Chronicles of London.... 'A Royal Day Out'

I can't believe that last weekend I was in London, where has this week gone!!

Sunday we visited the Royal Mews and the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, both were extremely interesting.  I just can't believe we never been until now!  

Irish State coach

the Glass Coach (the one used for Princess Diana's wedding and by the Duchess of Cambridge

the Australian State Coach

and lastly the Coronation  Coach, weighs 4 tons covered in gold leaf as you can see  It was amazing, It's so heavy that it take 25 yard to stop.

Unfortunately no photography is allowed in Buckingham Palace :(

But the state rooms were magnificent the decoration outstanding.  There was an exhibition of the Queens dresses through her reign including her wedding dress and her Coronation robes.  

At the end of the tour we went to have a drink the the Garden Tea room, which was lovely as it over looked the garden where the Garden Parties are held, but also the cakes are made by the same caterers that cater for the garden parties. So it would have been rude to not have one and I have to say they were delicious but not slimming world friendly.  I had a Frazier and Joe a Miellefleur.

 We were however allowed to take pictures as the walked though the gardens on our way to the exit.

Joe took this with is 'super dooper' camera using a special effect!!

Our Royal Day Out tickets last for a year so we are already planning another trip to London!!!

Chronicles of a trip to London . . . . . . . . .

I've just returned from 4 night in London and apart from Saturday the weather was superb.  Despite trying to pace myself I did do a lot of walking and I'm paying for it today :(  

Thursday we walked round the Serpentine and it was lovely and although I was brought up not far from London everything we did this weekend I'd not done before!!  It was great to see people using the Lido and swimming.

 the Lido

if you look closely you can see Westminster Abbey in the distance flying the Union Jack.

Friday whilst making our way to the Huntarian Museum we came across the Old Curioisity shop!!

Lesley x

St Jean de Monts

Saint Jean de Mont is a beautiful place with an amazing beach that stretches for miles but also a net work of cycle place that both follow the coast and go inland too.  Joe and I were fortunate enough to take our cycles and cycle from Lec Becs along the coastal track right to the end of the sea front.  

 

 

Compared with our usually rides this was quite short about 10 km in all.  But we took our filled baguettes with us and sat on a bench overlooking the sea half way through the ride. It was at the far end of St Jean and there was hardly anyone around. 

 

 

 

On the way back we found a small sea side cafe where we sat and had a cold drink.  One of my favourite things I like doing on my hols is to cycling, you see so much more of an area on a bike than you can see when in a care and cycling is much kinder to my knee joints. 

Lesley x

Port de Bourgenay

Last week we had a another lovely trip to Port de Bourgenay and the beach at  Le Veillon both near Talmont Saint-Hiaire. The weather looked  a bit stormey when we arrived but it never rained and we managed a walk around the Port. 

  

 

 

A few days earlier we'd visited the Château at Talamont which although now ruins was built and used by Richard the Lion Heart.  

 

Fabulous views  from the Château at Talmont.

 

 

Lesley x

Pointe du Hoc

 

This morning the sun was shining there were a few clouds in the sky, so as it looked as though it was going to be a dry and sunny day we headed off the Pointe du Hoc about 20 km from our base.  We'd been there several years ago, but didn't manage to get to the visitors centre or explore this historic site. 

 

 It's very difficult to explain but there are many bomb craters although today they are now covered in grass and some filled with shrubs.  A peaceful and calm site today it's difficult to imagine the the noise and activity & death that this area witnessed when the American Rangers scaled these cliffs to take Germain gun emplacements as part of the D Day landings on the 6th June 1944.

 

 

 

Who would imagine that this now peaceful place could have witnessed such destruction & death over 70 years ago! 

 

 

 

Lesley x

Father's Day in Jard sur Mer . . . .

Although it was a few days ago now on Father's Day we took a trip to Jard sur Mer about and hours drive south from where we are staying.  I've visited Jard before and it reminds me of what a seaside town should look like.  

The blue skies and wall to wall sunshine were just a perfect setting to join the French for Sunday lunch.  The restaurant was all geared up for event.  When we arrived there were very few people in the restaurant but within half an hour it was full with the owner turning customers away as there were no tables available.  We were lucky as when we sat down most people had reserved a table!!

