All in all

Well, we have returned to Anglesey and life has reverted to normal.   We were welcomed back by wind and rain!

We left Finca Manolo, having met Sue, the co owner with her husband Trevor who we have got to know very well over the last few years.   I got so excited that I dropped and broke a cup!   Sue said it would come out of my wages!

The drive north to Toledo was uneventful but relaxing.   The Spanish motorways are great but carry about 10 per cent of the traffic we get in the UK in the rural areas.   We arrived at the Parador and took over our room for the night.   It was Room 415 as expected.   It is their disabled access room.   It being a week later than last year's stay we dined inside.    However, we were given a table by the window so we saw Toledo by night.   It is a wonderful view at any time of day.   As we looked out we felt the Alcazar (old fortress, renovated after being badly damaged in the civil war) looked as if it was ready for take off into space.

The food and wine were excellent as usual.   Our night's sleep was very restful and we went down to breakfast to be welcomed by a character of a young waitress in charge.   We enjoyed our breakfast and set off for Santander.

Again, we had a relaxing drive all through.   Mind you, our approach to Santander saw the temperature drop to 13 degrees in the mountains!   This was half the temperature as we left Toledo!   Eventually the temperature rose to a normal level as we arrived at Hotel Chateau La Roca.   We were welcomed there by Marisa, the receptionist who speaks no English.   Her body language is hilarious.   We quickly realised she was asking if we had a good holiday.   We gave her the thumbs up!   I took the room key and we took the lift to the next floor where we let ourselves in.   Horror of horrors!   The bathroom was locked.   Back I went to Marisa and managed to tell her we had a problem with the bathroom door.   She came back with me and immediately she knew what to do - "no problem."   Two minutes later she returned with an allen key and opened the door.

That evening, after devouring some of the fruit left for us in the bedroom, we went down to the restaurant, Aida, for dinner.   Our friend, Manuel the waiter, offered us a table in a quieter room and we order a Land and Sea board between us.   This is the Spanish version of Surf and Turf.   It went down well, as did our two large beers.   Yes, we had another great night's sleep!   After breakfast we checked out and Reyes, the manager, came to say goodbye.   She always does this.

We had some time to kill so we drove 30 miles to Comillas and watched the waves rolling in.   I had my binoculars and spotted the Pont Aven approaching Santander.   Soon we drove to Santander ferry terminal and got ready to board the ferry for our 24 hours cruise home.   I queued to book our dinner table and then at 7.30pm we sat down to an excellent meal, as expected.   Next day saw us breakfasting in the restaurant and then reading, reading, reading as the ship slowly brought us to Portsmouth.

Having left the ship, we waited about an hour to get through passport control.   Our next journey was to the Premier Inn in Sutton Coldfield which was close to half way home.   We checked in with the friendly reception staff, one of whom was on a sponsored silence for Macmillan Cancer Support.   The building did not thrill us but the room lived up to the advertised promise of a good night's sleep.   However, the loo in the en suite bathroom threatened to malfunction with a very loose flushing lever!   the meal that evening was describable as adequate but the width of choice was poor.   It was a Flaming Grille so we had to opt for that style of cooking.   There were no table cloths which lowered the standard.   Next day the usual breakfast was very acceptable but I would not recommend this Premier Inn.

Following satnav we left the M6 at Junction 16 and drove through Cheshire to join the A55.   It was a pleasant drive and probably avoided heavy traffic jams farther up the motorway.   We arrived home at 1.15pm.

Looking back, it was a wonderful holiday that did us a power of good.   Later I went over to Bangor to our Circuit meeting.   I was tired after all that!   Tomorrow we celebrate our Golden Wedding so we are off to Rochdale to dine with the family.   We are looking forward to this!

Unforgettable

Today sees our stay in Andalucia come to a close.   Tomorrow we drive to our favourite Spanish city, Toledo.

This morning we bought a massive consignment of wine to bring home.   The car will be full!   On our return we had a pleasant lunch and the we read and swam all afternoon.   The sun was keeping us warm and the sky was cloudless.   Absolutely perfect as an ending!   Our holiday this year has truly been unforgettable.   We have found a level of relaxation we have never known before.

We have learned quite a lot about Spanish cuisine this time with staying at different Paradores where the chefs have based their work on local tradition and produce.   This will show itself in cooking later in the year.   We have enjoyed the wine and the beer.   The coffee we drank here we brought with us.   We are looking forward to a cup of tea!

The Toledo Parador we visited last year so we know what to expect , and it has the most stunning views of the medieval city of Toledo.   We shall be dining on the terrace and when darkness falls the city lights will wow us again.   They floodlight the cathedral and the Alcazar.

