Beautiful Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

Bath is a beautiful place, even on an overcast day. The town sits in a little bowl of a valley, surrounded by gently rolling hills. It is known for the ancient Roman baths and for its lovely 18th-century Georgian architecture. We began our explorations by joining a little bus tour, much as we had done in London. From our seats atop the double-decker bus, we had wonderful views of the ancient streets and all Bath has to offer. We were very glad to have brought along our jackets, for the weather had turned a bit breezy and there was a definite chill in the air. 

We enjoyed the lovely view while awaiting the bus.

There are many beautiful buildings in Bath.

Our bus tour was very informative, and we tried to listen attentively to the audio headsets while also taking photos and admiring the view. The driver guided us to the rim of the bowl-shaped valley, where there is a hiking/bicycling path that begins in town. The drive was lovely. I admired the charming homes, many with beautifully tended gardens, and some with spectacular views of the town below. We learned about Bath stone, which is the pale, golden limestone of which the buildings and homes in Bath city centre were constructed. The limestone is very difficult and expensive to clean, and for that reason, a law was passed forbidding anyone to burn smoky materials in their fireplaces.

The limestone on this home has been partially cleaned.

When our tour ended, we warmed ourselves over coffee and hot chocolate in a nearby Starbucks. It was much the same as a Starbucks anywhere, though the decor was more fitting to the locale and there were several British items on the menu, including the bacon buttie. We walked around for a bit, admiring the gorgeous scenery and occasionally peeking into some interesting shops.

These old warehouses along the river in Bath
have been restored into apartments.

We found a little cafe selling Cornish pasties and decided to stop there for a bite to eat. The temperature had warmed, so we carried our food outside to a table and looked around the colorful street as we ate. Some very determined pigeons joined us. One of them almost landed on the table! We finished quickly and continued our explorations. Soon, we were admiring the Bath Abbey. There were many people hanging around in the courtyard in front of the beautiful old cathedral; one of them was strumming a guitar. Because it was Sunday, there were services being held in the Abbey, so we did not venture inside.

Who can resist a Cornish pasty?

The beautiful Abbey in Bath, UK.

Another view of Bath Abbey.

From London to Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

The Hotel Apollo in London was a small, narrow row house that had been converted into a charming bed and breakfast. Its location on Argyle Street made it very convenient to both King's Cross Station and St. Pancras Station. I had read mixed reviews about the place and decided to take a chance as the price was quite reasonable. The bedrooms are tiny, but very neat and decorated in a cozy style. There was even a kettle in the room, and packets of coffee and tea. The bathrooms were clean and modern. It's a family business and the owners were very nice. We would be willing to stay there again.

Our small, cozy room at the Apollo.

We had the full English breakfast before starting our short journey to Bath. The breakfast room was in the basement, which had a large walk-out with stairs leading to street level. The windows allowed plenty of morning light to brighten the room. That meal was quite an experience! Our plates were heaped with bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, and a fried egg. A toast rack was brought to the table, along with plenty of coffee or tea. I was able to finish about half of my meal. I'm simply not accustomed to a heavy breakfast. It was certainly a meal we will never forget.

A full English breakfast at the Apollo, London.

Our next stop was Paddington Station, where we would catch the train heading west for Bath and Bristol. Desmond easily navigated our way through the London Tube (mind the gap!) to Paddington, where we boarded our train. We enjoyed every minute of the ride through London and into the countryside. The gorgeous rural scenery of lush green fields, peaceful streams, farms, and pastures dotted with fluffy sheep kept us mesmerized. We saw several little narrowboats floating serenely on placid streams and canals. As we neared Bath, Des spotted the chalk horse high upon a hillside. There are several of those in the area, and I'm sorry I was unable to get a good photo of one.

I had originally booked rooms for us at a hotel in Bath center, but due to a schedule change, we found ourselves at the Holiday Inn, about a twenty minute walk from the train station. The hotel is located beside a very old cemetery, which Craig and I had a view of from our room. It wasn't creepy at all. The ancient, ornate headstones were surrounded by flowers, bushes. and  tall trees. It looked like an interesting place to explore. We stowed our bags in the room and then the three of us set out to explore Bath. 

A Tiny Tour of London

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 25, 2015 continued...

We were very glad to see Craig again and even though he must have been exhausted from traveling, he was eager to go out and explore a bit in London. It was hard to believe that it had really happened, but there we were! We freshened up in our tiny rooms at the Apollo and then set out to find something to eat.

We didn't have to walk far to find a pub. It turned out to be an Irish pub called O'Neill's, which was just across from the train station. The waitress was very friendly and happily allowed us to sample some of the beer before making a selection. Desmond and Craig began a little tradition of asking for "your two favorites" and the wait staff at each pub we visited was always happy to oblige. They enjoyed trying the popular local brews. I had ordered ginger beer, which was very refreshing. 

