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We’ve said good-bye to our lovely little Renault and the Continent. Our last night was spent in Leuven (no rooms in Brussels due to European day of action by unions against austerity measures) which is an old and vibrant university town, also famous for brewing Stella Artois, and where our Belgian friends live (see pic 1). We had a very nice dinner with them (salmon for me, scallops for A, frites for us both!) then headed off to the Brussels airport in the morning, bound for Isle of Man. It’s great to be here with my brother and his family - very relaxed. The Isle of Man is beautiful (see pic 2) and very interesting...... read more

On Saturday we headed east for Ghent to meet with C’s Belgian friends. It was great to pick up with them so readily, having last met up in London six years ago. We wandered into the city stopping regularly for coffee, snacks and beers, and witnessing a freak hail storm. Ghent was busy and beautiful (see pic 1 -1402). Together we visited St Baafskathedrall to see one of the oldest oil paintings in the world, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. It was amazing. On Sunday we started with a delicious breakie at our B&B and then went to the Fine Arts Museum. We were both really impressed with the Flemish Impressionist paintings. After lunch at the museum we said goodbye to A&A for now (we will catch up again in a few days) and headed ... read more

We were surprised by the openness and vastness of the Somme region - similar big sky’ feeling that you get in the Australian outback. It gave us a small appreciation of how vulnerable the soldiers must have felt. We visited the major sites plus the towns where A’s grandfather’s division had spent time (according to the war diaries): Franvillers, Corbie, Fouilloy, Villers Bretonneux, Le Hamel, Proyart and Bray-sur-Somme. The morning as very foggy and meant the view from the Australian Memorial tower (see pic 1) was particularly atmospheric. We had many of the sites to ourselves but saw a couple of mini-vans advertising tours with names like ‘cobber tours’ and ‘true blue digger tours’ which provoked some cynical conversation between us. We ended our tour in Bellenglise at the rarely visited memorial to the 4th Division ... read more

As I type this I’m lying in bed in a Norman castle (albeit a small one) near St Lo. We’re in Normandy and heading to see the Bayeux Tapestry (it’s actually an embroidery as a learned friend pointed out) today. Just wanted to share a quick few lines and pictures from yesterday when we ventured to Le Mont Saint Michel. It was a great thrill to see the Mont as we came down the motorway. Ignoring the thousands of other people on their way to see it, it’s quite magical (see pic 1)-- such a massive structure high above the tidal sand/mud flats. Being Sunday morning Mass was on in the Abbey and we respectfully looked it (see pic 2). What struck me the most was the lovely smell of incense, mixed with the sea air ... read more

After a quiet day at B&R's we set off again to see more of Brittany on Saturday: this time west to the region of Finistere. The weather was miserable but it didn't detract from the beauty of the the far south west. After a number of stops in Pont Aven, Concarneau and Pont l'Abbe we stayed overnight in St Gueuole (see pic looking out of hotel room attached). As we hadn't had enough of rocky views to the Atlantic we went north to Pointe de Raz then next morning -- the most westerly point in Brittany. We drove on to Quimper (where the Odet and Steir rivers meet, see pic) for lunch, having a look at the beautiful twin spired cathedral and then more fruit de mer for lunch. We finished off the day with a ... read more