Archive for the 'France' Category

Inexplicably unbelievable

Sorry all for the lack of information on where in the world we are. It has been hard to locate internet in Spain and France. We spent a week in Spain at a place on the coast called Miami Platja, it was great weather, the beach was fantastic aswell. We met the brothers and sisters there and were able to get the meetings in english and also spend some time in the ministy. Continue reading ‘Inexplicably unbelievable’

French Fries Anyone?

We leave our lovely villa (where did that week go???) with it’s majestic mountain views and all the comforts of home. The villa’s white rendered walls, wrought iron window bars, stone paved courtyard and two storey design made us feel we had really tasted Spain. We drive north leaving the Costa Daurada part the Costa Brava into the South of France along the French Riviera. Continue reading ‘French Fries Anyone?’

Millau Bridge

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We have a long drive today. We want to see the bridge in Millau, it’s a bit of a detour and more back roads but we’re sure seeing the country! This is real France; farms on rolling hills and beautiful villages with people dining outside. Continue reading ‘Millau Bridge’

Beautiful Views & Hefty Tolls

It’s a very wet morning; however this clears by lunchtime to a sunny 25C day.  We are heading west to Dordogne.  We have four days to arrive at our villa in Spain so we are pacing our journey south through France. Continue reading ‘Beautiful Views & Hefty Tolls’

Dodgem Cars Paris Style

We leave our apartment at 7.30am. It’s a rather arduous trip to pick up our car on the northern outskirts of Paris.  Down our 91 stairs with our luggage for the last time, up and down many flights of stairs at various ‘gare’, metro stations and we finally catch two trains to Rue De Villiares and the Citroen dealer. Continue reading ‘Dodgem Cars Paris Style’

Au Revoir Paris

We take a lovely 35 minute walk down the Rue De Pyranees to the meeting with the Paris East English congregation. Along the way we pass the Sunday market. There are beautiful fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, patisserie items and of course ‘la fromage’ in great quantities and temptingly ‘tres affordable’! Continue reading ‘Au Revoir Paris’

Paris Street Life

It’s a fine but cloudy day today. We head early to Rue Cler, a popular Parisian market. The market is where the locals mainly purchase their fresh food such as seafood, fruit and vegetables, cheese, breads and pizza. It really is a gourmet delight. We brought some fresh handmade spinach ravioli and the freshest of vegetables to make a sauce for our dinner. (It was yummy with a little grated French Emmental). Continue reading ‘Paris Street Life’

Palais De Versailles

It is a very wet day today so we head out late after an early lunch. Our destination is the Palais De Versailles. The trip requires three train changes and one and half hours in time. It takes a little extra time for us since we hopped quickly on to one train waiting at the station hoping for the best. This never pays and we were heading the wrong way! The problem is easily fixed though. The Metro is brilliant in Paris. Above ground it’s never far to a Gare (station), not complicated to find your way at all, and below ground it must be a web of lines. Added to this we have never waited more than 3 minutes for a train. Continue reading ‘Palais De Versailles’

Apples & Baguettes

My back is so sore after yesterday! There is the Apple Expo 2007 on at the Port de Versailles, so being a showery day, Mark and Justin are keen to go to this, eager to look at the latest gadgets. Seemingly they are very impressed. I enjoy a little walk around the local village and buy the obligatory baguette. Now I feel like a real French woman even though I don’t look like one and I certainly don’t sound like one!! Continue reading ‘Apples & Baguettes’

Art, Kings and Revolutionaries

We woke this morning to drizzle and rain but as the morning wore on blue sky broke through so we decide to take this opportunity to ascend the Eiffel tower. Two trains get us there to Gare (station) Trocadero.  Naturally, there is a queue, no tourist to Paris misses this sight. The queue takes 40 minutes to the ticket office and another 10 to the lift to the second floor.  The view from her is incredible but in actual fact at this point you’re only a quarter of the way up.  So we pay some more money and queue another hour at least.  This hour seems like two as we are in what feels like sub zero temperature due to the altitude and open air. ‘It better be worth it’ is what we are all silently thinking. Worth is it truly is! It is 1000 feet high and towers (excuse the pun) over anything around, nothing in Paris, comes close to it’s the height of the Eiffel Tower. Continue reading ‘Art, Kings and Revolutionaries’

Wish you were here

We woke to a lovely sunny day albeit with a cool breeze.  Our first stop on the Metro is the Champs Elysee with the Arc Du Triomphe towering at one end.  The walk of many blocks is interesting all the way with autumn trees ling the road. Expensive designer stores and street side cafes are pulsing with tourists of all nationalities. The large round about surrounding the Arc De Triomphe is as interesting as the war memorial itself.  There appears to be neither rhyme nor reason to the traffic flow, certainly no lanes are marked even though cars go around four and five deep. So comical was the elderly man in his aged hatchback who, apparently in need of a sleep, simply pulls up, in the middle of the chaos, on the footpath surrounding the Arc Du Triomphe and settles back for a kip! Why not?? Police are patrolling but no one bothers him. Continue reading ‘Wish you were here’

Viva la France

It is a very early start to catch our flight to Paris.  We have a 3.20am wake up call!  The flight is uneventful and we effortlessly find our way on the Paris metro to our stop on Line 11, Pyrenees. Continue reading ‘Viva la France’