Day 34 Limoges to Abbeville

After a quick breakfast in the hotel, we headed off for a long day on the road to Abbeville.

Driving through Rouen I tried to take a photo of the Cathedral but never really got a good shot.

We arrived at our B&B in Abbeville at 6pm. We seem to have the whole floor of the house, two double bedrooms, another with three single beds in plus a lounge and bathroom! It is very grand and the owner seems very nice.

After freshening up we intend going out to eat, but neither of us feel very hungry after 9 hours in the car.

 

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Day 33 All Change

Due to the problems with our car and having to get rid of the hire car we decided to alter our plans for the rest of the journey home. Instead of taking three days we have decided to take just two longer days.

First sight of our car for four weeks.

As soon as the Land Rover garage opened this morning we were able to pay the €431.99 :-/ and transfer all our luggage into it. Next is was off to the hire company to sort that out, the rescue insurance were paying €800 but we had to pay the rest, about €200, but the hire company did not want our money, so the rescue people in France will pay the excess and then charge it to Brittania Rescue, who will then charge it to us !!

Too close for comfort!

We stocked up with croissants and bread and set off North. As we did not have a reservation anywhere we just put Abbeville, where we are booked for the last night, into Tom Tom and have landed up in Limoges at the Premiere Classe. Booking in was fun as it is all automated from outside the building. It rejected two of Chris's credit cards but accepted mine!

A bright spot was seeing a Poivre Rouge Resturant about a hundred yards away, so that will be tonight's choice for dinner.

 

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Day 32 the Pyrenees

The mist and damp weather meant it was hard to see the mountains as we drove towards the Pyrenees. We needed something for breakfast and while driving through a small town saw a man carrying a loaf so we searched for the bread shop, which consisted of a small entrance to a wonderful display of cakes and breads. We the stopped and ate croissants and pastries in the car with a view of the mountains which were gradually coming out of the mist.

Chris decided we would go over the mountains which was quite spectacular, even the weather cheered up.

Lunch En route

Our hotel at Mont de Marsan was not open until 5.30pm so we had to waste some time in McDonalds using their WiFi.

We decided to try the Poivre Rouge for dinner.. It was excellent, we will look out for their resturants again.

 

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Day 31 Zuera

It was sad saying goodbye as we left San Javier, the cloud cover made for a misty start to our journey north.

Lining up some of the bags to take home, not including our suitcases!

Goodbye Brian, Pauline and Pat.

 

One of many castles we saw on the way north

Stopping for lunch

Hotel Galias, our stop for one night. Very "quaint" (OK run down) but the staff were friendly and the room is clean. There are large fish swimming in the swimming pool so do not think we'll be taking a dip!

 

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Day 30 cont.

What a great ending to our four weeks in San Javier. Pat made Spanish meatballs, and an egg starter, Pauline cooked pasta, everyone brought wine, while I set up our table, it is the largest table of the four houses. No one had enough chairs, crockery or cutlery so we all messed in to make it work.

Pat, Chris, Brian and Pauline

Lynn from around the corner came and the six of us had a wonderful meal, followed by a game of 65c cards. We had an ice cream break in the middle of the game.

Lynn, me and Pat (please note pasta in saucepan!)

 

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Day 30 RAIN

Today is our last full day in San Javier before we start heading North towards France tomorrow.

Pat Pauline and I went to a sort of charity car boot sale this morning where I bought six pairs of jeans (I have a project in mind ) for two Euros, that's about £1.50. I also lashed out and bought a lovely skirt for fifty cents, less than 50p.

Pat then took us to a Patchwork shop where a cushion caught me and Pauline's eye and the owner said she would email us a copy of the pattern.

The cushion Pauline and I admired

Pauline and Pat admiring the ironing board table.. Very neat.

 

After a quick lunch with Chris we took off to buy another suitcase, we have so much stuff to take home, it's a good job we are not flying!

Tonight Pat is cooking us Spanish meatballs and Pasta dinner, the torrential rain will mean eating in doors.

I was always taught at elocution lessons The Rain in Spain lies mostly on the Plain.. Wrong it is teeming down and everywhere is awash.

 

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Day 29 San Javier

After a visit to the San Javier market we visited the church in the main square.

