BACK IN GUEMENE 2018

Back in France for two weeks before returning to Australia.

 

 

Flower garden out front. Now at its peak.

APERETIFS

 

 

Maguy, a French neighbour had us round for aperetifs.

L to R: Sylvain, another French neighbour, Gerard, Maguy's husband, Cathy and M.

 



 

Me, given the job of Bar-B-Quer.

 

 

INTERNET

 

The internet still wasn't connected when we got back. It has been a total disaster this year. Last year we were on-line within a day of calling the English Language Hot Line.

 

The operator told me shortly before we left that Orange no longer supports line suspension (This regulation has been in place for a year apparently though from conversations with other users I have my doubts. Maybe the operators are on commission?). So I have arranged for the net to be on permanently for the coming year at 33 Euros a month. Now will have to look seriously at an alternative system for the future. Maybe those damned I-phone thingies!

 

DEPARTURE

 

We left Guemene on Sat 18th Aug about 11 am and set out for Paris. We were amazed at the amount of traffic on the roads.

 

Normally we travel on Sunday to catch a flight at about 10pm. This time we were flying Singapore Airlines which was due to fly out at 10am on Sunday so we booked in at the CDG Airport Ibis Hotel for Saturday night.

 

Don't know if the heavy traffic is caused by being in the middle of school holidays, it being a Saturday, or the mid week day holiday the French have just had.

 

All went well with the trip until we reached the Perephique (The outer ring road around Paris). 80km out our super-sophisticated fuel control system told us we had 180km worth of fuel left so, although we were about to enter the red zone on the fuel gauge, we thought we had plenty of fuel left to get us to the car check-in yard. Wrong!!

 

Stuck in heavy traffic on the ring road the emergency warning goes off "PING". There appears to be plenty of red zone to go and then I misread the sat-nav and wander off the beaten track. By the time we get back on the trail to the airport there is very little of the red zone left and we are beginning to panic. Do we get off the ring road and look for petrol, or not.? If so, where? We daren't fiddle with the sat-nav which can tell where the nearest servo is for fear of getting lost again  (not too confident of getting back to the direction screen). So now follows a very nervous spell as we watch the fuel gauge approach zero and only 10kms to go. Tempers begin to fray!! Visions of leaving the car on the side of the highway and setting off on foot to find fuel. Suddenly close to the airport VOILA! a service station. Great sigh of relief!

 

FLIGHT

 

The flight back to Australia went off reasonably well. We had three seats between the two of us on the 12 hour, cattle class, leg to Singapore but were severely confined on the 7 hour leg from Singapore to Sydney. The TV screen was excellent on the second leg with touch screen facility but on both legs the earphones which you stick in your ear were lousy. The sound wasn't clear (except, of course, for the ads!) and they kept falling out.

 

Anyway the food and service was excellent and we are grateful to SA for our safe return.

 

We were met by Andrew with his luxury Mercedes vehicle which he has acquired for his new career as an UBER driver.

 

He is very happy with the way things are going and it was great to catch up on the news during the hour or so trip back home.

 

TELCO'S

 

You wouldn't believe it! What is it with us and Telcos?!

 

The internet worked perfectly but the landline telephone was dead. Difficult to understand when they both use the same line. Never the less it was the case. Now I find, it is almost impossible to report a technical fault. The Telstra website is evasive. There is not an option -"phone is dead!"

 

Eventually after dozens of codes and numbers I get to talk to a real person on my mobile phone which is pretty remarkable in itself as the reception is so bad here.

 

A technician has just come and gone and all is now working. The problem was with a connection up the street which affected just us!! Riiight. At least there is no cost.



UK VISIT 2018

 

 

On Thursday July 26th 2018 we set off from Roscoff to Plymouth on the 6 hour crossing for a week in the UK via the Brittany Ferry's "ARMORIQUE".

  

 

Another perfect crossing. How lucky is that?!

 

Approaching Plymouth.

 

Sister ship "PONT AVEN" leaving Plymouth.

 

Aunty Joan, who will be 100 years old on December 21st, with sister, Sue, Sally and cousin Cathy. Very "with it". Just recarpeted and painted the house throughout!

 

but not so agile.

 

Lunch at Jennycliff overlooking Plymouth Hoe.

 

Lazer class sailing championship in progress in Plymouth harbour.

 

Tackling the hill in Kingsbridge.

 

Lunch at the "Miners Arms", Mithian, near St. Agnes, Cornwall.

 

Trevaunance Cove at high tide.