Probably this will be the last blog written in Spain but I shall bring you up to date about our journey home in a few days time.

On 1st October we travel to Rochdale to celebrate our Golden Wedding with the family so we have that to look forward to.   Our granddaughter Ellie will be able to tell us all about her first two weeks at university!

Penultimate day

Thursday was a lovely day with total sunshine and warm temperatures.   Unfortunately, Pauline had a stomach upset during the night and stayed in bed till lunchtime.   By then she was feeling much better and we set off to Colmenar for a final visit to our local supermarket.   After lunch we rested and then spent more time swimming in the pool.   It was exhilarating as usual.

Throughout the holiday here we have had the company of the two resident cats.   They are not house trained so are not allowed in the house.   Their day is spent snoozing!   Early in the morning I went outside to retrieve some washing that had dried overnight and found Tiddy asleep on a window sill that was guarded with heavy bars.   She was able to squeeze through the bars and then lie on the sill.   It was rather a clever arrangement because the security bars prevented her from falling off the sill.

The other cat, Marmy, has decided I am a good friend and comes to me for regular stroking.   Both of them are on duty by the outside dining table  when we are eating.   They watch with great interest, hoping for titbits.   They are experts at cleaning fish.   When they have finished you get a perfect picture of a fish skeleton - absolutely clean.   Tiddy can be a nuisance when she comes for affection because she tries to get on my lap.   When you are wearing shorts you can get a nasty surprise when the claw pierces your bare thigh!

Friday will see us setting off to the hypermarket for a supply of wine to bring home!

Gorgeous weather

It has been hot today and we have swum and swum and swum.   I was awakened by my phone ringing today.   I checked and it was Sue, our daughter, reporting that Ellie, our granddaughter, had gone off to university for the first time this morning.   Tonight we had a report of the day from Ellie.   It was all a happy experience.   Mobile phones (cell phones for you Americans!) are very useful when you are away.   I have been surprised at how cheap our calls and texts have been.

This morning I happened to walk into the kitchen literally at day break and through the kitchen window I saw a rosy glow at the rear of Mount Maroma in the east.   It was a lovely sight.   Today's end saw Comares at the top of the mountain across the valley with a lovely evening sun glow.   There has been not a single cloud in the sky.

We did not move from the poolside today and it was magical in terms of peaceful rest.   We choose to come here for three reason: 1)   Pauline can manage the few steps and where there used to be a high step there is now just a small rise as I made a special step and brought it here last year. 2)  The location wit it beautiful views and quietness 3)   The pool is accessible and gives great hydrotherapy for Pauline.   The house is a quirky old farmhouse called Finca Manolo and it has sometimes a mind of its own!   This year has seen no problems at all.   Last year we were moving furniture to avoid water ingress during heavy rainfall as the holiday began.

Tuesday 20 September

Not a lot to report today.   I drove into Colmenar and got some groceries to see us through the week.   We had a light lunch and then swam in the pool.   We talked a lot about the calming effect this holiday has had upon us.   We agreed we should make it continue once home.

It is so easy to think of this place as an ideal home but it would become just like our home in Anglesey.   The everyday problems that we face in Anglesey would happen here too.   So the answer is that it would not be an idyll.   Since being here Pauline has not needed her anti-inflammatories and has cut back on pain killers.   It is wonderful to see her so relaxed.   But the fact is that we can't stay here and need to be with family and friends in the UK.

It is a wonderful feeling to have the warmth of the sun on us.   There is a down side, of course.   Yesterday I was walking in bare feet in the bedroom and stood on a wasp which promptly stung me!   It did not survive!!!

Tonight we ate under the bamboo veranda and it was Sea Bream (Dorada in Spanish) with green beans.   It tasted great.   We finished off with lemon sorbet which we love.   It was all washed down with a lovely white wine.   We have resident cats here so I let them have the fish heads once we had finished our food.   They loved it.   They are called Marmy (Marmalade cat) and Tiddy (Tabby).   Poor old Marmy gets into fights and last year we saw she had lost part of her left ear.   This  year she had a bare patch over her right eye.

On Thursday we shall be having Lubina for dinner (Sea Bass to you).   We get some wonderful fish at the hypermarket down in Velez-Malaga.   I have eventually got to grips with BBQ cooking and using a calor gas stove.   The house is very quirky and we would not like it for our own but the pool and the location are first class.

Still having our very best holiday ever.

