Travelling allsorts

Our first visit to Bruges for almost 30 years - yet it's so close and easy to drive to! It was a last minute decision, based on having a free weekend coming up, that promised to be sunny and warm. So we hit the internet and booked our ferry and hotel! We drove to Dover, sailed to Dunkirk, and were in Bruges / Brugge less than an hour after docking. We stayed near the centre in a quaint hotel (Martin's Relais Hotel) which was perfect for the weekend - we had our own front door which led to the room above a small garage (possibly a former stable). On leaving the hotel's courtyard and turning left, we were a few steps from a couple of small cafés which faced Jan Van Eyck place, complete with statue and a bench that was featured in a scene in the film 'In Bruges'. The bench faces a canal which is now home to a large blue whale, made from recycled plastic rubbish (see the photographs at the end of this post). From here, we could walk along canal paths, taking ...

How lucky we are! Our friends rented a house in the Pyrenees and invited us along when their daughter had to drop out at the last minute.  We flew from Stansted to Lourdes and spent a couple of hours wandering around this interesting spa town before meeting with our friends who had driven south from their home in north-west France.  We were staying in Cauterets, a spa town at the foot of a ski resort, a short walk from the cable car which went to the small ski resort. It's less expensive and less crowded that the Alps, perfect for a long weekend. For non-skiers, the cable car ride is spectacular and there is a large snack bar/restaurant to sit and watch the activities. In the town, there are restaurants (of course) and thermal baths.

We went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival again, which we love! Whilst in Bonnie Scotland, we decided to visit the Falkirk Wheel, which had been recommended to us for a day trip. It's an incredible piece of engineering. Set in the middle of nowhere, where two canals attempt to meet (except for a few metres, vertically) so this high-tech lock assists the canal boats, enabling them to continue their journey. Two narrow boats can be loaded each side so that two go up and two go down. There is a charge - quite reasonable - for this service. On site is a café, shop, playground, picnic area, water-based activities and walks. From the wheel, at the lower canal (pictured), there is a footpath to the higher canal where there is also a shortish tunnel that you can walk through (maybe take a torch for this). Take a look at this short video.     The Clyde-Forth canal joins the West and East coasts of Scotland.

Despite planning to tour the South of France in a Campervan , we ended up taking a self-catering autumn break in Provence . We stayed in a gite in the countryside, not far from the town of Sainte-Maximin, next door to where Nico Rosberg grew up. Indeed, there is a nearby racing circuit, Paul Ricard, and close to this is Le Castellet - the views from here are amazing, especially at sunset. Link to Google map . Scroll beyond these photographs for Aix and Monaco... Verdon Gorge and lake Photographs of and from Le Castellet We visited the centre (and surrounding backstreets with historical significance) of Aix-en-Provence .  On the coast, visit the ports of Le Lavandou, La Favière, Bandol (see photographs below): Of course, the obligatory visit to Monaco , where the Prince's classic automobiles - and a few others, incuding F1 cars - were on display in one of the exhibitions (not the stamps and money exhibition, in a building opposite). For a refreshing change, here is a set of photog...

Traditional architecture in Malta and Gozo seems dominated by balconies. They are fascinating. We were pleasantly surprised by the nice beaches to be found. Many years ago, friends who returned fom Malta had enjoyed their visits but gave the impression that it was little more than a rock full of concrete - how wrong that image is! We were based on Gozo and spent only one day on Malta but saw enough to think that we may return for a proper visit. Gozo is small enough to tour in a couple of days (we spend a good couple of hours at the splendid Citadel and visited a couple of beaches just to take in the views) so unless you want to chill, Malta has significantly more to do.

Paris at Christmas is, of course, magical. We stayed a short train ride to the east - near Coulommiers, with its lovely park and many other places of interest (hidden in various back streets). The town is surrounded by chateaux, local cheese-makers (specialising in Brie) and champagne vineyards; nearby water activities are available in the summer and Disneyland-Paris is easily accessible. On Christmas Eve we took the train to Paris, visiting the Sacre Coeur and Monmartre, with its artists and restaurants. Knowing the area quite well, we then strolled around, taking in the Parisian architecture, the Moulin Rouge and the bridge from the film, Inception. Just along the Seine from here, you can also stroll along the middle of the river to a small version of the Statue of Liberty. As evening arrived, we glimpsed the Eiffel Tower and made our way through affluent streets to the Champs Elysees, eating pizza then visiting the Christmas market.      The weather was gloomy at time...

It was the end of a damp August in Britain. We had been working long hours and needed a break before the next onslaught... Our Easter break was a week in France, which was cold and damp, so we decided on Italy - biscotti, pasta, pizza, coffee, wine, zabaglione and more. The Amalfi Coast looked nice so we decided to rent somewhere for a couple of weeks.  Skipping ahead, we arrived yesterday (as I write this bit), following a very early start, on a cramped but otherwise pleasant flight. On leaving the airport building in Napoli, the Italian experience began with a flagrant disregard for adequate signage. We found the courtesy bus stop for car hire customers but, as we waited, the disorderly queue and accompanying luggage reached a size that would not be accommodated by the next mini-bus. With only a small case and a piece of hand-luggage each and, having discovered the whereabouts of the car hire depot just 700 metres around the corner, we decided to walk - a much needed exerci...