Center Parcs was great, various people had said it was great, and we now know they were definitely right! Action packed, with Zip Wires, Aerial Adventures (ask Pip!), Mini-Fencing, and of course loads of time going down the Rapids (Rabids!!) in the swimming pool. Really good to catch up with all the family, and never enough just chatting time, but a great three days to nearly finish our trip.
Yesterday we travelled an hour and forty minutes to a fantastic little camp site in Devon from Cairo's "Cool Camping Kids" book (I thought I had all their books already!!), with both Hymers parked up we had a great little camp with a beautiful sea view. Sergo set out a very impressive Badminton court (taped lines, proper net) and we played appalling badminton and used our Boules set for the first time on tour. Last night we had a blazing campfire (marshmallows), a fantastic risotto for the grown ups (thanks Sergio) and Carbonara for the kids (thanks Pip) and a really nice last night camping in Velma.
Back down to earth....Tom and I are sitting in Velma in a side street in Exeter waiting for Gin and the girls to come back from the shops where school shoes, skirts, trousers, etc., are being panic bought. We bailed after M&S which looked like it had been hit by a typhoon. Looking around the van thinking "all this has to be unpacked, cleaned up, etc.". After very nearly 6 weeks on the road it is going to be difficult getting "back to normal".
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Rainy Kent...
Just got off the Chunnel to the welcome of constant drizzle, Croatias heat and dust seems a very long way away :(. At least we get a pleasant "re-entry" with a few days at Center Parcs. Tonights luxury accommodation is to be Fleet Services!!
Spent the day visiting Gins great grandfathers grave in the Ypres Cemetary Extension and then on to Tyne Cot cemetary, the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery. Very moving and incredible to read the stories in the Visitor Centre at Tyne Cot. Also incredible how many cemetaries there are in the area and to think about the scale of the destruction and loss of life. Will leave it to Gin to put it more eruditely!!
Spent the day visiting Gins great grandfathers grave in the Ypres Cemetary Extension and then on to Tyne Cot cemetary, the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery. Very moving and incredible to read the stories in the Visitor Centre at Tyne Cot. Also incredible how many cemetaries there are in the area and to think about the scale of the destruction and loss of life. Will leave it to Gin to put it more eruditely!!
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Ypres, Rain, Mud and Pizza
The Menin Gate in Ypres is not the aloof, isolated memorial I expected. A road runs through it, leading to a street of shops and restaurants. Cars, buses and lorries drive along this road at a fair speed, people walk through, some shelter under it in the rain, waiting for their lift to arrive - it is part of everyday life. And every day at 8pm, since 2 July 1928*, a short and simple ceremony has been conducted under the arch - initiated and continued by the people of Ypres, to show their gratitude for those that gave their lives.
Today's ceremony went like this ....
At 7.50pm, three men in immaculate uniform including cap and white gloves and each carrying a highly-polished bugle, linger on the side of the bridge that crosses the river Yser, just short outside the Menin Gate. They chat quietly amongst themselves and two or three official looking folk greet them and shake their hands in welcome. There is a surprisingly large crowd gathered, given that is an unimportant Thursday evening in August - all ages including small children, young adults, middle-aged and the elderly, mobile and wheelchair bound, nearly filling the pavements underneath the arch. Just before 8pm the buglers move from the bridge to a discreet position inside the arch, on the pavement. The traffic is stopped on either side of the arch at 8pm and the crowd falls silent. The three buglers move in formation to the centre of the east entrance to the arch and without looking at each other they play in perfect unison - the familiar notes ring out, the acoustics of the arch amplifying the sound and giving it an unexpected richness of tone. At the end a two minute silence and then the Ode of Remembrance is recited. Two groups then lay wreaths - the first a number of men and women in every day clothes and the second a school party in uniform. The wreaths join 20 or 30 others left by organisations and individuals, all with handwritten messages.
The buglers play once more and then march back to their earlier waiting position under the arch. Although one feels like clapping to honour their skill it does not feel appropriate. The ceremony is finished and the burble of the crowd starts up again. As it dissipates, some are dabbing eyes, others are smiling and talking, by particular names poppies are pushed into the crack between each slab, and photographs are taken. The buglers talk to the officials and those that wish to offer thanks. After the crowd has wandered off, the buglers are still there and only when one or two stragglers remain do they leave.
Could witter on for ages but will finish on the walk back from our evening meal to the campsite - some 900m down a cobbled street before turning off on to a footpath through fields. Pitch dark and pouring rain that some of us are ill-equipped for. The footpath is full of ankle-deep puddles and pale mud, with the occasional stretch of duck boards to traverse the more boggy bits of the field. At one point we were single file through a small wood, with Chris and the torch at the front and me at the rear ..... the gap between the last child and I grew larger .... the dark and the rain and the mud and the location was more than a little unsettling and I hurried to catch up with the others.