Periana

Never trust a map!   I didn't but could see how easy it would be to get the wrong impression of a journey by consulting a map.   We decided that, as today was forecast to be cloudy, we would see what this village was like.   Stunning views were promised and the promise was kept.   However, I set the satnav to direct me to Periana and it performed as expected.   Had I trusted the map I later read I would have thought I was on the wrong road.   The map showed the route to a short straight line followed by a right turn onto a long straight line.   The road we travelled was incredibly winding!   In this part of the world you can draw a straight line between two points and measure the distance which will be about a quarter of the road travelled.   The whole area is covered in winding roads circumventing hills and mountains.   The locals must clock up quite a fuel bill in relation to their driving about the area.

I filled the tank and we set off via the nearest village, Riogordo.   The roads twisted and turned and there were a great many signs telling me the road surface was poor.   As we got nearer to Periana we saw mountains close up which were stunning in their majestic features.   Sadly there was nowhere to pull off the road and get some photos.   Periana itself turned out to be a very well kept village with views of Lake Vinuela in the south.   Outside the "town hall" there was a lovely viewing terrace.   We were impressed.

The clouds that had been forecasted were not as bad as we expected so we got some sunshine too.   We returned to Finca Manolo to have lunch and then we got total cloud cover.   Tomorrow should start the same but eventually we should have wall to wall sun and blue sky.   The rest of the week is expected to be hot.

This, so far, has been the most relaxing holiday we have ever had.   Not bad say I!

Food

Well, friends, we had such a lazy day yesterday and never left the house.   Actually, I did.   I took the rubbish to the collection point just up the road.   We have done a great deal of reading since we came and yesterday we read even more!   This was, of course, in between swimming in the pool.

The views here are so good.   In one direction we look across a valley to the village of Comares perched high up at the top of a mountain.   We have visited it once on a previous holiday.   It is an ancient site where originally a fortress was built.   Its position is impregnable because the only way to it is up a very steep slope.   In fact you can see it all over the countryside.   As we drive down to the hypermarket we keep seeing it from the road.   Last year we could even see it from the other side from miles away when we visited Moclinejo.   The view of Comares from here changes as the sun changes position throughout the day.   The best view is in the late afternoon.

Looking in another direction we see Mount Maroma, a huge mountain often hidden in mist in a morning.   It is very paintable and I have done some photos for Pauline to paint it sometime.   Going farther round we get stupendous views of amazing high solid rock faces which look at their best when the shadows etch out their contours.

Then there is the silence, broken only by dogs barking in the log farm below, a donkey braying on another farm or a vehicle passing us in the lane.   Peace, perfect peace!

Now to report on the food we had last night.   Pauline had wanted each night this last week to have Mediterranean Chicken, a recipe from some years ago.   We found it in an old M & S recipe book many years ago.   It is meant to be done as a grille but the oven doesn't have one.   I roasted some chicken drumsticks and then added cooked rice, onions and mushrooms and bacon strips.   As a grille the time is about 45 minutes.   In the oven it took 2 hours!   Mind you, it tasted wonderful!!!

Having watched Nadiya on her travels in Bangladesh, I knew that you could still cook food in very different circumstances and with different equipment.   It worked!

Tomorrow we are going to visit the village of Perdiana, half way between us and Velez-Malaga.

The last few days have been difficult as my Internet went dead slow so that no real use of it could be made.   I think Orange went slow because our tablets worked normally.   The result was no blog.

However, I can report that we did have rain - one hour of it on Tuesday around 5.00pm.   Other than this we have had cartloads of sun!   We have made even more use of the swimming pool and it has helped Pauline's back pain enormously.   About 25 miles along a winding mountain road is the Eroski Hypermarket.   There we stocked up with loads of food earlier in the week and topped up our petrol.   My cooking has been much appreciated so far.   Tonight we are having chicken drumsticks in a mixture of rice and veg.   Last night entailed sausages which tasted good.   These were done on the BBQ so got a good flavour in them.

The other day we decided to drive over to the mountain village of Competa a few miles east of Velez-Malaga.   The approach road is a littler over 8 miles long and is the most winding road we have ever travelled.   We found the central square where we parked and found a table for lunch.   For 8 euros each we had a starter and a main course plus beer & coffee!   We chose soup - Pauline opted for fish soup which she thought exceptional and I chose gazpacho.   Full of taste!!   We chose hake for main course and this tasted good too.   Naturally we got fries as well.   The beer was good, served in chilled glasses, and so was the coffee.

After lunch we rediscovered a pottery shop and Pauline chose a vase to bring home.   They also sold belts so I bought two in the hope they fitted better than my others which were bought before I lost 4 stones in weight.   We drove back to base via Eroski where we got a few essentials.   Once back the pool was calling!

Each evening we have sat watching the mountains all around and sipping G & Ts.   It is a beautiful place.   Eventually the local water supply is back up to pressure so today will be washing day.   Unfortunately we are at the end of the Colmenar water system so we are at risk of drying up sometimes.   Although we have a reserve supply it does not feed the washing machine.   The Comares supply starts next door but one where there is always loads of water.   Just our luck.

