Hello again - we have just returned from a visit to the Dordogne in France - fantastic scenery - lots of laughs with the group we were with . and brilliant excursions and a good quota of free time in Souillac our base,
We stayed the night before in London prior to catching the Eurostar to Paris - so we caught the underground to Tower Hill to visit the Tower of London - to see the Remembrance Poppies- well it was daylight when we started out - but night had fallen when we arrived and it is pretty much only round the corner!!- yes you have guessed it - we took the wrong line - it should have been the Circle Line - anyway we finally arrived and it was spectacular
it was very emotive and so silent at that time - we wandered around for quite a while and then moved on towards the river -
Tower Bridge always looks so splendid -
click on the pics to get a better look -then we made our way back to the Underground making certain we caught the circle line !!!
The folowing day we met up with our group for the week at St Pancras and away we sped on the Eurostar to Paris - Gard du Nord
was massively busy and with no time to spare we joined our group to catch our connection to Austerwytch to board the train for Souillac in the Dordogne 400 miles on !!.All went well , with glimpses of Paris on the way
- I worried about the wheels on my trolley case on our station dashes but they stood up to the test and their guarantee statement!!.
We sped north through France at the speed of light - well not quite but pretty fast - admiring the changing countryside from large agricultural expanses t small patchwork meadows - picturesque farmhouses and barns
- sampling the catering facilities on the train - a trolley laden with I don't know what - you name it - he had it in stock - he didn't speak much English - and we don't speak much French - so a fair amount of pointing and laughing took place- the outcome was ok - 2 small bottles of red and a bar of unknown chocolate !
Our hotel base was in Souillac and it was extremely good our room had large white shutters opening out onto the view of the church tower
- complete with chiming bells - but you know allthough the chime was quite loud we never heard it through the night - now whether they turn the chime off or perhaps our senses were dulled by the free flowing wine at dinner!
I had chosen this trip because although there were arranged trips out - there was also plenty of free time to view the local town -
We were amazed at the clean tidy flower laden streets -
no litter - no bins - so refreshing - and amazing scenery at every turn -
We went on several tours out first one was to La Roque-Gageac - the journey in itself was amazing - chateaux at every turn perched miraculously on the sides of steep sided cliffs
- and the day ended in a trip on the River Dordogne
on a traditional boat -
we also visited Rocamadour with unbelievable scenery -
houses and churches perched periously on the sides of the cliffs - and it is said that pilgrims climbed to the top on their knees to repent their sins - every turn was a picture to be taken
- the whole region is a gourmet region - specialities being pate de foie gras - I am vegetarian so this is abhorent to me - walnuts - now we did sample a little walnut liqueur but I found it to bitter for me but OH thought it good - we did not purchase any because like the truffles for sale it was pretty expensive!! - moving on from Rocamadour - and I must say here that our local lady coach driver was amazing - she wheeled and turned the coach through the narrow streets and in one place - the coach park - the back end of the coach appeared to hang over the side of the cliff and we could see the houses below
- Rocamadour is built on three levels we were on the second level - to reach other levels you must either walk up winding steps cut out of the cliffs - whch take you past tiny churches and chapels
- the atmosphere was amazing it was Sunday and all of the churches were full to the brim with local people and tourists passing through - the singing - candles and incense burning at every turn - or lifts operate between the levels of the town - as we steamed out of town we were brought back down to the practicalities of modern day living
- a car boot at the top of the town!!
On now to Martel and a ride on the Truffadou train - this line has been restored - it was used to bring the truffles into town - OH and myself are"anoraks" we love a steam train - and this one was a little gem - see what you think this is off you tube my version was a bit topsey turvey
The train stopped at a little stone hut - all the wares were quickly put on sale - even a litter bn was put in situ - we bought a poster
- for our summer house - as soon as the train pulled away - they quickly closed up - vanishing inside the shop!