One is never too sure how much the children have taken on board but no-one complained about being soggy when we got back to Velma.
Night ....
* during the German occupation in WWII, the ceremony was conducted at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.
For a good bit of background info read the Wikipedia entry on the Menin Gate.
Today's ceremony went like this ....
At 7.50pm, three men in immaculate uniform including cap and white gloves and each carrying a highly-polished bugle, linger on the side of the bridge that crosses the river Yser, just short outside the Menin Gate. They chat quietly amongst themselves and two or three official looking folk greet them and shake their hands in welcome. There is a surprisingly large crowd gathered, given that is an unimportant Thursday evening in August - all ages including small children, young adults, middle-aged and the elderly, mobile and wheelchair bound, nearly filling the pavements underneath the arch. Just before 8pm the buglers move from the bridge to a discreet position inside the arch, on the pavement. The traffic is stopped on either side of the arch at 8pm and the crowd falls silent. The three buglers move in formation to the centre of the east entrance to the arch and without looking at each other they play in perfect unison - the familiar notes ring out, the acoustics of the arch amplifying the sound and giving it an unexpected richness of tone. At the end a two minute silence and then the Ode of Remembrance is recited. Two groups then lay wreaths - the first a number of men and women in every day clothes and the second a school party in uniform. The wreaths join 20 or 30 others left by organisations and individuals, all with handwritten messages.
The buglers play once more and then march back to their earlier waiting position under the arch. Although one feels like clapping to honour their skill it does not feel appropriate. The ceremony is finished and the burble of the crowd starts up again. As it dissipates, some are dabbing eyes, others are smiling and talking, by particular names poppies are pushed into the crack between each slab, and photographs are taken. The buglers talk to the officials and those that wish to offer thanks. After the crowd has wandered off, the buglers are still there and only when one or two stragglers remain do they leave.
Could witter on for ages but will finish on the walk back from our evening meal to the campsite - some 900m down a cobbled street before turning off on to a footpath through fields. Pitch dark and pouring rain that some of us are ill-equipped for. The footpath is full of ankle-deep puddles and pale mud, with the occasional stretch of duck boards to traverse the more boggy bits of the field. At one point we were single file through a small wood, with Chris and the torch at the front and me at the rear ..... the gap between the last child and I grew larger .... the dark and the rain and the mud and the location was more than a little unsettling and I hurried to catch up with the others.
One is never too sure how much the children have taken on board but no-one complained about being soggy when we got back to Velma.
Night ....
* during the German occupation in WWII, the ceremony was conducted at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey.
For a good bit of background info read the Wikipedia entry on the Menin Gate.
Disneyland again :)
an exhausting three days at Disney was great fun. Really good to catch up with the Higsons, who we first visited Disney with in August 95, yes, before either family involved kids! All the kids and adults had a great time, and there was a whole new area open since we were there a month ago - Toy Story Playland, which was great.
We are now en route to Belgium, hoping to make it to the Menin Gate to here The Last Post at 2000 . Sat nav says we will make it with 30 mins to spare.
We are now en route to Belgium, hoping to make it to the Menin Gate to here The Last Post at 2000 . Sat nav says we will make it with 30 mins to spare.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
weekend in Beaune
A very nice weekend in Beaune. A great value Municipal Campsite, 5 mins cycle to cheap outdoor pool and 2 mins cycle to the 'Caves' where we picked up some nice local wine. The guy even drove me back to the camp as I couldn't balance 30 bottles on my bike :). Done all our washing as we will probably be on 'aires' between now and Center Parcs.
Thunder and lightning this evening so all packed up ready for early start to get to Disney by lunchtime tomorrow , much excitement about meeting up with the Higsons!
Thunder and lightning this evening so all packed up ready for early start to get to Disney by lunchtime tomorrow , much excitement about meeting up with the Higsons!
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Breakfast in Frejus, pre-Aqualand
Friday, 20 August 2010
not exactly Glamping!
so we got to this motorway Aire an hour ago, third night in a row of 'free' camping, although the 50+ euros of tolls today makes me think we are paying one way or another. Over two hours in traffic jams today, but just 10kms tomorrow then a weekend of walking, cycling and wine tasting in Beaune. No driving until Monday morning :)
Having said it is not Glamping it is not too bad. There is lots of shade, we are in a kind of pine woods area, there is a table for us to have breakfast on and loos . At the last one I got fresh baguettes in the morning so hopefully the same here.
Having said it is not Glamping it is not too bad. There is lots of shade, we are in a kind of pine woods area, there is a table for us to have breakfast on and loos . At the last one I got fresh baguettes in the morning so hopefully the same here.
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