The road between us and Colmenar is a wonderful one to drive along with views to so many majestic mountains and rocks.   I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the village yesterday when I did some shopping.

This holiday is doing us both an amazing amount of good and I hope we continue feeling like this for some time to come.

Having spent the night at Parador La Granja where we enjoyed an excellent meal of local fare, we breakfasted and drove to El Escorial.   A former royal palace and monastery, it wowed us.   With Pauline's disability we were only able to see the ground floor but it was splendid in every way.   Her disability gained Pauline free admission as well as myself as carer.   The staff showed us where to go and chatted about the place.   It was a place I had wanted to visit for some time, having remembered once seeing it on TV.   The route there was itself spectacular.   We climbed a mountain and descended the other side.   This mountain was covered in trees and there was a ski centre too.

Suddenly realising that our next Parador was several hours drive away we set off with haste.   The journey involved a section of the M50, Madrid's equivalent of the M25.   We arrived at Almagro, which is in the middle of one of the famous plains in Spain, shortly after six.   Our room was smaller and more Spartan than the previous night but it was, after all, a former convent.   The food was again based on local fare and was excellent.   Then yesterday we did the final leg of our journey to our farmhouse in Axarquia, Andalucia.   Unpacking was hard going after the long drive but we swam in the pool to cool off.   We visited Eroski City in Colmenar which is very much like Tesco Express.   We got food to last till tomorrow when we shall do a weekly shop at the Eroski hypermarket near Velez-Malaga.   Today was relaxing with a pleasant lunch, swimming and G & Ts before dinner.

We really feel well and happy!   Watch for the next instalment.

Travelling to La Granja

We set off from Penysarn, at 8.00am on Tuesday morning and Pauline drove south down the M6 as far as the service area on the M6 Toll road.   There we had a bite to eat and read our Kindles before setting off for Portsmouth with me driving.   The whole journey to Portsmouth was a breeze with just the 12.5 mile 50mph limit on the latest upgrade to Smart Motorway to slow us down.   As Pauline is disabled we were loaded on the ship very quickly and a five minute wait saw us in our wheelchair accessible cabin.

We took up position at was to be the head of a queue to book tables in La Flora restaurant.   Later that evening we had the usual first class meal.   Before that the ship was delayed over an hour getting away from Portsmouth and we did not find out why.   Next day saw us sun bathing on deck and we already have a tan!   We arrived late into Santander but got away to our hotel and received a warm welcome from Reyes Linares-Alvarez the manager.   She said "Welcome home!"   Later we had an excellent seafood risotto and turned in for the night.   I had my best night's sleep for a couple of weeks!

Today we had breakfast where we met Manuel, the waiter,   He is part of the fabric there.   Later we checked out and Reyes emerged from her office to kiss us on our way followed by Marisa the receptionist that speaks no English!   Her body language is hilarious!   We filled up the tank at the filling station next door to the hotel and set off south.   It was raining and whilst in the mountains behind Santander the temperature dropped to 15 Celsius.   Eventually the rain stopped and the sky broke up.   We stopped in the middle of nowhere at a service area for a pleasant lunch and then set off to find the temperature was 30 Celsius.   It stayed like that till we arrived here in La Granja at the Parador.

Our room is huge with a lovely bathroom, a mini bar and the usual refinements.   We have an Amigos card to use when we book a Parador and we get a good deal.   There is a discounted meal deal whereby we get room, breakfast and evening meal.   On arrival we discovered that Amigos card holders get a free glass of wine or soft drink as a welcome.   We enjoyed our wine outside in the garden.   The staff are extremely helpful and friendly as always and we are already enjoying the holiday.

Tomorrow we hope to visit El Escorial, a former monastery and royal palace near our next Parador.   then Saturday sees us motoring the last section to Finca Manolo, our rented farmhouse in the mountains 40 minutes from Malaga.   It is in the middle of nowhere and has 360 degree views.   There we shall laze and swim, laze and swim and then laze and swim.   There will be occasional visits out to local villages in the district of Axarquia.

Friday, swansong

There was still no connection to the internet, despite being connected to the router.   In order to discover the result of Thursday's referendum I switched on French TV.   I could tell from their glum faces that the vote was to leave the European Community.   My daughter confirmed it be SMS.

This time we drove south to some more places we had not visited.   The first was Notre Dame du Monts.   It was the most pristine resort I have seen with a huge beach.   Along this beach I saw a group of youngsters driving sand yachts around the beach.   We moved on to see St Jean du Monts which a rather larger resort but few people about.   On the seafront we discovered a small brasserie where we ordered moules mariniere with cream.   It tasted beautiful and the mussels were cooked to perfection.   We completed the little meal with cheesecake which was also very good.

