An escape to France

In the South West of France in August the bright yellow sunflowers are in full bloom.  Scattered amongst the lush green fields, some filled with ripening corn, they grab your interest immediately and you just want to stop the car and run out to take photographs. Unfortunately the narrow windy roads negate the ability to stop at those opportune moments so you have to settle for winding down the window, driving quite slowly and snapping as you go.

Yes... one of those happy snaps from the car

We decided to drive to France.  

Unfortunately we had timed our departure with the Friday of a bank holiday weekend. Some four hours later (the usual journey one and a half hours) we arrived in Folkestone ready for our train journey.  I thought I was used to traffic until I came to Blighty. I've never seen anything like that in my life, the jam went for miles and we were stuck there stationery for ages. Thankfully we had a fully stocked car and eventually got there in the end.

Our first night in France (other than the brief stopover in a town near Calais which isn't worth mentioning) was in Chinon at a hotel called Le Plantagenet. Located in the south-west of the Touraine region, Chinon is most famous for where the future Charles VII sought refuge and where in 1429 Joan of Arc came to acknowledge him. While we only had one night there we timed it well with markets and what looked like a harvest festival.

Joan of Arc Place, just near our hotel

Joan of Arc statue

One of the many decorations for the harvest festival

Part of the harvest festival

Next we headed to the Loire valley where we decided to go see some Chateaux's. With so many options, we kept it to two...the Chateau D'Azay-le-Rideau - also known as the 'jewel of Renaissance architecture' and Chateau de Chenonceau. I can't add more to the descriptions other than just say the photo's are what really do them justice (see below). 

Chateau D'Azay-le-Rideau

Chateau D'Azay-le-Rideau

One of the grand fireplaces in the Chateau D'Azay-le-Rideau

The Indre river 

A gorgeous little cottage on the grounds of the Chateau de Chenonceau

Chateau de Chenonceau

Chateau de Chenonceau

Staying locally in the Loire valley, we found our own Chateau, the Chateau de Jallanges near Vouvray. And for those people that have asked or are going to ask... no it wasn't haunted.

Our welcome to the Chateau de Jallanges

The Chateau de Jallanges. 

Driving further South West we found ourselves in the Lot region. And for the rest of the week we stayed in a lovely country house near a town called Montcuq. In between relaxing in the clean and peaceful countryside, a long way away from traffic jams in Blighty, we found time to check out some of the local wineries such as the 500 year old Chateau Lagrezette. I would definately recommend visiting this winery, they were extremely helpful and had a great selection of wines.

Chateau Lagrezette

This beautiful Chateau sits just near the winery

I do like France and I like the fact these places in Europe are so close to. A little tip for those of you trying out France for the first time, take a phrase book because the French certainly don't like to speak english.

Now I'm off to the gym to try and work off some more of those croissants I over indulged in.
Bye!

A weekend in Salisbury

If you are looking for somewhere to go for a weekend outside of London, then I highly recommend Salisbury, a town in the county of Wiltshire and about a 2 hour drive from South West London. 

The first thing you see before entering the town of Salisbury, sitting well above the tree tops is the tall spire from its famous Cathedral. At 123 metres, it is the tallest in Britain.

But this isn't the only thing that makes Salisbury Cathedral so unique. It also houses one of only four surviving original Magna Carta's (1215), the worlds oldest mechanical working clock (1836) and the earliest surviving complete choir stalls (1236).

I think you're starting to get the idea......  it's old.

I actually got inspired to come and see this cathedral after watching a program on the ABC back in Oz called The Pillars of The Earth. If you haven't seen it, find yourself a comfy corner on the couch one rainy Sunday and soak up a story line that holds intrigue, drama, as well as being based on the history of the times.

Back to the Cathedral and Salisbury....

The cathedrals foundation stones were laid in 1220, the quire, transepts and nave were completed in 38 years (which is relatively quick for a medieval cathedral apparently) and the ornate frontage was finished in 1265. The tower and spire were added between 1297 and 1320. It is because it was built so quickly that the cathedral remains in one architectural style of Early English Gothic. Here are some more pictures for you;

West front

The water feature is a modern addition

The cloisters

Probably a bit too hard to read but lists all the Deans starting from 1091

One of the many tombstones, a Thomas Price Architect surveyor and clerk of the Cathedral

We also visited Old Sarum which was the sight of the first cathedral and a castle built here by William the Conqueror in around 1070.

If you do fancy a trip here and are looking for somewhere to stay, then I highly recommend the Cathedral View B&B. This Georgian townhouse is walking distance from both the cathedral and town centre. It has modern facilities, the hosts are extremely helpful and can give you guides on where to go and what to do and lastly (most importantly) the breakfast in the morning was one of the best I've had at a B&B for a long time.

You also might like to know that not far from Salisbury is the also famous Stonehenge. Be prepared for traffic queues if you're visiting here on a weekend.

I wonder where my next weekend away will be... think I might go to France.

One night in London

Sitting here on a Sunday afternoon, it's time to relax. 

I've had my daily coffee fix courtesy of my favourite local cafe in Kingston and I've finished decorating the Donna Hay lemon cupcakes I made last night. 

