Chapter 2: France

On Monday Sept 10, we took:
209 Bus Mortlake to Hammersmith
Tube to Baker St
Coach to Stanstead Airport
Ryan Air to Nantes
Airport Bus to Nantes Train Station,
Train to Challans, and finally
car to Baudy!
And here we are, in the cradle of my paternal family, the house my great-grandfather built in 1906.
It was the first time I had slept there since many happy childhood holidays, spent roaming country roads, daydreaming in fields of poppies and cornflowers, relishing my Pappy's cooking, milk, cream, butter and eggs from Ademe across the road. I even recalled the smell of Pappy's post-meal cigarillos...
This time Taty Janine, the last of Dad's generation, was our host. We ate her wonderful cooking in the same dining room, slept in a very antique bed in a room where generations have slept. A bit of gardening, more great meals, walks to the village of Apremont, to the cemetery to water flowers on family graves, then time to leave for our next destination!

London swings

Well here we are in London since last Thursday. Having had a wet and cold August, the Poms should be grateful we brought warmth and sunshine with us. Gorgeous days, walking the streets, meeting for the first time Josh and Adele's gorgeous baby daughter Eva, Richard's first grandchild. Eva is a great entry card to playgrounds like the Princess Diana Memorial Playground, near Kensington Palace. There we played in the sandpit surrounded by families of many nationalities enjoying the sunshine. Multi national food is being consumed too: italian panini in Soho, Indian in Sheen, Yum Cha in Queensway... not a Fish n Chip in sight, although we are meeting up for sausages n mash near Hyde Park Corner!