Out and about...

Yesterday we took Bert and Geraldine over to the beautiful Angle-sur-l'Anglin which never fails to impress visitors especially under a blue sky! 

After a walk around we stopped in to No 15 for a bit of cake and a refreshment before finishing the afternoon with a walk around the gardens at Descartes.

14 years in the making...

Last night we opened a bottle of 2007 'Chateau Le Bert', Saint-Émilion wine at dinner that had been waiting to be shared with our friend Bert who had given it to us as we left for France 14 years ago with the intention of coming over to drink it with us. 

Although we had seen them almost every year since on our visits to Scotland this was their first visit to France since our leaving. This is part of a road trip that has taken them through France to Spain and Portugal and back to France.

Pleased to report that it had aged well and complemented Pauline's duck dinner very well.

We are looking forward to showing them the delights of our region during their stay with us.

Vendredi et une vue - Princes Street Edinburgh from the castle esplanade.

 

From our visit last week.

Wednesday is for windows...

Thought I'd share some of the diverse window architecture of Edinburgh.

 

More planes trains and automobiles...

Back in La Guerche after a day of travelling yesterday - 10 minute walk to the tram from Corstorphine to the airport which is very straightforward and direct. Then a Ryanair flight to Poitiers which was 40 minutes late and one where they made us stand in a packed corridor for 20 minutes before boarding. 

Then we headed to the taxi rank for a taxi to the train station to catch our train to Chatellerault. There were no taxis waiting for the flight's arrival and we found out that in fact there never is! 

A Romanian couple let us know you had to call a cab and even then you had to keep your fingers crossed that they would arrive! They  were kind enough to call for one for us and as we chatted we found out that the lady used to work in the dentists in Ligueil. By the time their taxi arrived another couple  had joined what they thought was a queue - we shared our new found information with them. When our taxi had not arrived after 20 minutes there was talk of us perhaps missing our train but they said they were heading to the train station as well to pick up their car before heading up to Montrichard and if we did miss our train they would take us home, how kind are people? Just as our taxi eventually arrived another couple arrived confused and we managed to get our driver to organise one for them. 

Our friend Dennis picked us up at Chatellerault for the last part of our journey home.   

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - Alloway

Spotted on visit to Ayr bench with life-size bronze sculptures of Luath and Caesar, the dogs from Burns’ poem ‘The Twa Dogs’. Created by artist Sally Matthews near the 'Robert Burns Birthplace Museum' in Alloway

West Bow Edinburgh...

 

We are doing a lot of walking here in Edinburgh but it is a joy!

With a Princess on Princes Street...

Took Ada into the city yesterday for fun in Princess Street Gardens and along the Royal Mile.

Late Xmas present...

Yesterday, Pauline and I were able to take advantage (at last) of Eileen's Christmas Present to us, afternoon tea served in the delightful surroundings of The Georgian Tea Room of the Dome here in Edinburgh. 

Thoroughly enjoyed it and were really impressed by our surroundings - quite stunning! It was built as the headquarters of the Commercial Bank of Scotland in 1847 and stands on the site of the  the offices of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, which was constructed in the 18th century to designs by James Craig (no relation), the planner of the New Town here in Edinburgh .

Sunday stroll...on the old Ayr - Turnberry railway line.

Yesterday Eileen took us over to the 'Robert Burns Birthplace Museum' in Alloway where we parked the car and proceeded along a track and down on to the cycle path that follows the tree-lined track bed of the old Ayr - Turnberry railway line which closed in 1968. You start the walk by entering a couple of tunnels which could take a bit of inspiration from a similar project over in Edinburgh as these are only lined by graffiti.

 It takes you to a bridge over the River Doon, from where I took the first photo (above) from the bridge looking back towards the old 'Brig O' Doon' which was built in the 15th century and features in the last verse of Burns' epic poem 'Tam O'Shanter'.

The treelined path takes you all the way over to the ruins of  Greenan Castle a former 16th-century tower house that sits on the high ground overlooking the coastline.

We had intended to walk back through the parks of Belleisle and Rozelle but rain (no surprise there) meant we headed straight back to our starting point passing this homage, a 2m tall mouse, to Burns' poem 'To a Mouse' not quite the 'wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie' he referred to.

 

Surprise brocante...Ma Petite Madelaine

 

We had to go back up to Tours yesterday to exchange something that I had bought that was the wrong size - yes I do get it wring sometimes! That done, on the way in we had noticed that much of the car park at 'Ma Petite Madelaine' was taken up with brocante stalls. We popped in - first in years - had a walk around in beautiful sunshine but bought nothing. Our friends will understand why but it was good to be out and about.  

Spring walk in the gardens of the Musee des Beaux-arts in Tours...

On a visit to Tours on Wednesday we wandered into the gardens at the Musee des Beaux-arts to walk around the gardens. It was too early for their usual spring planting but we noticed the 'perfect' hedge was being worked on. If you ever wondered how they kept it so perfect they use wires, a ruler and a plumb-line and do a great job! 

We will come back next month to check them out again as it is usually a spectacular display.

Tours in springtime is always a pleasure.