Our meal was delicious and filling. We all chose something different. I went for comfort food and ordered the mac and cheese with bacon. It was quite possibly the best macaroni and cheese dish I have ever tasted. The blend of cheeses and the crisp, smoky bacon made it a very satisfying choice. Des enjoyed shrimp scampi, which was actually more like garlic-seasoned fried shrimp. Craig dug into a plate heaped with the traditional bangers and mash. The sausage and mashed potatoes were topped with a rich brown gravy. After that meal, we all decided that we were fans of pub grub!

We enjoyed a tasty lunch at O'Neill's pub in London.

Craig had to try the "bangers and mash" at O'Neill's.

With only the afternoon and evening in London, we chose to board one of the double decker buses for a hop-on, hop-off tour. We saw some amazing sights: the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and so on. I was a typical gaping tourist, camera in hand, awed by the sights and sounds of England's capitol. I particularly enjoyed the walk along the Thames. The area was crowded, yet seemed very safe, and the throngs of visitors were all in a festive mood. The weather was in a good mood, too, as the clouds thinned and sunlight brightened the scene.

The London Eye.

Big Ben, of course.

     

The Tower of London.

The Tower Bridge.

 

The three of us enjoyed a boat tour on the Thames, which showed us many of the sights we had viewed from the bus, but from a different perspective. I'm not sure any of us ever stopped smiling as we turned our heads this way and that to view the iconic buildings and attractions. We all agreed that we will have to return to London in the future for a more extensive visit. 

Westminster Abbey and Big Ben.

The Tower Bridge, London UK

Before making our way back to the hotel that evening, we stopped for dinner at another pub, The Skinners Arms. It seemed like a typical English pub and was lavishly decorated with old photos, ads, and other memorabilia. The staff and other customers were all friendly and welcoming. One couple even gave up their table for us and moved to a smaller one so that we would not have to wait. I decided that it was time to try the fish and chips, and was not disappointed! Craig ordered a steak and Guiness pie, which was topped with puff pastry and looked wonderful. Desmond chose the salmon, which was served with roasted potatoes and green beans. We walked slowly back to the hotel and were soon ready for bed. It had been an exhausting day, though a very delightful one. 

Of course, I had to try the traditional fish and chips in London.

London, Here We Come!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 24 and 25, 2015

Desmond was at work, so I did some laundry and tidied up the house in preparation for our trip to England. We were all looking forward to seeing Craig in London soon. I knew he was anticipating a break from work!

That evening, we went to Chez Ming for dinner. Fanny and her young daughter, Jade, were able to join us. We were feeling very festive because this was actually vacation eve for Desmond. We had a wonderful meal and I enjoyed listening to Jade speaking some English. It's amazing how quickly children can pick up a new language. I hope that someday I will be able to converse with Fanny and Jade in French.

I was up late, tracking Craig's flight. I finally went to bed around 1:00 AM, when I saw that boarding had begun. I tossed and turned all night, and finally got out of bed at 5:00. I checked Craig's flight status again, and learned that his flight had been delayed for two hours due to an air conditioning valve malfunction. That meant we would all arrive in London at about the same time.

Desmond and I set out for Paris by train. We had a quick breakfast of pastries and coffee in the station before our train left for Gare d' Austerlitz. Once there, we grabbed a taxi for the ride to Gare du Nord, where we would board the Eurostar. I had never been to Gare du Nord - it was a busy place! The Eurostar terminal was chaotic, but we found a cafe in which to purchase some sandwiches and sat down for a quick lunch before joining the queue on the platform. I was nervous about crossing the channel tunnel, so I made sure that I had an absorbing game to play on my iPad while making the crossing. I ignored the darkness outside the window, and before I knew it, we had arrived in London! My phone rang before we were even off the train. It was Craig, informing me that he has just arrived at Heathrow and was taking a taxi to meet us at the hotel. He was a bit concerned that his ATM card had refused to work at the airport, though he had managed to exchange some euros for pounds and believed he would have enough for the ride to our lodgings.

The beautiful St. Pancras train station in London.

St. Pancras International  is a busy and beautiful London train station which first opened in 1868. The Victorian Gothic Architecture is a wonder. The elegant interior is crammed with restaurants and shops of every kind. We didn't linger in the station, but set out to walk the short distance to the hotel. It should have been a quick walk of less than two blocks, but it took us a bit longer because we took a couple of wrong turns. We checked into the Hotel Apollo, a bed and breakfast which was small and charming and very clean.

 

The Hotel Apollo in London was cozy and clean.

