Heading home...

Today we have the day in Paris and flying out tonight to Hong Kong.  An overnight in Hong Kong and then home.

Its been a great trip but we will be happy to be home.

We went to the Moulin Rouge for dinner and show last night ... it was really excellent...Jen said it was one of the best shows she has ever seen so ... pretty impressed...

Now off to breakfast for our last taste of French bread.... mmmmm

Just before we left Annecy there happened to be a market day on so before checking out we took a stroll.  You would not believe the size of the cheeses, some as round as 2 feet across and some as high as a foot!  Wow, that is serious cheese!!!

The quality and presentation of food in France is very important and the French really know how to do it well.

This baguette (french stick) pictured here, we bought to feed the swans, but they really had to fight hard to get it from us!!!

 We picked up our car and headed for Lyon to see Sophie and Boris and their family of 3 little kids, so beautiful, stopped at the Col des Aravis on top of a hill to admire the famous Mt Blanc - the highest mountain in France which is the snow capped mountain and in the background

 On our travels through the mountains, we encountered a few waterfalls and this one was just stunning but the photos can't do things justice here.

 This chalet belongs to Claude and Laurence where the family gather every Christmas to ski the slopes - Tirren eat your heart out!  The family will often come here for a holiday throughout the year.

 Come is Sophie's eldest son 7 years old

 Augistin is the younger son 3 years

 and Iris is 4 years old - a really vibrant character, such a delight and so full of energy.  She loves her bike and goes everywhere with her helmet on even while travelling in the car.

 Augistin getting ready to go out

Iris on her beloved bike

 Isn't she just the cuttest little girl.....

 Come does Karate

 And so he was showing me how to do it... I think I was shown up by a 7 year old...

 This is Laurence.....she is an absolutely wonderful host and a one of the greatest cooks you could encounter

 Here is Claude, he doesn't speak English but I always apologise for not speaking French and he laughs.....  Funnily enough, I can usually follow the conversation and get in my odd word here and there, not really up to sentences much yet, but will have to improve..

 This is their house and they have a beautiful garden here and another near building that they own, where Laurence grows her own vegetables and fruits and yummy berries.  It makes me want to go home and grow it all.

There is something very special about fresh produce.  Laurence even makes her own jam from the berries in her garden and she constantly has fresh flowers everywhere in her house, so very lovely..

 Prevot is their surname and this is the plaque on their fence to the driveway

 Their vineyards are only a short walk from the house..

 The church on this hill is just around the corner ....

 and their house is behind this view.

We strolled through the vineyards yesterday and I sampled some of the grapes as they are not for eating just making champagne but still very tasty.

There are various rules and regulations regarding growing the grapes and producing the champagne - rather complicated but very interesting.

We are heading for Paris tomorrow morning, thank goodness, as if we stayed here too long, we may become the size of a house.... too late!!!!

Stay tuned.  Love to all. xxxxx

Annacy - France

Here we are in Annecy - France - on a very good recommendation - thanks Nancy and John & Mike!
WOW! What a pretty little medieval town this is.

I think this is my favourite place along with Titesee in Germany.
This is the Palace de l'Isle which was built in parts from 12-16th centuries.

 There is a bridge just in front of the palace and this is the view from the other side of the canal

 It has quaint little corridors between the streets which aren't very wide

 They are narrow too and have lovely little shops of all kinds everywhere..

 The palace in day time is just as beautiful as it is at night. Our room overlooks this from the side - we showed you from the last blog our room which is just to the left of the person in red.

 The park which is next to the lake is a mere 5 minutes walk - including peak hour traffic!

 In the lake there are various boats of all kinds, fishing boats, touring boats, paddle boats & motor boats for hire...  I just love this one, this owner must be french as they are very decorative with everything, obviously even their boats - I just love the plants..

 This owner however couldn't care less as this boat is full of water, and the water on the lake is so clear you can see to the bottom, so we saw moss on his propellor... Says something doesn't it??  I don't think we will hire this one.

There are various ducks, birds and swans on the lake and the swans were a gift to Annecy (from the people of Geneva) centuries ago.

Bob is standing on what is called 'lovers bridge' which connects the two pieces of land where the lake curves around - very petty, lined with boats as you can see.

 The shops are quaint & very decorative and this one just happened to be a chocolatier shop - Are you seeing ghosts????, well don't worry, they are only made of chocolate - very clever aren't they.  If I had anything to do with it, they would disappear more quickly than you would think!!

 This is a salad selection of all sorts - again, beautifully displayed.

 And of course, who can't resist the patisseries??? Devine aren't they.

Kal, wouldn't you love to work here?

I would love it if you worked here...but just as well you don't!

 The arches around the town add character to the place and each shop is just small but very appealing.

 The Castle just happens to be about a block from our hotel and we toured the castle today, so pretty.  It was interesting trying to picture living here in days gone by and some of the views from inside are just stunning.