We took a particular route back to base so that we could call at the other vineyard which virtually next door to our previous find.   Another case of wine was purchased for a little under 49 euros.   My wine rack at home is FULL!   In the evening we went for the last time to Villa Noe.   This time we had sea bream and it was as good as ever.

Our visit to Pornic, France has been a gastronomic delight!   We have sampled French cooking in a style not encountered before.   This is what we now know as French as opposed to French recipes with a British twist.   The original is certainly the best.   Speaking about our experience last week we have come to the conclusion that there was no highlight as so many experiences were exciting and educational.   It was a great week's holiday.

Driving back followed by a short night's sleep on board the ferry we found extremely tiring.   Next time we shall dfo more detailed planning so we don't endure such fatigue. b  there will be a next time in Pornic.   Of this we are sure.   It is a lovely area with lots to see.

Over and out till September when we are off to Spain again. 

Thursday 23 June 2016

As I said in the previous post, we decided to visit an artist's studio in a village near Pornic.   We arrived to find a sign on her door saying she was open but there was no one present.   It was disappointing because we liked the paintings we saw in her window and would have liked to see more of her work.   I had parked the car across the road on the village car park.   As I wads loading Pauline's wheelchair into the car an elderly Frenchman spoke to me.   At first I couldn't understand what he was saying.   Then the penny dropped.   It was the day of the referendum and he was asking if I had voted!   We have postal votes so we had done this before coming to France.

We then drove north to see some places we thought might be interesting on the coast above Saint-Nazaire.   These were Croisic, which is on the end of a peninsular, and Batz-sur-Mer.   Both were lovely clean villages and Croisic was a small port.   We had lunch in Croisic, choosing crepes made to order.   We had not had fresh crepes since La Bocage in Newhey, Rochdale was open.   Robert, the owner, had the special crepe/gallette rings necessary to make the food from fresh batter.   We enjoyed our lunch.

Later we drifted down to the southern bank of the Loire estuary.   Here we discovered some of the unique fishing huts typical of the area.   They were sheds with lean-to roofs set up on stilts by the water's edge.   From them projected four arms like spokes in an umbrella.   When fully rigged these would have a net spread between the four arms and the fishermen would discover later what had visited their nets.   Later we discovered many more of these sheds on stilts.

One small resort we drove to was visited because of its unusual name - Saint Michel Chef Chef!   Like the others it was a pretty and well kept place.

That evening we sat down to a lovely meal at Villa Noe.   This time we chose to eat a wok dish which was basically brochettes (kebabs) of crevettes with scallops on a bed of typical wok fried vegetables.   Brother, it was tasty!

Wednesday 22 June 2016

Today’s report is having to be put first into Microsoft Word as we have no network  right now.   We returned from our favourite restaurant to find that there is no access to EE(Orange).   I imagine that some electrical storms this evening are responsible.   As we sat at table in Villa Noe we kept seeing flashes of lightning and thunder to follow.

It has been a very strange day with rapid changes between sunshine and heavy rain.   The temperature has shot up too.   We set off after an early rain shower to see if we could make our way to an island just off the coast south of Pornic.   There are two roads there, one of which can only be used when the tide is down.   You might know that our satnav chose to direct us along this low tide causeway.   When we reached the beginning of this road there were lots of cars parked..   It looked as if they were waiting for low tide.   I didn’t wait around to find out what the story was.   Pauline was feeling the effects of her water tablets so we needed to get back to the gite.

On the way back here she spotted a couple of signs saying that just off the road was a vineyard.   Later today we returned that way and located one of the vineyards.   The wine they were growing was vin de pays so we took interest in what they had.   We had great fun tasting wines we had not previously known.   Have you ever heard of Grolleau Gris?   Neither had we, but I can say it is a lovely clear, crisp white wine and worth drinking.   We tried other wines and they were excellent.   We bought a case of 12 bottles, of which four were typical Loire Valley Rosé wines.   They are almost not pink, so delicately coloured are they.   At home I would have to pay about £90.00 for them.   Direct from the vineyard they cost 44.60 euros!   I kid you not!!!   They are going back to Anglesey with us on Saturday along with odd ones I have got from Intermarché supermarket.

We are so pleased to have bought so cheaply direct from the vineyard.   We shall have lovely memories to share when we drink them.

Our visit to Villa Noë saw us sampling Coquilles Saint Jacques and rouget barbet (red mullet) plus a new take on lemon cheesecake and vanilla ice cream.   Once again it was a triumph and we are happy again.