Craig phoned again, this time from the taxi. He said that the meter was ticking away at an alarming rate and asked if we could meet him outside the hotel as he was certain that his 50 pounds just wasn't going to be enough. Desmond sprinted back to the station and located an ATM, where he was able to withdraw from my account. He returned in plenty of time to hand over the 120 pounds due for the taxi ride from Heathrow! We had heard that London cabs were expensive, but wow!  

It seemed that every year we had traveled to France, there was a problem with one or the other of our debit cards. Even though Craig and I had both informed the bank of the dates of our travel and were assured that both cards would work properly, it had never turned out that way. The problem was not insurmountable, but was awfully inconvenient at times. It was actually a good thing that Craig's flight had been delayed! 

The French Word for Sneeze: éternuer.

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 23, 2015

That day, for some reason, my seasonal allergies decided to make a comeback. I began the day coughing, sneezing, and sniffling. I was determined to enjoy myself anyway, and nibbled happily on an apple-filled pastry as I sipped my morning coffee.

Delightful!

Desmond had to work, so I decided to do some more shopping. I was planning to purchase more adorable baby clothes for the newborns (and some as yet unborn) back in America. Armed with a packet of tissues and a dose of allergy medicine, I truly enjoyed browsing and buying those adorable items.

How cute is that?!

Before returning to the apartment, I made a stop in Halles Chatelet to pick up some fresh pasta and a slice of duck mousse, which Des would need to prepare our meal that evening. The proprietor of the pasta shop was very kind. When she realized that I understood little of what she was saying, she very carefully wrote down instructions for cooking the fresh linguine. In French. Perhaps she assumed that I could read French much better than I could understand the spoken language. 

You know the old saying, "feed a cold, starve a fever, gorge on pastries to fight allergies" ? I bought a lovely little Paris Brest for an afternoon snack. As soon as I returned home, I brewed some fresh coffee and enjoyed my special treat.

A get-well pastry.

That evening, Desmond and I enjoyed apero of cherry beer and assorted chips as we relaxed before dinner. Des quickly whipped up a delicious meal of fresh pasta with melted duck mousse and truffle oil, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I wasn't great company, still fighting those annoying sniffles, and after texting for a while with Craig, went to bed early.      

It's Not Really All About The Food.

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 22, 2015

As I walked across the square to the boulangerie, I was amazed yet again by how beautiful the weather was. I feel blessed in so many ways; the wonderful hospitality of my son, the sparkling spring days flowing one into the other, time spent with friends whom I almost consider family. I was becoming more relaxed and at home with each passing day. My dreams have come true over and over and my wish is for more of my loved ones in America to experience that magic. 

Another breakfast treat in Orléans, France.

Desmond and I spent the morning on household chores and email. We were enjoying our time together even while performing those mundane tasks. Just before noon, Des prepared Bento boxes so that we could have lunch somewhere outside on this glorious day. He used the leftover Bulgogi and rice, plus many other tasty dibs and dabs. We made our way to Parc Pasteur, not far from the train station. It was lovely in the park, which was beautifully landscaped and peaceful. There is a boating pond, a little train (made in Wichita!) and a puppet theater. We found a shaded bench where we ate lunch while sipping on raspberry beer. 

Flowers in Parc Pasteur, Orléans.

After lunch, we made our way to the shopping district downtown, where Desmond introduced me to more of his favorite shops. I had to force myself to turn away from some of the items I fell in love with, as they were just too bulky or heavy to toss into a suitcase. One item that I really wanted proved to be a bit elusive. I was looking for a new eyeglass case, one that had a pretty design. We found only plain, solid colored cases. I had all but given up, when my son came across a pretty one tucked back on a shelf at Eureka. It had a world map on it in bright pastels and was just perfect! I knew I would remember this day every time I used it. 

Desmond had been wanting to introduce me to a restaurant he had recently discovered in a nearby village. Mathieu had decided to come along, which meant we could drive rather than take the train. We stopped to pick up a friend, Sylvia, and were soon on our way to La Ferté-Saint-Aubin where the restaurant, La Sauvagine, is located. The town itself was charming and has a Chateau we would love to visit. It is known as the Castle of Games and has many antique, hands-on toys and games that appeal to all ages.

La Sauvagine was just a few blocks past the beautiful Chateau. Our meal was wonderful. We started with cocktails and slices of baguette which we slathered with a pungent, herbed , sheep's milk cheese. For a starter, I had chosen a scallop crumble, which was served bubbling hot in an earthenware dish. The tender scallops, tiny shrimp, and mussels were topped with buttery breadcrumbs; it was scrumptious. Sylvia had ordered a dish that consisted of escargot in a garlicky cream sauce served over puff pastry. When Sylvia learned that Desmond and I had never tried snails, she picked up her fork, stabbed a morsel, and told us that there would never be a better time to try them. And so we did. And they were very tasty. Sylvia was such fun. She is Italian and has lived in Ireland and speaks with a charming mixed accent.

