27 April

Today I slept in a little after all the organising of files last night, so got up at 7:40 and was ready for breakfast at 8. The other two ladies were just ahead of me.
When we sat down I gave them a pin each and one to mine hostess. Then, while having breakfast, we discussed where I would be today and how I would go to Spain. I asked about accommodation - are there B&B-type places and my teacher colleague said no – only hotels! We then discussed a little of where the mother and daughter had been in Australia and where they were going on their next trip there. Eventually we all left the table and said our goodbyes. They left very quickly and were off to Arras next week to visit her brother.
I decided to head up the coast and have a look at La Rochelle and then the coast south from there, as far as Bordeaux if time permitted. I left not too long after and set sights for Rochefort and La Rochelle.
Along the way, just outside a small town (Rouillac) I saw the sight typical of this area of France, so I stopped and took some photos there. Then it was into Rochefort, a very quick look around and then to La Rochelle. The Visitor Information Centre was hiding behind works, so I continued on and parked across the river. Here I saw two interesting things – a set of electric cars being charged and an electric water-taxi, which you could hail electronically. Walking along there were two ships moored, forming a Museum, so I went in to have a look.
The smaller one was a trawler, so You could see how the crew lived (good if you were the captain, lousy if you were just a crewman), where they worked and how the boat worked. Very interesting and great for children or anyone unfamiliar with sea-going vessels. The holds were partitioned for different fish.
The larger one was a meteorological vessel. It was designed to go on station quickly, remain there and stable for a long time and then return quickly to port. It had diesel motors driving generators, which then drove electric motors for propulsion and supplied power to the technical areas. The accommodation on this was far superior to the trawler, but the men had four to a cabin and shared facilities. Still, there were about five kitchen staff plus mess-hands, so they were well looked after.
The rain returned as I walked back to the car, so I took the chance to call in, upload my photos and blog, have some lunch and send emails. I must be getting better because the counter staff didn’t laugh this time.
The rain was easing off as I left, so I went out to the Ile D’Oleron and saw some beautiful beaches there. The tidal range must be great as the beaches extended quite a way and the moorings in the marina looked to go up nearly three metres. Here the sun was shining and everyone was either out for a walk (adults and young children) or playing (older children and teenagers). Here I also saw another disappointment – a Surf Club, labelled as such, with a Chuppa-Chup dispenser out the front. I could have been at a beach in Australia! Getting to the island and back was via a good bridge which looked to have replaced a very old and decrepit causeway.
I set course to Chez Jambon via Bordeaux, but because I had told it not to use any motorways, as soon as I got within twenty kilometres of Bordeaux, I was turned around and directed back to my lodgings. I had just gone past a police radar trap in a small town and wondered wy it was set up, but the traffic density the other was suddenly increased. There had been a fair in the next town and there were cars everywhere. A little child walking along had an umbrella that looked different, and for a moment I couldn’t work out why – then I realised; it had ears! On the front it had a mouse face. At this time it didn’t matter, because I was getting tired anyway. I arrived back just after 7:30, transferred and processed the photos and then wrote this up. After that, it was to bed as I wanted to be packed to leave straight after breakfast. I plan to go to Bordeaux, then inland and find a place for two or three nights in the south of France. That way I will then take two days to drive down to southern Spain, where I will meet up with a cousin-in-law. I have to find out what accommodation options are in Spain, but may end up taking the easy way while travelling down (BUT NOT the Formule1 route, unless there is NO OTHER OPTION) by staying at a chain hotel or motel.



There are a few observations from today.
One is that most shops in smaller areas are closed on Sundays – some supermarkets are open Sunday morning, but don’t count on getting vital supplies. But the supermarkets! Brands include: E LeClerc, ATAC, Casino, Lidl, Aldi, SuperU (and HyperU), EcoMarche, Leader Price, InterMarche, Champion, Carrefours, Shopi and Mr Bricolage – more than you can point a stick at, and it looks like real competition. Oh we had such competition in Australia!
A second is the number of walls I went past which were from old estates, but now either in disrepair or just not used. Occasionally there were gates, some of which were locked, some falling (or fallen) down) and the odd one leading to a chateau seeming totally out of place with farms or a village all around it, and only a drive to show some of the old grandeur.
A third is construction. Most of the houses are made of concrete bricks, the size of our breeze blocks. The corners have a veneer of limestone which gives the impression that the corners are limestone blocks piled up (but they aren’t). These stand a few inches proud of the brickwork, which is then rendered with a mortar, filling the brickwork to within half an inch or so of the corner brickwork. It makes them look more like the older (either mud and wood or stone and mortar) buildings. Otherwise, barns or old houses have been gutted and provide the exterior, but the new house is constructed inside – it looks as old as the barn or house is, but is totally modern inside.

I was asked what had been my most memorable time so far while away. I’ll take a little time to answer (and if the family who asked read this, they’ll get a little more insight).

The friendliness of most people has been the overwhelming feature. I could single out particular individuals, but that may be difficult, so I’ll take one day with typical instances.
The day was at Tallahassee. In the morning I was at some caves. I chatted away with a State Park policeman, who gave me some insights into how the systems work in Florida (and I presume the other states). Then I did the cave tour with a school group, and chatted to the teachers and some of the children. In the afternoon I spoke with a volunteer at the Florida Museum in Tallahassee about typical foods and eating habits in Australia (she couldn’t believe them and I will email her recipes once I am home). Then I went to order a (real) sandwich at the cafeteria and the assistant couldn’t understand me, and a woman (whose husband was an ex-navy SEAL) helped me out and I ended up talking with the family (and visited their museum later). Not long after I went up to the top of the state building after a good chat with the police on duty there and was able to just wander around and take photos.
As far as sights go, Bryce Canyon is still at the top. Carlsbad Cavern is breathtaking, the Grand Canyon is awe-inspiring (at both ends and from the air), the Rockies are so “so” and the French countryside is so lush. For man-made structures, Amiens cathedral tops the list. For personal things, finding out and then seeing where my grandfather won his medal tops the lot.