Fromage in France

Catch up post - hard to type much as the keyboard is not qwerty, so I am one finger typing and it is not flowing. Enough to give you a general gist.

 

4th December 2008

 

After my last post, not too much of excitement::: Flew to Singapore, taxi to hotel, sleep...

 

5th December 2008

 

Wake, return to airport, check in, wander around airport, have cup of tea, board plane. Baffled by the amount of people checking in to first and business class awith babies and little kids. Told by check in clerk that first and business are being offered downgrades... 1700€ to please do so... They accept he reckons. I offered to downgrade... no such luck!!! lol.

 

Flight fantastic. Was seated in middle in a set of 4 with one other person who sat bolt upright and slept the entire 13 hours. Not I!!! Stretched out, oh so comfortable!!! Much excitement as we approached Munich and I could see snow! lol

 

Short stop at Munich airport then on to Paris, arrived about 6.30pm. Straight to hostel and into bed about 9.30pm. 

 

6th December 2008

 

Solid sleep, til about 7.30am. Up and about, breakfast well and truly before it closed, for once!!! Into the cold - sorted ticket to St Malo, then off to the shops to buy much needed coat. Disappointed with range, but found something a little bit different and warm! Is nice! Wandered around a bit then grabbed some lunch, collected my bag and onto the train to St Malo.

 

Train trip beautiful of course: and quick! Arrived St Malo about 5pm and grabbed taxi to hotel as it was getting dark very quickly. Emma already there, met me in the foyer. Up to room, was like a palace after Vietnam! Headed out shortly after seeking food and orientation. OMG, the old town is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beyond belief!! A true fairy tale!!!

 

Bought some pasta and sauce to cook for dinner, and some cheap but totally drinkable Brut.

 

7th December 2008

 

Up and moving quite early again. Sunny day. Gorgeous! Walked and walked and walked. We estimqted a bit later probably about 8-10km. Up the jetty, along the beach and rocks, up the rocks, down the rocks, over to the fort, then back through the ICE COLD WATER!!!!!!!!!! We were stranded on Fort National, fortunately not the only ones: the tide had moved THAT quickly!!!! Off with the shoes, and across we ran. OMFG so so so so so so so so so so so so so cold. I fired the video camera up before running across, unfortunately I switched it off, involuntary reflexes: however, all it would have captured was a lot of F'(- Fé"& F"-"' Fàààç   YOU GET THE PICTURE!!! On with the shoes and socks pretty bloody quickly I tell you!!!!

 

Lunchtime and time to warm up. Next big trauma for the day. I ordered galette (buckwheat pancakes) and lucky dipped on the filling. Dipped out big time. It zas some sort of pork terrine, I thought. Not very nice so fortunately mainly ate the sweet onion part. Lady next to us asked what I had... I told her something yuck, she saw what and said she would not tell me, but yes, not a good choice if not a Bretagne local. Knew it was offal of some sort; discovered the next day it was pig intestine. EWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!

 

Went in hunt for a bigger supermarket to buy some chicken for dinner, but no joy other than q bloody long walk to the other side of town where we had been told we would find one. On the return we discovered a small Christmas market, complete with Jolly ol' St Nick... He was a fine old fellow too... he gave me a lolly!!!! hehe

 

Out for dinner and drinks in the old town, followed by chocolate cake... the biggest cake I have seen in my life!!!

 

8th December 2008

 

Considered hiring a car for the day but no autos available and too chicken to drive a manual on the wrong side of the road. So a bus to the outer suburbs of St Malo - Rauthenof - WOW§ Gorgeous!!! Was Monday so everything but the newsagency/bar/coffee bar was shut - even the atm was shut!! hehe. Walked up and around the cliffs and beaches and continued to be a,azed by the total beauty that is St Malo and surrounds!! Divine.

 

Cooked a chicken and camembert feast for dinner. Delicious, and ingenious, without much cooking equipment! We did well we thought!!

 

9th December 2008

 

Check out day today. Had to clean the apartment, as self contained. Packed a picnic lunch and off to walk the OTHER side of St Malo, St Servan. Very cold day with chance of rain. Couldn't really walk where the map said we could, but we made it up and around and back. Had lunch in a gorgeous little viewing spot, in the sun :-) Stopped in a bistro for a hot chocolate while it rained and before too long it was time to go our separate ways. Emma back to Bath via the airport and I on to Caen via the train station. We both absolutely loved St Malo, just so old and beautiful and peaceful and stunning, very very glad Ryanair flew there from Bristol so that we chose to go there. Well worth our days!!!

 

Arrived Caen at 8.30pm and walked out the train to hail - "It's hailing!!!" I exclaimed. Made sense that it would be but still an odd concept, as it didn't melt on landing like it does at home!!!

 

10th December 2008

 

Brett's 26th birthday. A few years ago we were at a quiz night and when asked the Operation name of the D Day Landings we couldn't remember, so Operation Dumbo Drop was the smart arse answer Brett put down. So in keeping with the war theme, to find a tour of the landing beaches today of all days was essential. Easily done, and a high quality tour. There was 3 of us, two French speaking ladies and myself, The guide was obviously bilingual. It was like having a private tour guide as she'd give them their spiel then send them off, then it was my turn. It really was fantastic to see, and wow, such ingenuity. It took all afternoon, so then it was just left to check out the city by night, book a train ticket onwards, have some dinner and a drink. Found some iceskating in the city centre with restaurants overlooking, so that was a good choice for dinner. Then a drink in a bar, while watching the soccer. Ensured a good sleep!!!

 

11th December 2008

 

Shopping excursion for a new scarf then lunch and train to Chartres. Train trip pretty for the first bit, then well, we hit fog!!!!!!!! So thick was the fog, insane! Hotel in Chartres over road from train station, so very easily found.

 

12th December 2008

 

Easily the coldest day since I've arrived. Fog still around. Even the French look cold. Visited the Cathedral this morning. Huge, beautiful and absolutely impressive. Photos couldn't do it justice! Had some lunch, then have been battling this keyboard and photos. Needed to sort some stuff out - train ticket to the inauguration, was given the heads up that they are selling fast from Richmond, where I am going from (thanks Angela) and a few other things. About to go and see a Christmas ani,ation ice skating show, if I've read the brochure correctly!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There you go. This honestly has taken me so long to type. Just can't wait to return to a proper keyboard!!!!