Tomorrow Pauline wants to visit an art studio and then we shall travel up the coast instead of down.   The people and places here are lovely and the gite in which we are staying is excellent too.   I can see us returning here one day.   France, being a different country does so many things differently that it is a journey of wonder and interest.   Wait for the next instalment!

Saint-Nazaire

During the war there was a daring raid on what was called the "Normandie" Dock in the port of Saint-Nazaire.   This was a key port for the German occupying forces.   An operation was mounted whereby HMS Campbelltown was used to put the dock out of action.   Saint-Nazaire was where the Bismarck was heading when she was finally disabled and sunk.   The famous French transatlantic liner, "Normandie", was a huge vessel, and the dry dock was created for its maintenance and refit.   This was, therefore, the only dry dock capable of accepting the huge German battleships, Bismarck and Tirpitz if they were damaged whilst in the Atlantic Ocean.   Knowing this, the British operation was organised in order to restrict the activities of the Tirpitz which was then holed up in a Norwegian Fjord.

The plan was to sail the Campbelltown into the dock gates where she would be stuck.   A huge pile of explosives was also carried in her bow and would be exploded once she was wedged in the gates.   She did explode, albeit much later than planned, and the operation achieved its ends.   Many lives were lost in this raid and many servicemen were taken prisoner.   Some did get home safely.

Another feature of this great port was the block of fourteen U-boat pens constructed of concrete and able to withstand very heavy bombardment.   We decided to go along and see what remained of this massive building.   It was easy to find because of its size.   It remains complete.   It is an eerie experience to walk around this massive construction.   There is no charge and there is plenty of parking.   We were impressed when we visited.

There were facilities for visitors with a café, bar etc and there was also a number of  attractions added in recent years.   We opted to visit the museum about transatlantic sailing.   The whole place was a mock up of a typical liner.   There were corridors with various cabins we could visit.   We were able to see the difference between first class cabins and the rest.   Much original furniture was on view that we were asked not too touch.   At one point there was a video presentation on a huge screen depicting the growth of sea travel around the world from French ports.   It was viewed as if we were standing at the stern of the liner with the wake spreading out away from us.   The next video experience was a typical view through 24 hours from the promenade deck.   Other ships passed, dolphins came diving past the vessel, seals were there and even an iceberg.   The third presentation was set as a view from the bridge.   We experienced day and night, dense fog with the ship's whistle sounding, and a terrible storm with huge waves.  The accompanying sound really added atmosphere!  

All in all it was worth the visit.   We visited the souvenir shop and bought one or two things to remind us of our visit.   Then we went back to the car and headed for Pointe de St Gildas where we had gallettes for lunch.

The route to Saint-Nazaire took us over a huge bridge crossing the Loire estuary.   From here we could see the vast shipyards in which two cruise liners were under construction, one being the MSC Meraviglia which will be finished in 2017 for MSC in Italy .   Not far away is an Airbus factory too. Saint-Nazaire is certainly a place of employment!

We finished our day with another cracking meal at Villa Noe!

Wet all afternoon

We didn't expect hot sunny days here and we have not been disappointed!   Since lunch it has rained and we have rested in the house.   This morning we drove round the locality looking for a couple of places that looked interesting in our local guide book.   We found neither of them but did succeed in locating Pornic War Cemetery which is across the road from the municipal cemetery.   As war cemeteries go it is tiny but, as expected, it is completely weed free!   I noticed how the headstones were perfectly aligned.   It reminded me of the lines of guards at the Trooping the Colour last week, except that perfection reigns here.

Last night we ate at Villa Noe again and the food was excellent.   We actually got through it and the waiter, remembering our capitulation the previous night, congratulated us.   In a few minutes we are off there again!

This morning I pulled a leg muscle which has since given me some pain.   I tried a pharmacy to get some pain killing gel but they were closed for the day - marvellous!

Despite this weather we are enjoying a relaxed stay.   After all, if we were at home and it was raining we should be indoors.   The house is immaculate and we enjoy some excellent facilities.   Tomorrow, weather permitting, we hope to see the location of the famous St. Nazaire raid of World War 2 when HMS Campbelltown was sailed into the lock gates to blow up later and prevent the Tirpitz being able to use the dry dock if she were to venture out to sea and be disabled.

Near Pornic

Today, Sunday, we took a short journey to the petrol station at Intermarche where we filled our tank.   I hoped the card machine would be easy to use and it was even better than expected.   It recognised my card as UK and gave me the instructions in English.   This is useful as it is a very short distance from the gite.  