Another excursion took us to the medieval town of Sarlat -
again a mixture of wonderful old buildings flowers and coffee shops - we were so lucky we had sunny days up till the last day and then it threw it down - water rushing down the streets - up until then I had wandered how the flowers looked so good because I had never seen anyone watering them - but it seems - no need
We caught the train back down to Paris - the train was 55 mins late - so we missed our Eurostar connection - we were very thankful that we had our tour guide to banter with the powers that be to get us on the next train to London -Take care -thanks for calling - have a lovely week - Jane
Well it seems like for ever since my last blog - but time moves on - a lot has happened - the garden is now finished and the summer house is in place
- a few hiccups on the way including a fractured wrist for me - painful ouch! - slipped on a muddy patch and threw my arm back onto a pile of stones - everything takes forever to do one handed - I am becoming quite skilled with my left hand ! but the weeds have taken advantage in the allotment - OH has become efficient with chores he never really understood such as hanging the washing out and ironing - but he has kept the home fires burning so to speak - my cast is due to come off on Monday and from then onwards I hope showering with a plastic bag over my arm will be a thing of the past.
The garden has done its best to live up to its new image - and my hanging pot took first at the Shrewsbury
Show see below - click on the pic for a better look- and now there has been another blip on the horizon my pictures won't load properly - anyway I have found another way around this it is a bit long winded but it will suffice until a better method turns up!!
Well it is approx 3 weeks later and a better method has not turned up - I havekept my spirits up by uploading pics and bits to my facebook page and kept in touch with my gardening friends on 'Grows on you 'web site - but the deep attachment I have to ,Janes Blog clings on - so here we are again - oh I have started off another blog Somewhere in Shropshire - which will be more of a picture blog
My wrist is stronger now so I am able to take pics again - and do most gardening jobs and dog walking is back again for me - OH has walked the dogs - but everyday Blue has looked at my feet waiting for the walking boots to go on - and to be fair I knew how she felt - because I missed that walk down the lanes and fields - we have been out and about the last few weeks - two steam rallies - Onslow and Malpas - and a family get together -
Malpas was a sunny day unlike the rainy sunday for Onslow - no pictures taken by me for Onslow - but I took a few at Malpas wrist is getting stronger at last - the atmosphere was electric as always at these steam revival rallies - you name it - you could see it -
dogs catching a ride on on miniature engines - and of course
the fairground -
and all the fun of the fair - and of course the best till last!!
Finally a shot taken last weekend of my home town Shrewsbury - a shot of the Welsh Bridge
A few weeks ago the family - eight of us in total -went to the Cotswolds - to celebrate wedding anniversaries and birthdays for us all - a beautiful part of our country - we stayed in the Teachers House in Great Wolford - close to Moreton on Marsh and Stow on the Wold -the house was a dream and full of character at every turn.
We had never been to that area before and now will definitely return -- click on the pic to read the signpost names
Our house for the weekend was the Teachers House - secreted away in a tiny
village Great Wolford quite close to the church - with footpaths winding in between the picture book houses and gardens -
Wonderful old houses built with Cotswold stone - with fantastic gardens
I loved this old barn so much that I have used it in my header as well !! our room overlooked it and we watched the swallows darting to and fro early morning so relaxing
The weekend flew by amidst barbecues - meals out and family stuff a lovely wind down and a time to remember - we moved on from the Cotswolds and spent some time in Oxford calling at Hidcote gardens on the way ( another blog I think!) - on the way home we stopped off at Burford for a wander round - another chocolate box village if you know the saying - its claim to fame is that it is the gateway to the Cotswolds and it really is a charming little village sitting on the side of a hill - if you ever get in that area it is certainly a place to stopover- amazing shops and tea shops I am posting pics of the delicatessen
click on for a better view
I found it fascinating. -wishing you all a very good week - Jane
This last weekend gone we visited http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/ Slimbridge - the Malvern Flower Show - and we called on friends that we had not caught up with for a number of years - lovely time.
Slimbridge is a WWT Wetland Centre I have added the link - so many wonderful birds and so my Weekend Reflections are from Slimbridge and the Flamingoes - click on the pictures for a better look - enjoy your weekend - Jane
Recently we spent some time close to Portmerion in North Wales and so I am linking to Weekend Reflections and posting my Reflection pic - pictures taken on a walk through the shrubberies and woods of Portmerion -
for a better look - click on the pics to enlarge - and for more Portmerion pics take a quick look at my previous blog -
