...deep in thought...

No.... just wondering where I left my passport! Note the photographer in the mirror urging me to smile. This was taken in Rouen, the largest city in Normandy. It was bombed heavily during WW2 and still bears the scars. They have done well to presereve the old part of the city which has only pedestrian access. It is also where they tried, then fried, Joan of Arc, who is now a nationla heroine of course.

Box

Lorraine's daughter Tori is working on a BBC drama production of "Tess of the D'Urbevilles" near Bath for the next few months. We had the privilege of being on the set one day amid tight security and indulged in a bit of star spotting. I was disappointed to find that neither Natalie Portman nor Scarlet Johannsen were in it! Tori has rented a small flat nearby in a village called Box (yes...Box). It is picture postcard rolling hills and hedgerows country straight out of Wind in the Willows I guess. I went for a walk around Box and discovered this little church nearby which was open. There has been a church on this site for over 1000 years and this one was about 600 years old I think. The village grew around the main Roman road from London to Bath. This a wonderful part of the country.

Glastonbury

Glastonury is a centre of "alternate culture" and venue for the famous folk festival, which is taking place now. It is a hippy-trippy place full of vegan cafes, navel gazing centres and as many ways to get "healed" as Nimbin or Byron. We climbed a small hill nearby which looked artificial but is a natural phenomenon according to the locals. At the top was an ancient abbey (what else?, with a couple of very earthy folk standing around, one serenading the other with a rendition of Amazing Grace on bagpipes. These guys would love Byron! They didn't seem to mind being photographed and didn't want payment!

the old bard

Whilst driving through the English countryside on the way to London we spent a night at Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace if the old bard himself. It's a pretty place with the usual cathedral and quaint medieval street scenes with the added bonus of being able to cash in on the master. Shakespeare was an actor and shrewd business operator as well as playwright... a kind of celebrity of his day.

mona lisa

It has long been an ambition of mine to see the Mona Lisa. Well...that ambition has been fulfilled. After several hours searching the Louvre I finally found her surrounded by 1000 tourists with cameras. I joined the queue and flashed a few pictures, none of which did her justice. In the flesh she lives up to all expectations. Here's a very blurred photo, but the best I could do.

C'est combien!

These two dudes were entertaining us on a train as they do in Paris when I (foolishly!) decided to take a photo of them. They both posed obligingly but then dude numero une approached me for payment. I gave him 2 euros but he wasn't happy with that and stood his ground. Lorraine held out some money and he only just stopped short of reaching in our pockets. We eventually gave him about 6 euros to piss off! This was an isolated incident though.... Paris is magnifique!

Monet's garden

Have just returned from 2 weeks on the road (and under the Channel!), taking us to new and exciting places in England and France. The first selection of photos is from Claude Monet's garden(he's the famous French artist who began the style of painting which came to be known as impressionism)at Giverney in Normandy. The place was infested with elderly (older than us) tourists but the gardens were superb. Monet himself looks like a cranky old bastard from the photos (well he is French) but his paintings are pretty good.