A tasty scallop crumble at La Sauvagine.

My main course was a mild fish served with beurre blanc, which was simply amazing. It was accompanied by tiny, steamed potatoes, creamy mashed carrots, and haricots vert. Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious. We lingered long over the delectable meal and the conversation flowed like wine. I felt as youthful as my companions and enjoyed every moment. In France, unlike the U.S., restaurant patrons are encouraged to remain as long as they like. There is no pressure to "turn tables" as is often the case in America. What a lovely way to dine.

Dinner at La Sauvagine, La Ferté-Saint-Aubin, France.

Our evening ended with four enticing desserts that we passed around to share. The tarte tatin, chocolate mousse, profiteroles, and chocolate tart were all fabulous and I would have been hard-pressed to name a favorite. That night, I added La Sauvagine to my list of places that my husband must try! 

Beautiful Briare

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: April 21, 2015

When visiting France in April of 2014, I was amazed at the incredibly beautiful spring days following one upon the other like perfect pearls on a string. I was told that this wasn't quite normal, and that the weather can often be cool and rainy during that time. I was certain that in 2015, I could not possibly be so lucky. However, once again I awoke to yet another jewel of a day. As a Kansan, I appreciated every minute of that loveliness. We don't often have day after day of glorious spring weather. Instead, our springtime consists of a few lovely days broken up by thunderstorms and even tornadoes. Or sometimes, it's just plain windy. Or the temperature soars unexpectedly. Not so in the beautiful Loire valley. I'm sure that Desmond must have grown tired of my constant exclamations of wonder at the near-perfect weather we experienced. 

Our morning began with a visit from a friend, Tonio, who showed up at the door with fresh pain au chocolat. We had a nice chat with him over the pastries and coffee, though I wished his wife, Auralie, could have been there as well. After breakfast, Desmond and I walked over to the market to pick up items for a picnic that we had planned with Mathieu and his parents. We were to meet them in Briare later in the day. It was nice of Matt to do the driving. 

When it was time for lunch, Des pulled out his tabletop grill, and together we cooked all of the bulgogi that we had been unable to eat the night before. It was a fun meal, and quite delicious! We had rice and vegetables to round it out. Of course, there was plenty of leftover pork, which would later go into Bento boxes.

When Mathieu arrived, we gathered our picnic food, tablecloth, and other items and took off on a lovely drive to Briare. The population of Briare is around 7,000 inhabitants. Located on the banks of the Loire, it is a charming canal town. We found Thierry and Muriel near the Port de Plaisance, which was crowded with pleasure craft. The scene was lovely and peaceful. There were pots of flowers lining the basin, and on the boats we passed as we walked along the canal. On some of the boats, there were people lounging in deck chairs in the shade of the trees which surround the waterfront. 

Looking toward the waterfront along the canal in Briare, France.

There is a fascinating feature of the canals in Briare. It is a canal bridge. Not just a bridge over a canal, but a bridge which carries the canal itself, by means of a series of locks, up over the river and across. This amazing aqueduct was constructed in the late 1800s by Gustave Eiffel. There are towpaths on either side of it, which are now used as pedestrian sidewalks to traverse the bridge. We enjoyed walking the entire length of it. The views are lovely, though I was hoping that we would see a boat come through. At the far end was a large flock of sheep in a hillside meadow, and we could see the sheepdogs running about, directing them. Just below was another field of sheep, many of them with lambs beside them. Des commented that, if he hadn't seen the animals, he would have thought their bleating came from humans pretending to be sheep, because they made such funny sounds. They had high notes and very low tones, and one even sounded as if it were mooing! One of them was very hoarse and sounded rather pathetic.  

 The canal bridge was constructed by Gustave Eiffel.

 On the canal bridge, looking over the Loire.

It's a fascinating structure and worth a visit to Briare.

A lovely village scene in Briare, France.

We located a picnic table near the river, where we had a great time talking and eating. We were visited by a pair of ducks, begging for food. We laughed at the frogs, though we couldn't actually see them in the reeds, because they were serenading in such varied and funny voices (much like the talkative sheep). We saw a cormorant diving for food in the river. Our meal was good. We began with chips, olives, and crackers. We drank cider or fruit juice as we ate the chicken wings, potato salad, tabbouleh, carrot salad and sandwiches. Desmond had brought along baguettes from his favorite artisan bakery. One was a sesame bread and one a poppy seed. We had plenty of ham, pâté, onion jam, salami, Brittany butter, and Gouda cheese to stuff into the wonderful baguettes. We finished the meal with brownies. I'm so glad that I was able to enjoy the company of Muriel and Thierry again.