A short while ago the French petrol stations were going dry as the tanker drivers were on strike and other trade union people were blocking access to refineries all over France.   It threatened our holiday seriously.   It was part of an all-union response to new legislation passed to combat strikes.   France has had a history of workers striking and disrupting life.   This has been because successive governments have always given in.   Watching the disruption of Brittany Ferries' sailings recently, I have seen that the port workers didn't strike around the weekends.   Could this be because they earn more at weekends?   However, this week and last week the disruption has ceased completely.   They knew we were travelling!

Anyway, this morning we drove a short distance to a village called Prefailles where lots of people were eating in restaurants.   We continued as far as Point St Gildas which also had a number of restaurants active.   We sat overlooking the harbour with a huge ship's cannon for company.   The sun was out and it was very peaceful.   Through binoculars I could see the huge cruise liner they were building across the estuary at Saint-Nazaire shipyards.  After a while we moved on and drove to an unusual garden known as Le Fontaine des Bretons.   Most of the plant life here was of the vegetable variety.   There was a number of small animals to see and a lovely donkey.   She had the traditional cross markings so I asked her if she was related to the donkey that carried Jesus on Palm Sunday.   She did not reply.

We sauntered round the more formal veg garden where they had Gulliver size garden implements set up to suggest it was Lilliput.   Pauline suggested we returned to base for a Breton country pate lunch which we did and enjoyed it together with some biscuits our hosts had left us.

It is now 6.50pm and we are booked in at Villa Noe for dinner soon.   We need to avoid LARGE quantities this time!

Watch this space!

A week in Pornic, France

We travelled to Portsmouth on Friday afternoon and met the usual Friday traffic queues as well as a long section of road works on the M6.   Satnav sent us along the M6 as we approached the Midlands instead of suggesting M6 Toll.   We saved the toll charge and I think it would not have been any advantage as on the M42/M40 there was a huge queue of traffic because of merging from the right to get past a broken down car in lane 3 of 4.   We had made plenty of time allowance and arrived at Portsmouth Ferry terminal with loads of time to spare.

This time we were picked out for a brief security search for the first time.   3 minutes saw us joining the correct lane for loading.   We parked close to the lift on board the Mont St Michel and were helped with luggage by a friendly crew member.   We had booked a wheelchair accessible cabin and it was a very good one with plenty of space in the ensuite bathroom.   The sailing was at 22.45 so we grabbed a piece of gateau and some wine before retiring for a very short sleep.   We had to rise at 4.45 to be ready to leave the ship at 5.45!

Our journey to Pornic in the south of Brittany was tedious as a result and with rest stops we arrived at noon.   Firstly, we checked the location of our gite in the town.   Then we visited Intermarche supermarket for essential rations and had lunch.   Our next task, whilst waiting for the 4.00pm changeover time at the gite, was to find the restaurant Villa Noe that we had booked for dinner that night.   We could not find it using its address in Satnav but found it under Points of Interest.   So we drove off to the location given.   We drove to the point shown on Satnav and there was nothing but private residences.   We kept driving round in case we had missed a sign somewhere.   It became apparent that there was no such place as given by Satnav.

We parked up and I took a long walk around the area to see if I could find it but without success.   How would we find it?   Would we have to try another place that night?   We parked up by the river and sat on a bench.   As luck would have it we met three English people and asked them if they knew of the restaurant.   They were visitors too!   Fortunately one of them was half French and he phoned the restaurant for us.   The outcome was that we were not far from the Villa Noe but how to get there was unclear!   We decided to drive further along the road and take another turn.   No luck.   Round we went again and drove to a T junction and turned left down to the river.   We found it!   The problem was that it appeared not to be accessible by wheelchair.   I got out and did another walk and found the way to get the wheelchair in.

In the evening we drove to the Villa Noe for dinner and what an experience it was.   The staff were so helpful getting Pauline in her wheelchair to the table!   We consulted the menu which was chiefly seafood.   Our starter was fish soup and it tasted wonderful.   When the main course came we were amazed at how much we had and the variety too.   It was an assortment comprising oysters, crevettes, razor clam, tiny shrimps, langoustine, half a crab and other shellfish we could not identify.   We love seafood but were overwhelmed at the quantity.   They offered to make up a doggy bag but we declined.   We went back to the gite feeling our meal was excellent and we had booked a table for the next evening.

Back at the gite we got ready for bed.   As we lay there reading I heard a banging sound which seemed to be something hitting the gite wall.   I got up and went outside to discover there was a fireworks display in the port!   I settled down and fell asleep.   I slept like a log and felt ready to face the next day, Sunday.

There had been one event the previous day that required some attention.   On unloading the car I discovered the washing up liquid we had brought had leaked and covered the contents of the bag and the back seat of the car in Fairy Liquid!!!   We now have a very clean seat in the car!

