Kaz & Phils Blog

There is a just zante meet up in Bury and we have not been able to go before as they hold these on a Sunday and the trip just isn't viable for us to make in a single day. However, this one falls on a weekend so we are going.

We booked in at the Village in Bury and arrange to meet Lyn & Al there during the afternoon. We arrived in time for a late lunch in the pub next door and before long they arrived. The sun is out and we manage a couple of drinks outside on the terrace before departing to change for the evening. We opted to go to the pub for a meal and spent a very nice evening chatting and catching up and talking about our plans for Zante.

Everyone had agreed to meet around 1.30 so Al drove us to the Trafford Centre for a look round. We only had an hour or so but Lyn and I managed to find a shoe sale on and our purses were a little lighter by the time we left. What a brilliant place and somewhere I want to come back to

We got back to the Village and people had started to arrive, it was so good to see everyone again and make some new aquaintances. It was a lively gathering and hours just flew by with people coming and going.

All too soon it was Monday morning and we were saying goodbye to Lyn and Al after breakfast wondering when we would all meet again as they are in Kefalonia when we go to Zante but we are in touch thanks to the wonder of msn

Apologies for the quality of the photos - I forget to put the flash on

As we head towards spring we find ourselves looking for a weekend break. It's been a long winter with no sign of warmer weather on the horizon. We have been wanting to go back to France for a variety of reasons not least because this is a place where we loved to go with my Mum and it holds such special memories for us. We have never actually taken our own car before having previously left the driving to Den (my step-father) but decide we will take the plunge! On a very cold wet morning we find ourselves on the quay in Portsmouth for the day crossing to Caen. After a random search of the car by customs we are soon on board and in the warm. The cruise over is a little on the rough side but curled up with a book there is at least sun coming through the window. We arrive mid afternoon and make our way into Caen and our hotel. Once unpacked we go straight out again to explore and have a beer. It is warmer in Caen so we have our first al fresco beer of the year! Over the next few days we gradually shed our jackets and jumpers as the temperature hots up very nicely. Dinner the first night is in L'embroche, a restuarant we have visited before and we are pleased to discover it remains exactly the same with fantastic food and a welcoming atmosphere.

Our first full day is spent walking around Caen finding our bearings and interspersed with some retail therapy in Gallerie La Fayette where surprise surprise I manage to dispense with some euros in favour of some great shoes and designer sunglasses  and then it was off to Sephora to top up with my favoured Clarins products. After lunch we dropped the shopping off at the hotel and headed back out to explore the historic sites of Caen  The evening is spent in Le Bistrot enjoying another lovely meal and copious amounts of wine.

Thursday morning dawns bright and breezy and from our hotel room I can see the port of Caen coming to life.  We decide to hop on the bus and go out to the CaenMemorial   This is a fascinating place and is a must if you are in this part of france.  We watched the film of the d day landings, explored the  huge exhibits and the lovely grounds.  By the time we get back to the centre of Caen we decide its time for a late lunch in the sun.  In the afternoon we climb the steep hill behind our hotel which takes us to Mathildes Abbey and some great views across the city. 

Our last full day is Good Friday so we join what seems like the whole of Caen at the very large local market, its full of people selling their produce and livestock (some of it very alive!) as well as handmade items from clothes to wardrobes!  It is such good fun mingling with the locals and trying to understand what they are saying, our french is appalling but we are getting by with a phrase book and the odd word which flashes back from school days (how I wish that I had paid more attention!).  We spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around this lovely city and finish our stay in Caen back at L'embroche where they very kindly remember our preferred wine and we have yet another brilliant meal finished off with a cognac on the house.

Easter Saturday arrives all too soon and as leave Caen and head out to Herouville St Clair and the hypermarket to stock up on wine and goodies to bring home.  The back of the car has to go down to accommodate the shopping and our luggage  but we manage to get it all in - just!  We head off again to Sword Beach and park right by the beach where we sit in a cafe and enjoy a coffee in the sun.  We then took to our feet and walked the beach where our minds turn to all the great times we have had in France with Mum, strange but I miss her as much here as I do at home.  Whoever said a girls best friend is her Mum was so right.  Our final hours in France are spent walking around the  lovely area of  Riva_Bella and enjoying lunch outside in the sunshine.  The cruise back to Portsmouth is a very pleasant journey as we were able to stay out on deck for a while and then later as the sun started to go down I was out on deck taking photos of the must perfect sun set.  

March 2007

We  head off for a weekend get together with some of the friends we have made on the justzanteform   We decided to take the scenic route via Bath as its such a lovely spring morning. Our journey is broken at Cribbs Causeway for a little shopping and to raid the cashpoint cash and have only £10 between us! We have arranged to meet in Bristol and booked in at the Holiday Inn Express which just happens to be next door to a very nice pub.  We all drift in mid afternoon and spend a couple of hours catching up and arrange to meet again in the evening for a meal.  The pub is quite busy so we find ourselves dotted around the restaurant and share a table with Lyn and Al, who are as always, excellent company. We all arrange to meet back in the hotel bar where a very happy evening is spent chatting and laughing with odd foray outside where an eclipse is taking place. Lots of photos are taken

Next morning we drift into breakfast before making our way home. The weather is appalling, driving rain and it was so cold. We decided to head back down the M4 and it was quite the worst drive we have endured in a long time.

28 July 2007