Automne en Europe 2024

Brighton Pier It was a sunny day for the first time since we arrived in   the British Isles.   It was lovely to see the sun even if it was a bit watery.     Our plan for the day was to visit Brighton and then return to look around Tunbridge Wells.   Bev had never been to Brighton and I couldn’t remember whether I had many years ago.   If I did it had not made much of an impression.   The drive to Brighton took about an hour along an A road which was reasonably uncongested.   For much of the drive the road was lined with trees that were very colourful and losing their leaves   It was very pretty.     We found a carpark very close to the Brighton Promenade.   Parking was not a problem but the cost was horrific (£11 for two hours).   We walked to the Pier but it was closed.   A little further along  there is an historic railway from which tourists along the waterfront for a mile or so ...

Stonehenge I had chosen to take the longer route to Tunbridge Wells as it avoided the likely congestion around London.   The route took us near Stonehenge and I suggested to Bev that we do a detour.   I was last there 27 years ago.   Things had changed, as they do.   Last time I am sure that we parked within viewing distance of the site and walked a few 10s   of metres to it.   I am not sure if we were able to wander through the stones at the time but it felt like we could.   This time the visitor centre was about three kilometres away from the site and we were shuttled to the site.   One could walk if you wanted to but it was a 30 minute walk which we did not have time to do.   The stones were as I remembered them but there was a lot more information available and it even pointed out where the stones were aligned for the summer solstice.   While there were quite a few people there I suspect it was nothing like the crowds in summe...

The Avon - Bath We were on the road again this time to Bath where there are some Roman Baths.     Our host G offered to take us to the rental car company.   It was very kind of him and in doing so we got a tour of Cardiff.   Going past the Principality Stadium where rugby matches are played including internationals like Wales against the All Blacks.   It is a massive but attractively designed building that apparently holds up to 75,000 people, which like Wellington’s stadium is in the middle of the city.   It has a retractable roof and G told has that when covering the field the noise in the stadium is deafening.     We went past Cardiff Castle while G regaled us with some of his experiences in business.   It was interesting to hear his perspective of things like the health system which he says is failing.   He had a doctor son working in it but prior to coming back he had worked in Palmerston North and Welling...

Our hotel for two nights The days are getting shorter very quickly.   The sun gets up around 7:30am and sets around 4:30pm.   However with the thick cloud cover it is quite dark around 4pm.   Similarly it is not very light before about 8am.   It makes for a much smaller window for doing things, particularly as I am finding driving in the dark a bit of a challenge with my developing cataracts.   It is also much cooler with the daytime temperatures now maxing around 11 degrees.   It was time to move on again.   The little pub was very cute and it was interesting to see the locals who came in each evening and then others who came to eat in the evening generally filling the pub.   The food was pub food and I missed having lots of vegetables but that is not what the locals eat it seems.     The route took us via an A road and motorway to our destination, Cardiff.   It was nice to be on a wider and faster road. ...

  Rhossili Bay Rhossili had been recommended by Bev’s friend as a very pretty place to visit.   It was not far away being a mere 55kms or so.     Our friend M’s father had come from a village nearby and Bev decided she wanted to see it as it was more or less on the way we were going.   We found it after driving down a   narrow lane of two.   It seemed larger than Llandyfaelog and even had a church.     The route took us on a motorway and I was optimistic that it would be a quick run to Rhossili which is at the end of the Gower Peninsular.   It was not to be.   Again we were directed down more lanes with me crossing my fingers that we did not meet oncoming cars.     Eventually we emerged onto a slightly wider road and arriving a few minutes later in a small whitewashed village   bright in the sun with a huge car park to accommodate visitors.   After ten days with no sun it was a nice...

  Portmeirion Village Many years ago I watched an absorbing and rather strange TV series called “The Prisoner”.   It was set in a village in Wales that seemed to me at the time to be more Italy than Welch.   The day before we set off south I looked it up and discovered that it was called Portmeirion and was on our way to Llandyfaelog where we were going to be staying for two nights.   View from our apartment looking at Anglesey over the channel   The road that took us there was wider than we were used to.   The GPS strangely took us to a nearby village called Portmadog where we stopped for a coffee.   We asked where it was and were told to follow the road south.   Portmadog boat harbour   The approach to it was lovely with mature trees lining the road to the village.   It is a tourist attraction with only a few permanent residents.   Many of the other residences are accommodation for visitors.   It wa...