 

Paul emerging from water after an ocean swim.

 

The cove with tide on the way out. Plenty of summer tourists.

 

Gail and Paul walking Nessie.

The queen paid us a visit!

 

Cornish skyline with tin mine pumping stations. This is POLDARK country. The TV series was filmed all around here.



 

Heather growing on the cliff tops.

 

This modest house on the cliff tops near St Agnes Head cost a fortune to build. The land alone was very expensive, then there were costs incurred to avoid sink holes created by the ground subsiding due to the mines underneath.

 

Archie in there with his surf club training.

 

Gail, Cathy and Iona who twisted her ankle at a party the night before and needed crutches.

 

Good Cornish name!

 

 

Wheal Kitty workshops.

 

Beautiful kitchen installed at Paul and Gails. Now waiting for the builder to finish a job somewhere else and come to plaster these rooms, complete adjacent bedroom and ensuite. September probably.

 

PLYMOUTH

 

The Oggy Oggy shop in Plympton.

 

We took Aunty Joan to Buckfast Abbey about 25km from Plympton.

 

 

 

  

Buckfast abbey has been on this site for thousands of years but fell into disrepair and was rebuilt by the monks themselves starting around 1900 and finishing in 1932.

 

We had a great organ recital from this fellow who seemed to be composing as he went along.

 

Ornate carving.

 

Typical Devonshire lane and bridge.

 

 

This is Ken, Joans next door neighbour, who is 98, being encouraged by Sue to expand on one of his story's.

After getting home from an outing with Joan, Ken climbed over the low wall between the two houses, followed Joan in to her house and then turned to us and said "Thank you for coming and began to close the door in our faces"!

His most popular line was "I was sunk at Scapa Flow and went to the bottom of the ocean. I didn't like it one bit but ... I lived to tell the tale!!" Obviously prompted by some war time incident when he was in the Navy.

He's a bit of a worry for Joan although, as daughter Cathy said. "He's not your responsibility mum".

 

Just press the button! The suspense is killing us!

 

 

Heading out of Plymouth harbour on the Ferry for Roscoff we are again confronted by this desolate wharf. I keep meaning to write to Plymouth council but haven't got round to it. It's been like this for years so I doubt a letter from me would make any difference.

In the background is the former stone lighthouse rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe which was on Eddystone Reef about 5 miles out of Plymouth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Jennycliff rest area to the East of Plymouth harbour, where we had Fish and Chips.

  

 

 

 

 

 

"Look at me - look at me!" 

Riding the ferry wake.

 

The replacement Eddystone reef lighthouse, The last English land sighting as we head across the channel to France.

 

 

And away we go!

BREXIT.

After our trip around Ireland and the visit to the UK I haven't heard a convincing argument for Brexit yet.

I think it all boils down to language. Most of us are guilty of being lazy when it comes to learning another language, particularly in Europe where there are so many but the British are particularly bad. We have heard there are a lot of people who own properties near us in Guemene who have been there for 20 years or more and don't speak a word of French!
Most Dutch people can converse in several languages at the drop of a hat and English is generally understood by a large number of Europeans. After all there is no shame for them as English is derived from many European sources.

While there is a temptation to switch allegiance to the English speaking world I think it would be better to act as a doorway into Europe for those countries rather than abandon business ties which have taken years to establish.

Loosing identity is one reason for leaving.

Times have changed and many people on both sides of the channel are on mobile phones with instant translations now so national borders are becoming less and less relevant. Britain has always maintained control of its borders as it didn't subscribe to the Schengen agreement which allows the free flow of Europeans within the EU so you NEED a passport now to get in and out.

We needed passports to get into Ireland also so there must be a special agreement between Britain and Ireland at the moment. Once Brexit comes into play people in Ireland will be free to wander across the border into NI at will and thus enter the UK via the back door.

Britain is doing well commercially they say but how much of that is due to low cost labour from Europe which is going to disappear?

If they think Commonwealth countries will fill the breach that's most unlikely. The average Aussie is not much interested in going to work in Britain for low wages. Although there are close ties between the two countries the Ethnic change in Australia has been enormous in the 50 years we have lived there. Australians are far more worldly than they were back in the 1950's and 60's and Britain is not nearly so important to them as it once was.

I would think Britain would do better now to refuse to comply with EU regulations it seriously disagrees with and force the Union, ( who have the potential to out vote them 27 to 1), to expel them if they so wish. That way the onus is placed on the other members. I imagine they would be reluctant to do this since Britain provides a huge part of their budget.