Normandy - 16 August

So here we are in rainy Normandy. Honfleur is lovely, but the weather isn't! We were both amused, and dismayed to see, in the usual tacky shops, tea towels and t-shirts very similar to those we have at home. You know the type - 4 squares with depressed sheep being rained on, with each one displaying the season "Spring in the Highlands/Scotland (delete as appropriate)", "Summer in the Highlands/Scotland" and so on - this time it being a depressed cow being rained on with text along the lines of "Spring in Normandy".... On the bright side, we had our first Moules et Frites, which Andy in particular had been hankering after, and happily they were as good as remembered.

On Monday - THE SUN SHINED!!!!!! After a wee reccie on Sunday, we went for a rycle (see previous blog for explanation if only joining now) throught the National Park. It does seem that the cycle paths in this part of the world are just roads though. Anyway, all started off well (if you can call a pretty steep hill right at the beginning well), then after a wee while we headed off road and down a forest path - great fun for Andy, but a lot of swearing from Chris who is trying not to use her rear brake too much due to a frayed cable and this was a STEEP downhill!. Bottom of path was reached without incident (apart from the swearing), but then there was a lot of guessing as to direction. After another climb (and more guessing) we found a look out point with a fairly unhelpful map (there aren't many helpful maps in this country, it would appear). Again we made a best guess, which luckily turned out to be the right one. So all in all, a good morning running/cycling (if a little tense when we might have been lost), particulary in nice weather.
We then went into Deauville, a town along the coast from Honfleur. Very nice town (photos will follow) but loads of money around - seriously big boats - most of which Andy would like to borrow for the Scottish Islands Peaks Race (!), and very expensive shops (which didn't need to be expensive), but amazing buildings. And again, the sun was shining so we were happy. On the way back, we stopped by a supermarket. Not normally worth a mention, but amazingly it stocked bike cables, so Chris can change her rear cable at some point to have less dodgy downhills, and the best plug adapter ever seen (our adapter-doubler does appear to have stayed at home - unless it is playing a VERY good game of hide and seek). It will change any plug to any socket - seriously clever, we are impressed! So a quick, cheap shop turned into a pretty expensive but very worthwhile shop. At some point, we will stop buying more stuff for our very small van.....

A few things we haven't mentioned - Chris' phone charger hasn't actually stayed at home, but was actually playing hide a seek - quite successfully to start, but was then sought. So she now has two. Better then none, really. Also, our cork screw split in two on the 2nd night in France. Really, of all the countries in the world to give up the ghost, this isn't the one! Then again, maybe it knew how much work was to come it's way over the next 3 months... :o) A replacement has been bought.