FRANCE TO AUSTRALIA 2019

 

View from and showing part of the Ibis Hotel at Charles de Gaulle airport North of Paris. Reached after 7 hours taking in rest stops. Refurbished and very comfortable but noisy air conditioning.

 

Redundant Concorde parked nearby.

 

Inside terminal waiting for flight to Amsterdam.

 

First stop Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam less than an hour away. The, less than two hour, stop over came with the cheap flight!

 

Glimpse of Holland.

 

Next stop Guangzhou Airport, about 150 Km north of Hong Kong in China (11 hour flight). Very impressive high building but strangely empty. A very pleasant flight with good food, large video screen and, at last, a good sound system. Staff on Chinese Southern Airlines are thawing out.

 

We had a 14 hour stop over in Guangzhou so were given the use of a hotel room about 25 mins drive from the airport.

 

Very comfortable but with an interesting twist. There was a blind to pull down but you could sit on the loo and watch TV or be seen if you wanted to!

 

View from the window with roof top tennis court down below. Chinese, American and Eurozone flags flying.

 

The Hotel, The Crystal Orange.

 

Sculpture inside the lobby.

View from the front. Our shuttle bus needed to cross the three lane highway down below. There was a heavy stream of traffic and nobody had any intention of giving way. The driver just nudged his way while we cringed awaiting the impact!

 

Impressive arches along the way. taken from the bus.

 

ARRIVAL SYDNEY 8.25 AM TUESDAY 13 AUG 2019

 

We had planned to get on the train and use our rail passes to take us to Mulgrave station in Sydneys' West where we were to be picked up by Glenn.

 

Big surprise! Liz and Glenn were standing there as we emerged from customs so we had a much appreciated lift in comfort all the way home. Good job they were in our faces as any error and we would have missed them. We hadn't got round to making a phone connection at that time.

 

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

 

 

Magnolia bushes in bloom in next doors garden.

 

Kangaroo wondering what bit of our garden to eat next!

 

NEW WINDSOR BRIDGE

 

The much protested over bridge is advancing.

 

This is Bill Sneddon who has been heavily involved in the protest. I thought this guy is famous in a previous time and on checking with Google "Wasn't he a former Prime Minister?" There are many BS's on google and the one I thought he might be died about 20 years ago!

The protesters say and I agree the bridge will not do much to alleviate congestion and is a lost opportunity to remove a cutting through the heart of Windsor. A bypass and 4 lane bridge further along the river would have been a much better option.

 

Tulips are flourishing.

 

 

We had a lot of rain on September 17th.

 

Peach tree which grew from our compost is blossoming. Maybe some peaches this year.

 

BACK TO FRANCE 2019

24 Jul 2019

After an 8 hour overnight ferry ride aboard the "Armorique" from Plymouth to Roscoff we are back in Guemene. The trip normally takes 6 hours but at night they go slow either to conserve fuel or to arrive at a reasonable hour.

 

Soft piped music wakes you at 5 am so I get to see dawn on the top deck!

 

The building being restored at the bottom of the high street in Guemene. Looks to be nearing completion.

 

24 July 2019

 

The grass in the park opposite was cut today!!! First time since arrival 18 May

 

6 Aug 2019

 

 

 

Examples of large agricultural vehicles which pass our door.

 

 

Chipped away at some loose plaster and discovered dry rot in inner window frame and the ends of three beams. Next year!

 

ARTISTS DAY SATURDAY AUG 3

 

 

Subject of previous artist. The Grand Moulin (Big Mill) built in 1664 by English Protestants. The owner, Phillipe le Poher (The Eboniste), is talking with Artists organizer. The mill stream used to cross under the road about where they are standing.

 

Artists were stationed all over Guemene at this annual event. These pictures taken from the house. This guy is painting the River Scorff to his left.

 

ATTENTION TO THE RUIN

 

 

 

 

A low hanging branch from an oak tree was threatening the chimney stack.

 

The weapon, an electric chain saw.

 

Whoops! After much attention to method of attack the branch still managed to grab my chain saw. The hand saw wasn't much help so had to resort to hammer and chisel to free it. All while up in the air.

 

FACADE LIFT

 

 

Stone cleaning Artisan knocked on the door. Good sales pitch - no abrasive cleaning. Cathy remembers the same man from three years ago when we were not ready.

 

 

Before:

 

 

 

After: 1 1/4 hours and 300 Euros later we have a beautiful, moss free, façade to the house.

 

GUTTER

 

 

The gutter between houses two and three was still leaking last year and resulted in a lot of mould in the room below. With a hand grinder I removed about 60mm of sheet metal from the bottom of the roof to the right exposing the leaking area. Need to fix that now.

Footnote:

In between showers with a tube of bituminous mastic I managed to cover leaking area. Hopefully that will last until next year.

 

VIDE GRENIER (empty attic)

 

This event is held annually in the town. People come from far and wide to sit with their STUFF all day. There are bargains to be had.

 

 

 

Bill Rusin our Australian next door neighbour who has just arrived, walking with Mary Melody our Irish friend.

 

A break from the Vide Grenier behind a pub in the main Street.

We ended up buying 8 finger plates for doors. 4 ceramic with floral designs, 3 brass ones for internal and a wrought iron one for an external door.

 

Bill and Kerry Rusin in front of the Chateau in Pontivy.

 

Barcou (drinks) at our place, with the Melodys and the Rusins. Also another Mary, an Irish friend and fellow music 'examiner of examiners' of the Melodys. Apart from music she also teaches French at a school on the West coast of Ireland.

 

 

 

The "Cathedral" ceiling in the front of the house was completed and prime painted.

It's difficult to get an overall picture because of obstacles but here are a few taken during construction. 

 

 

New addition to the Nook. A two seater settee. Surplus to requirements from our Scottish friends but looks good here.