May 30, 2009

Love Letters from a Desert Rat

LIz Mc Intyre , after her mother died, decided to get published the letters her father sent to her mother while he was engaged in the 8th Army - hence travelling all over North Africa, Sicily and Italy - during World War II. It is a very touching testimony of a soldier in all those countries in those days not visited very much. It contains a few family photos as well.
Edited by Liz Mc Intyre. The History Press.

May 29, 2009

Lille 3000

Back on the Eurostar. I'm staying a few days in Lille to visit friends and relatives. Lille is a University City, very vibrant. There is always something going on culture wise. Right now they have "Lille 3000" with exhibitions and events in deifferent part of the City and the nearby towns.
For more info see www.lille3000.com

Lille, rue Faidherb : Angels (1)




Lille, rue Faidherb : Angels (2)


Lille, rue Faidherb : Angels (3)


May 27, 2009

Down Memory Lane (1)

I lived in a flat above an optician - that's the white house & back then next door it used to be a carpenter work shop - for the last 3 years of my stay in Ashby. I was very pleased with it as it had central heating. The Optician was getting mad at me as when I turned up the heat and they were sweating in the shop :)

Flat Above The Optician

Down Memory Lane (2)

I lived in the Midlands - around Ashby De La Zouch, Leics - in the late 80's. I worked as a restaurant waiter for a few months at the Fallen Knight hotel and restaurant.

The Fallen Knight

May 24, 2009

Nottingham : New Old Market Square

They did up the Square a few years back, I mean at the beginning of this century... They created this rectangular running shallow water where people from all ages love to paddle through...

Nottingham, Old Market Square : paddle fontain

Bank Holiday Music Festival

For those from the Continent or indeed from any Continent : tomorrow, Monday 25th is a Bank Holiday in the U.K. In Nottingham they have music going on. On the Old Market Square they play rock. Main Stream. And in other places small bands are entertaining : Brass band, clarinetists, guitars... And aren't they lucky with the weather ? Who says England has an awful weather ? :)

Music on Old Market Square

Nottingham, Old Market Square (1)

Nottingham, Old Market Square (2)

Nottingham, off Park Row

Notingham, Queen St

May 23, 2009

View from the flat (1)



View from the flat (2)



View from the flat (3)



Nottingham !

Why Nottingham ? I actually lived in this area (around Ashby De La Zouch, Leics) from 1988 to 1992. Subsequently I still have quite a few friends from back then. I make a point on visiting them about once a year. I like Nottingham because it has quite a few nice old buildings and the City Center has a nice pedestrian area around the Old Market Square. And there is a art and essay cinema.
I have been renting the same flat for the 2d time. Very cosy.

Nottingham, off Old Market Square, High St

England

And I'm off again ! After a few days in Orléans I went on the Eurostar - stopping in Lille to have lunch with a friend - to London. I only spent one night there. I had diner with friends from Montpellier who were in the City too.

London, St Pancras Station

May 16, 2009

Week end in Antibes (Freedom Riviera)

Back in Montpellier I had lunch every day of the week with a different friend, I unpacked my big suitcase to pack a smaller one : I was off again to spend a week end with my friend P. in Antibes.

Antibes (1)

Antibes (2)

Antibes (3)

San Remo (1)

We had a day out in San Remo which is in Italy on the other side of the border. Its market had been recommended to us. We thought it wasn't spectacular but we did enjoy to visit this charming town. And of course we had some "gelatos" !

San Remo (2)

San Remo (3)

San Remo (4)

San Remo (5)

Staying a few days in Orléans

I didn't go back straight to Montpellier. I Stayed a few days in Orléans. On the Sunday we went to Sologne - south, famous for its woods, private castles and hunting - and after lunch had a stroll in the park of Cheverny. If you ever read Hergé's cartoons "Tintin" you'll recognize "Moulinsart"...

Cheverny (1)

Cheverny (2)