Clifton Downs

Now that we are moving up in the world, literally that is as we are now further up the hill, we are much closer to the Clifton Downs. I enjoy running on the downs because it has many paths both paves and simply worn in the grass and great views of the Avon Gorge. On sunny days there are often families out playing ball and flying kites. The Downs is a popular place for joggers and dog walkers. I also collect blackberries after my run, they are great for breakfast or a snack and recently I collected a bunch of bright red rosehips to make into a wreath. Being so close to the downs is like having a little oasis of countryside in the city.

Ballooning Around

We finally have some nice weather here in Bristol, well in between the rainy days that is, However, the hot air balloon companies have been taking advantage of the clear days and I often see balloons floating about the city 3 or 4 five days a week. It is always amazing to suddenly see them just above the horizon. They are certainly a fixture of life here in Bristol.

Bradford upon Avon

Saturday 11 October- We decided that if the weather was nice today we would finally go to Bradford Upon Avon, a Cotswold village that we have often passed on our trips to Portsmouth/Fareham and which I have wanted to visit for a long time. Well it was a lovely morning and after a leisurely breakfast we walked down to Temple Meads to buy our tickets. The tickets were a bit more than I was expecting but they turned out to be well worth it. We arrived around 11:30 and made our way from the train station to the information office. We then began our adventure through the town. Bradford upon Avon straddles the Avon river and so the waterway frequently makes an appearance as you explore the town. It is also rich in historical buildings including a Saxon church, a Norman church (the most complete one in England) two medieval bridges and a tithe barn as well as weavers cottages and wool mills from the 18th and 19th century and various other old and interesting bits. We really enjoyed our time in Bradford upon Avon (not to be confused with just plain Bradford). The weather was wonderful, sunny and warm but not too hot. The town was full of wonder full smells: flowers, baking, fish n' chips, wood/peat fires, cut grass. We saw all the major historic sites and ventured up and down some of the winding sides streets. We had lunch at the Bridge tea house, complete with classical music and waitresses in full Victorian servants costumes. After lunch we wandered along the river and visited a few shops near the tithe barn. We stayed in Bradford upon Avon until the 5:20 train took us back to Bristol. It was a very full but rewarding day. Definitely one of my favourite adventures in England.

Puddle jump

To all my friends stateside I will be returning home to NH on the 9 of September and will be staying until the 22. To those of you who I've made plans to meet up with I look forward to seeing you an catching up. To anyone I may have missed scheduling a get together, be sure to call me at home or email me so we can try to get together.

cheers!

Somerset Lavender

Sunday 7 September - Ian and I decided to take a break from moving (we are leaving university housing and moving to a private flat) and took advantage of having rented a car to go outside the city. It took us longer than expected to leave the city because of major traffic issues, however, we finally made it out into the countryside. We went to visit a lavender farm not far outside Bath. We drove through some very quaint and historic towns including Norton St. philips which had an amazing 14th century Inn. We got lost a few times trying to navigate the tiny unmarked back roads but finally made it to the farm. We walked around the fields which had already been mostly cut back but which were nestled in some lovely countryside and so still enjoyable. We also walked through the display garden which held about 10-12 varieties of lavender still in bloom. I bought a pot of Princess blue lavender to put out on our new balcony and remember the trip by.

Brockenhurst

When we arrived back in Brockenhurst we walked around the charming little town, jam packed with tea rooms and small shops. We stopped for a new forest ice cream and took a stroll. The New Forest is well known for its ponies which being a rare breed are allowed to roam the area freely which means that they meander at will through the town. Many houses had gate or cattle grates to keep the horses off their lawn but horse dropping along the sidewalk proved that they took full advantage of their freedom. We saw a number of ponies on public greens and they often enjoy stopping traffic by crossing or even standing in the roads. They were quite tame and let us pet them. It was a lovely little town with a great atmosphere. We took a different route through the New Forest to get to Fareham, passing through a dark wood, moors, ponds and even a castle. I would love to go back and spend the day bicycling through the many small paths of the forest. It was a lovely trip with great company.

Bournemouth

Saturday, August 30 - as the "summer" draws to a close Ian and went to spend the weekend with our friends Emma and Dave. We took the train from Bristol to South Hampton where Emma and Dave picked us up. We drove to through the New Forest to the Brockenhurst train station and took the train to Bournemouth. A beach town, Bournemouth is a bit like Bristol set along the coast. The city itself wasn't very thrilling but there was a lovely park and long sandy beaches. We arrived at the station and walked through the city and park to the beach where we stopped to have fish 'n chips. It was a good meal despite the wait and the heat. There was a air show at Bournemouth this weekend and it was estimated that 1/4 million people had been through the city on Saturday. We could see some of the air demonstrations from the restaurant and we were refreshed from our travel by the food and lots of water. After lunch we walked along the cliffs taking in the air show. We made our way down to the beach and sat on the sand to watch the wing walkers perform. We stuck our feet in the water and watched the day's final performance of military parachuters landing on the beach. We then made our way back to the train station and back to Brockenhurst.

