11 August 2008
Holiday snaps
Posted by Rob under: Family .
It’s been five days since we got back from holiday and I’m only just getting round to posting an update. Sorry - but you know how hard it is to come back to reality after a holiday!
Actually, we had intended to come back on Thursday, but in the end decided to come back on Wednesday evening instead, for two main reasons: firstly, thunderstorms were forecast for Thursday morning and we didn’t fancy packing down the tent in pouring rain, and secondly, we had some noisy people near us on the campsite who saw to it that we didn’t get a decent night’s sleep after Sunday, so we were ready to come home to our comfortable bed!
The weather was a little disappointing - there was only one day on which it was hot and sunny all day long. The rest of the time it was a mixture of rain, overcast, and sunny intervals. One morning we ended up sitting in the tent all morning and playing cards. Still, it didn’t spoil the holiday - we made the most of it by getting out and about as much as possible. We visited four châteaux - every one of them unique in its architecture, setting and history - and managed to eat out in a couple of nice restaurants. The châteaux were great - fascinating both inside and out, and I have to say that the French are very good at managing and presenting this kind of historical monument. I know very little about pre-Revolution French history, and visiting châteaux has definitely given me an appetite to learn more - to the extent that I even bought a copy of “L’Histoire de France pour les Nuls” (”French History for Dummies”)!
A few photos, just to prove that we really did go…. Here are Joyanne, Joseph and Bethany in front of the château at Chambord, which is impressive by its sheer size, and is also set in the largest enclosed estate in Europe (created for hunting purposes):
And here they are at Chenonceau on our final day. This was built by the King François I as a present for one of his mistresses. His wife later took over and considerably extended it. It’s probably the most fairy tale, picture-postcard of the Loire châteaux, and certainly was the busiest one we visited:
Just to prove that I was really there, here’s one of me undergoing great physical exertion so that my wife and children could take their ease as they enjoyed being rowed around Chenonceau in scorching heat:
And finally, no trip to the Loire would be complete without some of this:
Just about everywhere you go, there are vineyards. We did manage one brief visit to a “cave” or wine cellar, where we tasted some local wines and a bought a few bottles. (There are some things you just have to find a way of fitting in the car even if it is overloaded!)
I have to admit that it’s been hard focussing on work since we came back. Partly because it’s always hard after a holiday and when the kids are still on holiday, and partly because we still have more holiday activities to come. My Dad arrives in the morning for a week’s visit, and we’re all off to Paris at the weekend - he’s treating us all to a night in a hotel. Can’t wait - Paris is a great city, and though I’ve been plenty of times, it will be our first proper visit since we moved here. Then next week we’ll be off to Grapevine - just praying that the typical UK August Bank Holiday weather doesn’t apply! It was actually surprisingly good last year, but this year we have a sneaky feeling that wellies may be needed…
One Comment so far...
Davina Says:
15 August 2008 at 11:52 am.
Glad you had a good time away…
have a good time in Paris