The gite itself is a prefabricated design two bedrooms affair.   There is plenty of room and lots of storage space as well as everything we could need.   Monsieur and Madame Moinard were very welcoming and showed me how to find and use everything in the gite.   They even included what day the wheelie bin was emptied.   It was all done in French and, amazingly, I understood and could reply in a limited fashion.

A good start, I think.

Where to next?

It is now February 2016 and already our holiday travels are booked.   Our first reason for travelling by car is that Pauline would have problems if we were to go anywhere by air.   For any walking, be it in an airport or any other large place, she is quite unable to participate.   She has a condition called spinal stenosis which is extraordinarily painful when walking or standing for more than 30 seconds.   She can cope within our bungalow but outside she is a wheelchair user.   Not only this but I have to push her as she also has arthritis which makes self propulsion out of the question.   Within an airport I would be incapable of carrying a suitcase whilst pushing the wheelchair.   This the first reason why flying to a holiday destination is out of the question.   Additionally, the seats in an aircraft are too close for comfort and she would suffer much pain if flying for a number of hours without relief.

Our choice, therefore, is to drive (something she can participate in) and sail on a car ferry.   We use Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth.   They also sail from Poole and Plymouth but Portsmouth is the best port to head for in this congested country.   We live in Anglesey in North Wales.   This means taking the A55 to the M56 motorway and then joining the M6 South.   To avoid hold ups we use the M6 Toll in the Midlands and head for the M42 and M40.   Eventually we take the trunk road past Oxford until its junction with the M3 towards Southampton.   After a few miles we head for Portsmouth and, once there, we just roll in to the Portsmouth Ferry Terminal where we board the car ferry.   This Brittany Ferries' main departure point so the port serves Caen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, and St Malo in France.   Additionally there are sailings to Santander and Bilbao in Northern Spain.

In June we shall be sailing via Caen on the Mont St Michel car ferry overnight.   Then we shall begin to meander over to a small town called Pornic in South Brittany and part of the Loire Valley.   In Pornic we have booked a gite through the ferry company.   We shall stay there for a week and hope to be out visiting all sorts of places of interest.   Ever since our liking for Loire Valley wines we have wanted to visit the area which is understood to be beautiful.   After this week we shall return overnight on the same ship.

In September we are off to Spain again on the car ferry, Pont-Aven.   This is the Brittany Ferries flagship and offers much comfort and style for passengers taking the 24 hours voyage to Santander.   I am not a lover of cruising but 24 hours I can do without problem.   On board we shall book our table in La Flora Restaurant and dine in style.   Our wheelchair accessible cabin is booked so we know our needs will be met.   On arrival in Santander on the following day we simply disembark in the car and drive to Hotel Chateau La Roca in Sancibrian on the outskirts of Santander.   We always get a lovely welcome from Senora Reyes Linares, the manager, who books us into the same room each time we visit.   It is a big quiet room with lots of room to move a wheelchair.   Our evening meal is usually entertaining as we are served by the waiter, Manuel.   He is part of the hotel fittings!

The next day, after breakfast, we shall drive to our first overnight stop on the journey south to Andalucia.   This year it is to be the Parador La Granja, not too far from the famous monastery El Escorial that we wish to visit.   Then it is off to Parador Almagro before making our final trip to Finca Manolo in El Romo, a few miles from Colmenar in Axarquia.

After two weeks resting at Finca Manolo with occasional visits to other villages we return to Santander via Toledo.   Again we shall be staying in the local Parador which has an outstanding view of the medieval city of Toledo.   We started to stay at Paradores after trying to find new accommodation to improve on the hotel we had been using in Toledo.   We always got a welcome at Hotel Martin, but it is not well placed to assist wheelchair users.   When I enquired I found that the Parador would be more expensive but far more suitable for Pauline.   We stayed there for the first time in September 2015 and loved it.   The staff there were very helpful, showing us the best way to get about the establishment with a wheelchair.   The food and service in the restaurant was first class.   In order to get a better and longer look at Cordoba last year we also booked two nights in the Parador there.   Once again we were not disappointed with the Parador treatment.   The Paradores of Spain are owned the government and are all 4 star grade.   Some of them are modern buildings, but many are refurbished monasteries, convents, manor house or palaces.

Our final night in  Spain will be, of course, in the Hotel Chateau La Roca.   The following day we will be able to have a short drive before boarding the Pont-Aven for our voyage back to the UK.   We can recommend Brittany Ferries and their extremely friendly and helpful staff.   They work hard for their wages and are worth every penny!   We love travelling to Spain and France and would not use another means of getting there.   There is just one more benefit: we can buy and bring back loads of wine at excellent prices!