Discovery Channel International Balloon Fiesta

Friday 8 August, Ian and I packed a picnic lunch of chicken, pasta salad, ginger beer and fresh baked blackberry crumble with cream and marched up to the park above the Clifton suspension bridge to view the launch of the balloons. The launch was delayed about half an hour but it was fascinating to watch the balloons emerge from behind the trees and pass by the bridge and eventually out of site. I counted 107 balloons. There were lots of lovely colours as well as some unusual shapes including a chicken, a kiwi, a fire extinguisher and a monster. The entire launch took about two hours and was fun to watch despite the cool breeze and cloudy skies. On Saturday we hiked over to Ashton Court to check out the launch site and the ground festivities. There were lots of carnival rides and games but not much was appealing since it was pouring. They cancelled the launch for that night as well as the following night launch due to weather conditions so it was fortunate that we saw the launch on Friday.

Lynton and Lynmouth

The final destination on our coastline trip were the twin towns of Lynton (at the top of the hill) and Lynmouth (at the bottom of the hill, on the oceanfront). These two quaint historic towns have loads of character. Lynmouth feels like a small seaside resort town with lots of ice cream shops, toy shops and souvenir shops. The upper town has it share of shops too but also more sophisticated restaurants and galleries. We walked up the hill to Lynton but took the famous cliff railway back down to the bottom. Lynton has lovely views of the beaches and surrounding cliffs while Lynmouth has access to the mostly rocky beaches. We walked along the water and I collected some lovely seaglass and a few shells before we had an ice cream and then started the return journey.

Moor to Sea

Along the coast Ian took us to a road way up on a hill top which over looked the ocean. On the road we couldn't see much but fields with sheep, cows and exmoor ponies on one side of the road and moors full of heather and gorse on the other. However, when we got to the end of the road there was an amazing view of the water and cliffs surrounded by woods and moors. We tramped around a few muddy trails and enjoyed the view before hunger got the better of us and we went in search of the town of Porlock (of Coleridge fame) and lunch.

Along the Coast

Thursday 8 August. We drove along the coast passing through a number of lovely towns with thatched roof cottages and spectacular views. We stopped at Dunster, a quaint town with a lovely castle and gardens. Gardening seems to be the pastime in Dunster and many of the private gardens were overflowing with blooms. There are also public gardens and a very charming garden outside the church. Close by the church garden is an old abandoned dove cote. The town is also known for its medieval yarn market stall which still stands on the high street. We walked around the town and visited a number of the shops before continuing our journey.

Into Wales

Wednesday 7 August. We rented a car for a couple of Days to take Marty around England. We stopped at Tintern Abbey first, which was lovely and serene as always. We were lucky with the weather and I was able to sit and sketch in the sun while Ian and his mother wandered around. After visiting the abbey we stopped at the Tintern Abbey Train stop which is no longer on the railway route but which has been converted into an activity center complete with tea house, shop, and walking trails. We had sweets at the cafe and then meandered around one of the walking trails. There were some lovely views of the river and the surrounding countryside. From Tintern we made our way to Crickhellow, a lovely little town renowned for its 13 arch bridge. Crickhellow also has the remnants of a castle and a number of lovely buildings decked out in summer flowers. We stopped for a while to pick blackberries from some brambles near the castle which I later made into a crumble. We journeyed on through a few more towns before making our way back to Bristol.

A Visit to Bath

On Tuesday August 5 Ian and I took his mother to Bath for the day. We wandered around the park and saw some lovely plantings and then poked around the sites and shops of Bath. Unfortunately the weather was not great and it rained most of the day. In the Evening we went to a concert at St. Mary Redcillfe's featuring performers from Texas and New Jersey.

Big Bang

The crowning event of the Harbourside Festival is the Fireworks. This display was one of the best I have ever seen. The show had both aerial fireworks and displays from on the ground. The explosions went off over the water of the Quay and behind the large industrial cranes and the masts of the visiting tall ships. It was well coordinated and synchronized to music. It was a great way to end the evening.