I've vibered Mum and Dad and caught up on the local gossip and skyped one of my brothers. The wonders of modern technology to stay in touch with family on the other side of the world!

My husband is in the bedroom finally putting up the Laura Ashley blinds we bought a couple of months ago. He had tried to tell me the electric drill had gone missing and so he wasn't able to do it, however after raising my eyebrows and giving him the 'I so don't believe you' look he conceded defeat and suddenly found it. Funny about that. 

Looking out the window our plants are blooming and all that is missing is some beautiful blue skies and sunshine. Oh well perhaps another day. 

So I'm pondering the week ahead and psyching myself up for what will be a very busy day tomorrow. I'm excited though because it will be a short week for us as my husband and I are taking Thursday and Friday off. It's been a trying few weeks with a close relative in hospital so time to take some R&R.

On Wednesday night we have my cousin from Australia over with his French girlfriend. While my husband is excited he gets to practice his French, I'm researching places to go in central London, a good Blighty old school pub perhaps and then somewhere nice along the Thames for dinner.

So where do you go if you only have one night in London?

A boat ride along the Thames?
Ride on the London eye?
Theatre perhaps?
Jack the Ripper walk....

Mmmmm so many options

Where and what would you do if you only had one night in London? I would love to hear your tips and suggestions.

Trying to avoid sniffing armpits and other peak hour adventures

You can't have truly experienced a life in London unless you've travelled peak hour on the train.

A very empty Kingston Station at 7.55am!

The 7.55am from Kingston to Clapham Junction is the relatively painless part. We're one of the first stops, so it's easy to get a seat. By the time it gets past Wimbledon the carriages are full, and when I get to my stop, Clapham Junction I find myself almost doing acrobatics as I navigate my way between passengers, dogs, kids, bikes and bags to get out the door. 

It's then a mad dash from platform 11 to platform 1 but thankfully I wear my comfortable flatties. The connection isn't an easy one, not just the distance you have to close in a short period of time, but avoiding people meandering while reading their phones and trying not to miss the only connection every 15 minutes to Shepherds Bush.

Guessing where the doors will stop is the name of the game on platform 1 as that gets you first through the door and onto a seat. Of course if you don't, then you shuffle on with all the other sheep on the train, find a spot to hang on and try and immerse yourself in either a book, music or the latest news on twitter. Anything to avoid the overwhelming sense of claustrophobia.

So while the trip into work can be a little challenging, it's the trip home on a warm summers day that I really dread. No it's not the fact that sometimes the platform is so crowed at Shepherds Bush that I just stand back and wait for the next train; it's just not worth the stress.  The fact is, it's just not very pleasant when hundreds of people are squeezed together in a small train carriage and all you can smell are body odours as armpits glare down at you (yes I'm short so can't escape them). I always carry a scarf with me to bury my nose in and thankfully it has the remnants of my perfume to tide me over before I can escape into the fresh air.

It is no wonder that by the time I arrive back to the place I started that morning, it's almost a sigh of utter relief that the travel for today is over and I can disappear back home, throw my bag down, kick off the shoes, rip the work clothes off and change into some comfy trackies and then plonk myself down on the couch for a few brief but welcomed breathes in utter peace.

Serenity now....

ps.. if anyone reads my posts feel free to share your train experiences!

The Good and Bad of Zurich

A recent trip to Switzerland reminded me that when you're travelling you have to be ready for all experiences, both good and bad. It can't always be good. And more importantly, you can't let the bad be the reason to not get out and go exploring

So let's start with the bad in Zurich.

Bad experience 1 : Getting lost in the train station.

On arrival at Zurich central train station, not only did I have to fight the millions of people trying to make their way around and out of the train station, I couldn't work out where the hell to go. The place is bigger than Adelaide mall and all the department stores put together. So after a very frustrating half an hour, I finally found my way out. Sunshine is a beautiful thing!

Bad experience 2 : Being catapulted to one side by a very rude woman. 

I was in her way, however 'excuse me' was obviously not in her vocabulary as she shoved me and proceeded to bear down on further victims that were in her way.

Bad experience 3 : Nearly being run over. 

While taking a pedestrian crossing at which one car had stopped for me, I was about to step through the inner lane when a car driven at full speed by a Gucci, Prada clad woman decked in a VW nearly took me out. She saw me as I made eye contact with her. However, she obviously didn't find it necessary to give way to a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing.

Bad experience 4 : Being talked down to.

Do you know that part of Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts tries to go shopping to buy a decent outfit. I know how she feels. And I wasn't even wearing thigh high black boots and a mini skirt (although after this I did feel like decking myself out in it and going back to see how she'd react). Anyway back to the story.  I was trying to get a massage and the hotel had recommended the shopping centre called Globus. I found the beauty therapy area and a woman approached me to ask if I needed help. When I asked if I could get a massage she looked me up and down and said "We're all booked out today". When I asked if there would be any appointments further in the week "We're completely booked out all week". I then asked for a recommendation on somewhere else and she said "I don't know anywhere else". Needless to say I walked off disgusted and decided to just head back to my hotel for some peace.