It is a beautifully kept church with interesting statues and stain glass windows. A small museum holds relics and clothing including some bobbin lace.

At the beginning of the 17C San Javier was scarcely populated and threatened all the time by Berber Pirates who stole their crops and animals. Early in the 17C the local residents built a Hermitage to San Francisco Javier, a Saint associated with fevers and illnesses.

1699-1787 a new church was built on the same ground that still stands today. However during the Spanish Civil War the church was set on fire and lost many of its records and artworks. One local resident managed to rescue a large statue of our Saviour and hide it until after the unrest.

Pretty bobbin lace on the hem of a vestment.

 

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Day 28 Markets and Quiz Night

I still need the gifts for my granddaughters that I was hoping to get on one of the many markets, so off we set for yet another market.

Santiago de la Ribera market is in one very long street, by long I mean it feels like a mile long!, street. We started at one end and by the time we got to the other end I could hardly walk, my 'good' knee is driving me nuts, and we did not see one stall selling the items I wanted.

Chris was a real gentleman and left me on a street corner at the end of the market and went to collect the car and then pick me up (guess what I felt like? Even at 69 yrs old).

In the evening we went with our neighbours to the Camp Site for Quiz night. It was a great evening until I accidentally gave Pauline a soaking with a glass of apple juice I was drinking, sorry Pauline. As usual everyone won a prize our table had digestive biscuits, chocolate, jelly babies, chocolate digestives, etc.

While we were at the quiz the lightening and thunder were all around us but it did not rain.

I decided to update the software first thing in the morning on my iPad... What a mistake it took FOREVER!

 

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Day 27 Rosie and the pots

After the downpour on Tuesday the sun has come out again but the humidity has risen.
We decided to go to the market at Alcazares, only to find it not there, so tried San Javier but again no market. After being away from home for a month I guess we have got the days mixed up!

I have fallen in love with the pretty flowerpots and decided to buy a set to take home from a local store. My knee [the good one, not the new one] has been really playing me up so we call it a day and go back to the house.

Pat's cat Rosie decided she would like to try the pool and we found her sitting on one of the dividing lines between the paddling  pool and main pool looking like something from an Egyptian movie. she is such a friendly cat and treats everyones home as if it were her own.


After dinner at home we watched Pelham 123 a DVD Chris had bought at the charity shop, where they were selling them two for a euro. It was a great film full of suspense and drama.

Day 26 cont.

After a cooked breakfast we visited San Pedro market, where I managed to buy a handbag for €10 even though he wanted €20 for it! It was a very colourful market with just about every nationality there.

A few spots of rain and the traders started to pack up, so we headed off to do a little food shopping in Costco. Life then got exciting when the storm hit and the shop lights went out! The emergency lighting was very good and they were even prepared with a battery hand held machine for the credit card.

As we prepared to dash to the car a young lady shopper grabbed two plastic bags and proceeded to put them on her shoes as if it was an every day occurrence ( she is ahead of Chris wading through the stream of water).

The evening was spent at Route 66 Resturant with Pauline, Pat, Bridie, Amy and Brian to celebrate Chris's birthday. The meal was excellent.

Driving home the lightening was all around us, but no thunder or rain YET! When it rains around here the roads just flood as it is so torrential.

 

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Day 26 22nd September 1950

What a great day in 1950 when Chris was born and I got a great husband 21 years later.

Happy Birthday Chris. Even is Spain he had a number of cards and a phone call from our son and granddaughters.

 

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Day 25 Party in the Park

Yesterday afternoon we went to the Party in the Park, an event in aid of a local Cancer Charity. The tickets said 'gates open 3pm for a 3.30 start' we arrived at 3pm to find many of the tables with a little shade already taken. However we claimed table number 41 under enough shade for the six of us.

There were a number of acts performing on the stage, starting with Barrington who had a wonderful voice.

 

Bridie and Amy where soon up on the dance floor and Pauline and I (both with recent new knees!) sat and enjoyed looking at all the fashions and way people were wearing them!

 

All the acts were good and I especially liked the group of ladies (of a certain age) that did a number of tap dance performances, changing costumes each time.

 

The hog roast was served by table number which meant it was rather slow and we were near the end of the table numbers, but it was enjoyed by us all.

 

 

 

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