Return to Vaux sur Mer

Just had a week in Vaux, nr St Palais, with good friends Dave n Sue who have made their home out there.

The walk into the village from Dave n Sues takes you through a well maintained local park. The village hall, host to the choir in which Sue sings, was also hosting a local quilt display:













Vaux has a small, intimate and picturesque beach. A wonderful short walk along the coast is the larger beach of St Palais - situated close to the town, catering for tourists and with great eateries. A little to the north of St Palais is big beach, a superb length of sandy beach with a gentle slope into the sea for safe swimming and catering for both textiles and naturists.












Also caught up with another 'Musical Thursday'. Romanesque churches of the Agglomeration Royan Atlantique welcome every Thursday evening in season, concerts which include internationally renowned artists and young talented musicians.The season offers a wide range of music for all tastes.The program combines architecture and music, with churches offering incredible acoustics. We caught the concert in L'Eguille sur Seudre at the Eglise St Martin. Performing were the Compass Trio of violin, alto violin and cello.

The week also included a trip to a local village fete with local groups delivering both traditional and pop music to the delight of the audience. Marilyn and I 'twisted the night away' with villagers, followed by a wonderful firework display.

and to cap the week off nicely Marilyn agreed to have another birthday :)

all will be explained in due course!

Bank Holiday Part 2

Romsey is a wonderfully friendly (esp. those lovely people in Tourist Info.) quintessentially english market town in Hampshire, handy for the New Forest and South Coast. It is dominated by a large Norman Abbey. 

you can also travel through time at King Johns House -

and in the secluded gardens see an amazing memorial terracotta army of War Horses -

In the near surround there are a number of gardens of note - 

Hillier Gardens

The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens is a 72 hectare arboretum with over 42,000 trees and shrubs notably a collection of oaks, camellia, magnolia and rhododendron.

Mottisfont

Mottisfont Abbey Gardens are set in the delightful Test Valley, where the River Test, famous for its trout which can be seen in large numbers in its clear waters. Mottisfont Abbey is famous for its rose gardens set within a walled garden, with lovely lavender walks and colourful herbaceous gardens and a small lavender parterre close to the Abbey.The historic Abbey is also open with many superb rooms, furniture and decorations.

Circle of Life trees

fishermans hut

Houghton Lodge Gardens

Some gardens are made for planting, others should be left as natural as possible - Houghton Lodge is one such garden. Wonderful walks through fields, woodland and along the picturesque River Test. Houghton also has a hydroponicum, in which plants are grown without soil, and a wonderful orchid collection with many rare varieties.

fire breathing topiary dragon!

the alpacas - Tom, Dick n Harry

The question now is - are we to have a late 'Indian' summer or is this the onset of autumn?

Bank Holiday Part 1

It really was a bank holiday week of two parts. First half marred by wet weather so we did away days. Second half was fine and sparked a long weekend in Romsey.



The bikes got another airing as we did part of the Family Cycleway in the Forest of Dean. 

got a bit muddy!

but then came refreshments :)

It was also the weekend of the Saul Canal Fest. canal boats and associated hardware of all shapes n sizes:

With a centre piece flotilla of restored lifeboats spanning the 1900's 

And ending with a day trip to Kelmscott Manor the Cotswold retreat of William Morris, his family and his friend and colleague Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the Pre-Raphaelite artist.

Dropping Like Flies

Guruji

BKS Iyengar

Caroline Gooding

Disability rights lawyer and campaigner who helped introduce groundbreaking legislation.

Dickie Attenborough

Actor, Director, Philanthropist

Goodnight Pinkie

Mancunian Way

Just got back from Manchester, a friends 60th, amongst the hightlights were:

Visit to the Manchester Peoples History Museum

Anyone who has ever campaigned
will recognise one of these :)

Well worth a visit if your up there. Great exhibitions, workspaces, cafe et al.

It celebrates some unsung heroes/heroins who fought against the odds to make life that little bit more bearable for working folk.

It was also great to see such a marvellous facility housed in such a wonderful, modern, well equiped and spacious venue

Trouble is, these days, many exhibits from the past I recognise from my youth.

They have an unbelievable collection of banners, many showing great skill, expertise and patience in their making.

Manchesters Chinese Quarter

Sporting an amazing arch it's a concentration of eateries - the biggest problem is choosing which one to eat at! After much indecision Marilyn plumped for The Little Yang Sing which proved a great choice :-p

Goodnight Vietnam

Robin Williams

a prodigious talent

and another one, and another one
bights the dust