So these experiences happened in the first 4 hours of arriving in Zurich and I suppose you're wondering if it got better? Thankfully yes, so let me share the good in Zurich.

Good experience 1 : A birthday surprise from the Renaissance Hotel.

On arriving back to the hotel room following my bad experiences, I found a nice piece of chocolate cake decorated with fresh berries and a neat Happy Birthday written on the plate in chocolate. Alongside that was a card signed by the hotel staff. It didn't last long! A definite way to brighten someones day so thankyou Renaissance.

Good experience 2 : Having Happy Birthday sung to me by H's work team and enjoying a glass of my favourite champagne.

I was lucky to be invited along to a dinner in which I not only got to experience a really nice meal with nice wine, but got a surprise at the end of the evening with a glass of Moet while listening to the team sing me Happy Birthday. Thankyou for a wonderful evening!

Cooking our meat on the table BBQ

Good experience 3 : Trying some traditional Swiss food.

You definately have to try Fondue in Switzerland. It's not for the faint hearted or those with cholesterol problems and if you have a sensitive nose then you probably won't like the smell, however it's fun to try.

Good experience 4 : Exploring the old town in Zurich.

Just a 5 minute walk from the craziness of the main train station and shopping strip, you can find yourself lost in the maze of windy cobblestone roads in the old town. Much quieter and some lovely old buildings to admire.

Good experience 5 : The unique cafes and shopping.
I think I only saw one or two Starbucks in Zurich which was a pleasant surprise. There are some great little cafes and unique stores selling goods you only find in Zurich. The best coffee I found was in a cafe called Hiltl set up in a flower store.

Hiltl in Zurich

Overall Switzerland is a lovely country. It's clean, portrays a healthy lifestyle (never saw an overweight person) and the people are friendly (most of the time). One downside is its very expensive but all in all, I can't wait to go back and explore more if I get the opportunity.

A Kookaburra in Zug

Zug is a quaint little town in Switzerland that sits on the edge of a lake and snow capped mountains.  It’s not far from Zurich and quite easy to reach via train direct from the airport train station. 

We’re here this week because my husband has work commitments. I’m the lucky one though; not only do I get to spend the evenings with my husband, but I also get the days to do the tourist thing and go exploring.

So let me tell you a bit about my first day in Zug.

After the 6:00 am alarm, for the benefit of my husband, I find myself curling up and going back to sleep for another hour. Unfortunately that’s as long as I can sleep in, as I’m excited to get outside in the emerging sunshine and go exploring.

The Hotel Lowen : Where we stayed

Our hotel is located in the Landsgemeindeplatz within the old town of Zug. It’s only when I pull open the curtains, I realise how nice a spot we are in. Our room up on the 3rd floor has a little balcony from where I can see a cobblestone square surrounded by little cafes and restaurants. On the other side I can see Lake Zug with views of the mountains in the distance. It’s beautiful.

Someone lost their cheese!

A few steps from the entrance of our hotel and past the rather large piece of cheese sticking out a pastry shop window (yes a little bit odd), I find a bird aviary. At first I’m captivated by a really large white owl who just sits there blinking his rather big eyes at me every now and then, probably wandering what the hell I’m looking at. It’s then that I see my favourite ... the Aussie Kookaburra. 

Two in fact. Both looking a little well fed and most obviously used to sitting in the spot they’re in. It’s almost cruel to see them cooped up here unable to have the freedom they’re brothers and sisters have back home, but for me it’s a rather nice sight to see something from home all the way over here in a small little town called Zug.

Next it’s the cobblestone paths and shuttered windows that call me to explore the old part of town. Starting along the Fischmarkt I wander along taking in the most beautiful old buildings such as The Clock Tower (Zytturm) and The Town Hall (Rathaus) and just getting lost.

 

 

 

 

It’s during my exploration of the old town that I have another Aussie experience. Out of the corner of my eye I see what I think is Aboriginal art. Not completely sure, I wander into the art gallery and sure enough it is! I get chatting to the exhibitor who proceeds to tell me that she and her daughter travel to Australia regularly and visit the artists some of who include paintings by Dorothy Napangardi and Betty Mbitjana. Beautiful paintings.

Lake Zug

Lake Zug

Then following a walk along Lake Zug, I head to the Zug Bahnhof and catch the Number 11 bus to Schonegg. From there I take the funicular up Mount Zugerberg.  Unfortunately the hiking brochure isn’t in English, so I just pick a path and walk.  2 hours of utter bliss. Endless green fields, hills scattered with daisies, woods, wildflowers, views over the valleys and lakes, a random hiker here and there, outdoor bbqs scattered along the way and ultimately just pure pure peace and tranquillity.  Writing this now I wish I was back there.

View of Zug from Mount Zugerberg

Animals carved in wood along the trail

One of the views on the walk

The hills are alive....

On the way back, I get off just after the Casino Theatre stop as it’s the closest one to the hotel. Wandering back through the old town roads, I find a nice quiet spot along the lake and enjoy a well deserved sandwich and cappuccino.

I thoroughly recommend Zug as a place to visit if you’re ever in Switzerland.