 

  

 

  

We shared a entrėe of and assiette de charcuterie followed by moules au Rochefort.  It wasn't until this trip that I realised  Rochefort cheese was made from sheeps milk. See you learn something new every day!!  We washed this lovely meal down with a bottle of rosė cider, which is lovely and refreshing to have with a midday meal and unlike English cider is only 1 or 2% alcohol. 

Next to Le Sloop there was a stand selling chi chi, one of my favourite French seaside delicacies but  sadly I was full, so I was unable to have a cone 😞, but generally I'm optimistic so there will always be a next time!  

 

After lunch we took a stroll along the break water.  The French love a 'promenade' after lunch!

Well that's all for day 

Lesley 🌞🌞

Beautiful day . . .

 

The Vendeen Corniche coast at St Hilaire de Reiz, the views are spectacular so I thought I would share.

 

Joe and I had a lovely morning walk along the coastal path, there is a blow hole along the the path at a viewing point unfortunately the tide was going out so we were unable to see this natural feature in action.  

 

 

Lesley X

8 years old birthday card

This was a card I made for a family member back in January who is a little Princess!!  

I was at work yesterday, I only work 1 day a week now which is great and if I don't feel like it I don't have too!!  A very liberating feeling :)

It's a lovely sunny day in Derby today although it's chilly outside, but better than the damp rainy weather we've been having recently.  I'm making use of the solar energy today by doing the washing!!

Last week we were away for a few days down south and took advantage of visiting Kenwood House in Hampstead which was used as one of the locations for the film Belle a few years ago now.  Dido Belle actually lived in the house back in the day too.  It is now managed by English Heratige and is free to visit due to conditions in the the legacy. It was a lovely Georgian House set in beautiful grounds on the edge of Hampstead Heath.  After we'd finished the visit we sat outside in the sun as it really quite warm to enjoy a cup of coffee for me and tea for Joe!!!

To get their we drove passed several very large house, there were a few for sale.  Curiosity over took and I looked on the web for prices.  I know they would be expensive, most being  over 1.5  million pounds and several were up in the 10 million range!!  How the other half live, but are they happy?

the house has a magnificent art collection from many well known artists.

I just loved this fire place below

on the walk back from the dairy I managed to capture this lovely shot of a grey squirel!!

all in all a wonderful day out

Back to reality with a bump!!

 

Well Joe and I returned from our relaxing holiday last Sunday and then it was back to reality with a bang.  I was back at work Monday and then life it back into full swing!!

relaxing shortly after arriving at Presqu’ile de Rhuys

Can’t believe that 3 weeks ago we were just setting out for the Ferry – why does life move so fast these days.  We did however have 14 lovely days relaxing, cycling, walking meeting up with family and of course eating delicious French cuisine and wine and cidre More holiday photo’s in future posts

 

6oth Birthday card made recently for a friend who loves cruising!!

 

well off to craft this afternoon after completing some house hold task this morning

Have a lovely day

Lesley x

Downton Abbey fans: you never guess what . . . .

 

Well yesterday on our jollies Joe and I visited a picturesque village called Bampton in the Cotswolds which features in the TV series Downton Abbey as the village of Downton and guess what they were getting ready for some filming today so there were props people painting lamp post, putting up signs covering up 21st century electrics etc. 

 

St Mary’s Church, renamed as Downton’s St Michael and All Angels

The Downton WWI war memorial was in position (evidently it can be lifted with one hand!!)  As you can imagine I couldn’t resist taking a few picture.

Downton Cottage Hospital

When we were walking to the the Church I saw this sign and thought it was a bit strange as it said Ripon and Thirsk on it.  I then thought no more until we saw the rest going on and then it dawned on me they were getting ready to film – which they were this morning!!  Sadly I wasn’t offered a job as an extra

I wasn’t sure what this guy was doing except I wondered if it was the memorial for cooks nephew as his name  couldn’t be placed on to the main memorial?  But it was fascinating to watch this being transformed though.

Downton Village Post office

‘Post Box’ that covers up a bin as the side of the Post Office

Post office window

outside the ‘Post Office’

Joe outside the Dog and Duck ‘pub’ .  The sign is lying on the floor waiting to be put in place

 

 

Lesley x