Bristol Harbour Festival

The weekend of Aug 2-3 is the EDF Energy Bristol Harbour Festival. The Festival is a free family event with several stages for music and dancing as well as a circus stage and street performances. Ian and I went down fairly early, 11:30 on Saturday to scope out the stages and booths along the harbourside. After meandering about for a bit we went to the cirque bijou stage where we watched a trapeze act, dance, Chinese pole act and a fantastic aerial silk performance. We then went to see the infamous Morris dancers. We have been hearing a lot about Morris dancing which is a traditional type of dancing in England done by men wearing bells on their legs and involving wooden sticks or handkerchiefs. The performance was quite entertaining and the dancer who introduced each dance was quite funny. There was also a traditional horse character, crack, which circled the audience, snapping his jaws and p laying with the crowd. Later in the afternoon Ian and I went back to the festival to see some musical performances. We saw Beth Rowley, a Bristol native who recently released an album and an energetic Irish band called Sheenaigans.

Le Pouligan

Technically the town we were staying in was Le Pouligan, not La Baule proper. And while less glamorous Le Pouligan has a more charm and character. The port town has a very nice promenade with both tradition bretagne food and gifts as well as fair food and games. Ian and I went to watch the making of a taffy like candy, which is pulled, twisted and put on a stick like a lollipop, and I bought one that was chocolate and pistachio flavored. On our last night in France we walked up the promenade and took a ride on the lovely old fashioned carousel. Le Pouligan has a lovely town center and market as well as a distinctive church tower which has large rectangular section cut out so that one can see the sky through the tower.

Guerande

Guerande is a medieval walled city, it was one of my favorite places to visit when we were living in France. When we visited this time a few of the shops had changed and the summer market was much larger than the winter/spring ones. The church in the heart of the city had also placed a number of sculptures around its exterior which illuminated the history and culture of the area. When visiting Guerande, Ian and I would often visit a particular patisserie for sweets, on this trip we picked up some chocolate souris (mice) made of a ganache with almond slice ears.

salt marshes

The area where we were staying is known for its salt production. The sea salt is what makes the butter and the local caramels so delicious. Ian and I often visited the salt marshes when we were living in La Baule so we decided to taking a relaxing bike ride through them while on holiday. We saw lots of herons in the water as well as fish trapped in the slat beds and channels. Piles of salt were out to dry on the clay and we watched the tourists take tours around the marshes by foot, by car and by horse cart.

a gallop on the beach

Although, for the most part, we had fantastic weather there were two days that the rain bucketed down for most of the day. The first day was the day of the big reunion dinner so plans weren't interrupted too much as we spent most of the day getting ready. The second rainy day was the day that we planned to go for a ride on the beach. It poured most of the day and we spent our time reading and playing cards. However, by the time we were to go to the stables the rain had stopped and the sky cleared. Because of the rain most of the people cancelled their ride so only three of us went out with the stable leader. We got to walk, trot and gallop on the beach and in the water as the tide went out and the sun was setting. It was great fun to be on a horse again. At the far end of the beach we encountered a massive jellyfish (about the size of a laundry basket) washed up on the beach. Although Ian and I were quite sore the next few days, it was well worth it.

Sunshine and gentle breezes

Ian often goes sailing when he holidays in France and he was eager to go again this trip. I was a bit nervous because the boats are like small catamarans and can possibly tip over. However, we had a lovely sail, we had alight wind so that we were never stopped in the water but never a wind that was too strong or dangerous. It was wonderful to clip along over the waves and get a different view of the bay as well as see all the other lovely boats out on the water.

Continental adventures

One morning while walking to the market in Le Pouligan, we came across a festival for St. Anne. There was a procession with bagpipes, traditional dress and an icon of St. Anne, progressing through the streets with churchgoers following and singing in unison. It was quite an interesting event. Leaving the market, we came across a group of traditionally dressed Bretagne dancers who were playing instruments, singing and dancing. The costumes were lovely and can be seen recreated in a the Quimper style pottery that is sold everywhere in the region.

a goûter of Brittany

One of the greatest pleasures of France is visiting the markets. There is something so appealing about smelling all the fresh vegetables, meat, cheese, seafood, bread and cakes as well as hearing the hustle and bustle of the stall owners and the shoppers. The colours are textures of the market are lush and diverse. We visited at least three separate markets while in France and even bought fresh oysters at one for lunch.

across the channel

On July 24 Ian and I got our flight out of Bristol and landed in Dinard, France. His parents picked us up at the airport and we made the two and a half hour drive to La Baule. The weather was warm and sunny with a pleasant breeze. It was so relaxing to watch the fields pass, full of grass, hay bales, vegetables and flowers. We spent the week in La Baule enjoying the beach and the sun as well as great food and drink.

where's the sun

Well the English summer leaves a bit to be desired. We've had mostly rain, wind and cold weather, generally ranging around the mid 50s to low 60's. However, on those rare days when the sun decides to come out and the wind is not atrocious Ian and I will take our reading outside to the Royal Fort park. The park is part of the University and once housed a medieval fort. Now all that remains is some stone walls and possibly a gate. However, there are some nice university buildings on the grounds which are landscaped by historical gardening dept.