La Douce Provence

Sep 04, 10 La Douce Provence

Posted by in Cornwall & Provence 2010, Travel

Well here we are again in the Provence. We were here 3 years ago a little further south in Isle sur la Sorgue. This time we’re in a place called Valreas, quite near to Orange … of William of Orange fame … so a nice Dutch connection there. Our Gite is absolutely gorgeous set among the vineyards, olive trees and...

read more

Onward to the Provence …

Sep 03, 10

Today we left our Cornish chalet a day early so that we can travel on to “La Belle Provence” from Southampton airport tomorrow. Again our trusty guide Jane directed us unerringly the 192 miles to our overnight hotel. However not before I put in a slight diversion to Charmouth beach on the Dorset coast when I realised we...

read more

Clay Mining

Sep 02, 10 Clay Mining

Posted by in Cornwall & Provence 2010, Travel

Cornwall, in addition to its seafaring culture, is well known as a centre for mining tin and clay. Whilst the tin mining industry has all but disappeared china clay mining is thriving. Close to the site of the Eden Project, itself built inside a disused clay pit, is Wheal Martyn, a museum located on the site of two old china clay...

read more

As far as you can go

Sep 01, 10

Today we motored on down to St Ives and then on to Lands End. St Ives is another picturesque Cornish fishing village. However it’s also been an artists hub for a long time and is the location for Tate St Ives. This was our main motivation for going there and being the ‘cultural barbarian’ that I am I’ll let...

read more

Eden reclaimed

Aug 31, 10 Eden reclaimed

Posted by in Cornwall & Provence 2010, Travel

Today we visited the impressive ‘Eden Project’. A trip Annelies has been positively salivating over since we planned our trip to Cornwall, and it didn’t dissapoint. Over to Annelies ….. “At first site Eden looks like an amazing futuristic scene with its big bubble-like biomes nestled into the valley...

read more

Childhood revisited

Aug 30, 10

Today we drove to Polperro … a place I last visited on a family holiday when I was about 5 … 36 years ago … I can’t believe I’m that old !!!! Polperro is a delightful quaint Cornish fishing village crammed into a rocky valley that leads down to the sea. Like so many other Cornish fishing villages...

read more

Padstow

Aug 29, 10

Padstow … or the village owned and run by Rick Stein the celebrity sea food chef … or so you’d think when you visit it. Seriously though Padstow is beautiful and was well worth a visit in its own right. However it’s been firmly put on the map by Rick Stein. He owns a cafe, a restaurant, a brasserie, a...

read more

Cornish Delight

Aug 28, 10

Well we’ve arrived in lovely Cornwall. We flew to Exeter and hired a car for the week. Our holiday home is just outside Newquay it’s nice … but a little musty … part of the charm I suppose … ahem! 😀 We’ve bought a TomTom GPS navigator especially for our Cornish/Provence “foray” and I have to say...

read more

Haiku Holland

Jun 21, 10 Haiku Holland

Posted by in Holland, Travel

Not our usual holiday blog but whilst in Holland Annelies has been inspired to write some Haiku poetry… White wool fluffs the fields Peacefully they stand and dream Beneath clouded skies ~~ Black and white on green Shades of blue, grey, white above Holland’s colour scheme Tall and proud they stand Flanking quiet waterways...

read more

Gadget Utopia !

May 28, 10 Gadget Utopia !

Posted by in General Tech Stuff, Tech Stuff

It’s here … !!!! A couple of weeks ago I put my name down on a short list at our local Apple store for a 64GB wi-fi iPad, Its the UK launch day and I’ve been allocated one .…… wooo hoo! 😀 It is VERY impressive and causing quite a stir, I had no less than 5 people surrounding me in the office just opening the box...

read more