 This is an old oven - I think it resembles our pizza ovens today, amazing how little has changed in quite a number of centuries.

The castle is a museum and a tribute to the fishermen of the township. We saw all sorts of primitive tools here but in a lot of ways, not a lot has changed with some things.

 The court yard of the castle ..

 And the view from the top. It has a nice garden overlooking the township and the mountains in the back ground and so we sat there for a short while enjoying the view and the tranquility.

 The stone wall that surrounds the castle is nearly 2 feet wide.. I wonder how they managed to build this back centuries ago.  We are very spoilt with our technology and machinery today but back then it was a lot of back breaking, hard work by hand.  People are amazing, aren't they?

 We were sitting inside the castle admiring the view picturing ourselves living there, what a lovely feeling.  The fireplaces are stunning and would have obviously been very useful as it would have been very cold and draughty at times, especially in winter.

 This wooden sculpture dates back to about 1400 BC... Amazing workmanship.

 Same with this one - just stunning work.

 We sat just outside the Palace de l'Isle and had lunch, the water is right next to us and Bob was taking it easy enjoying the view and feeding the sparrows and pigeons that collected at our feet.

 Of course, as usual the 'food' pictures always have me in them!!!!! I think I will have to sack the photographer!!!

Here we had vegetable soup and a cheese sandwich.

The french bread is really to die for, so crusty and so soft inside - just fantastic.  I wish our bread was as good.  Our french sticks are nothing like these.
It does however take you about 1/2 hour to eat as it is so crusty, but so very yummy.

 I just love this little green place, decorated with flower boxes on every window.  Plants are so lush and nearly everywhere you look you can see flowers. Things here grow surprising well in the cold.

 See what I mean?  Pretty isn't it?

 Flowers again - this is a view overlooking the lake.

 More of the lake.

We were planning to go for a boat cruise on the lake, but as we passed all these boats on the shore, noticed that they had paddle boats for hire, so we hired one for an hour and paddled our own way around the lake - very relaxing and enjoying the sunshine as it is a little cool here.

 The park which surrounds the lake is so stunningly beautiful.  The schools have rowing for the kids here on the lake and some other school kids were running the circuit.  Isn't this a great idea, instead of having them stuck inside or behind a computer - out getting some fresh air and staying healthy.  I was very impressed.

 We had a lot of fun as you can see by Bob's face and we just sat out in the lake for a while taking in the view from the lake with all the boats on the shore and the little island in the middle where we directed our travels to.

 I think this swan was looking for a handout but unfortunately we didn't have anything to give it, but regardless, it circled out boat about 5-6 times before paddling off in disgust!  Sorry Swan, next time we will be more prepared!

See how clear the water is?  You can see right to the bottom and it isn't all that deep, about 6 feet or so until you get out in the middle where it is a lot deeper.

 Whilst enjoying the sunshine and taking in as much tranquility as we could, Bob had a rest... Doing it tough.

 This is the sort of paddle boat we hired, except we only had 2 seats in ours

 The swan must be used to people as when we put our hands out, it came within inches.  They are such beautiful creatures.

 Here is a view of the castle which towers the town.  Our hotel (which Bob booked blindly) is only a block from the castle and right next door to the Palace) so walking isn't a problem in the old part of town. It couldn't be any better if we tried to find somewhere else.

I got booked for Jay walking and they threw me in prison!!!

I really don't think it could have been too bad if you only get bread and water as mentioned before, the bread is to die for..

Lucky Bob came to my rescue...Thanks Bob, you're my hero!!

 Our hotel must have been a series of individual buildings and it is up and down all over the place.  When we first arrived we got out of the lift and had a funny time finding our room as we are 201 and all the numbers in the corridor are 21.22.23, 24 etc but at the end of the corridor is 201??? Go figure!!

To get to our room we turn right out of the lift, then right again, up 2 steps, along a corridor, up 2 steps again, down 3 steps, down another 1 and yet another one (which Bob said had stars on the roof - but I think it was just when he bumped his head on the roof as it is rather short - I, having 'ducks' disease' never have this problem!, along the corridor again, down 2 more steps, turn left and there we are - our room.

It is like a rabbit warren!!!

 The views at night are so breathtakingly beautiful that they are just like a painting when photographed. This little waterfall in the canal adds to the beauty of the place and the lights reflecting on the water make it even more beautiful, if that is possible.

This is a 30 second stroll from our hotel - if we take our time... stunning isn't it?

 These wheels of cheese are about 2 feet across and about 4 inches thick and covered in a very unappealing thick coating of mould but funnily enough tastes great - the cheese that is.  The picture doesn't do it any justice - come to think of it, neither does the mould!

 It was a full moon on the way home tonight so just couldn't resist this photo.

I think that Annecy is just as pretty as Titesee in Germany - my two most favourite places in the world.  Who wouldn't want come here?

Stay tuned.  We are off to see Sophie and Boris tomorrow in Lyon.

Love to everyone  xxxxx