Loire and Brittany

Earlier in the year, we visited France. We went to the Lorie Valley, Guerande, Brittany and Normandy, all very pretty! We first camped on the Cher, a tributary of the Loire, at Chenonceaux near Tours. We then spent a couple of days in the Guerande region, and then a week in Concarneau on the Breton coast. Then a quick visit to Normandy and then home. The wine tastings were among our favourites, but we actually loved everything about it, and can't wait to go back someday.

Best start early: French aperitifs on the boat from Portsmouth

Needed fortification for the windy crossing

No decision is easy

Our first glimpse of Mont Saint-Michel

The coast reminded us of Ireland

First treats on firm ground

Little Alfa mingling with the locals

Chenonceau-Palace close to our camp site 

Alex Salmond fly-by

With classical music playing in the gardens, this is quite en experience

First galettes - nothing wrong with pancakes for lunch

Sunset a la PJs

Kelsey's favourite part of the palace was the kitchen

But the gardens were also alright, once the stomach was taken care of

Last shot before the rain

This is the actual Loire, with Amboise in the background

Finger food in Amboise

Young lady with roses

Middle-aged man with sunburn 

Treats at Clisson, a lovely village which hosted the metal festival Hell Fest during our visit

Our next camp site, by a lake

We missed our sailboat

Sailing made good

'Our' beach at Concarneau

French pensioners around us could not believe we were old enough to be married.

Kelsey's favourite place, the farmers' market

Richard's favourite drink, Breton cidre

Richard at his grumpy best

Bucolic scene

Did I say 'grumpy best'?

More beach

Narrow streets of Mont Saint-Michel

The twelve stars have a different place here

Mt. S-M dwarfed

And again

Time to sail home.

Amsterdam

After seeing meeting with my parents in Freiburg (previous post) we met them the following weekend in Amsterdam. The weather was gorgeous and the flowers were in bloom, which was a very different experience compared to the last time I visited in February 2012 when it was rainy and freezing cold. I guess most trips are better when the weather cooperates.

On one of the days we took the train to Haarlem, rented bikes and cycled to Zandvoort, a coastal town on the North Sea. The last day we met with our friends Joost and Karen (who we met in Nashville) and their little daughter Hannah. We also saw our friend Lex but don't have any photos with him. (thanks, Lex, for the drive to the airport!)

Canal near our hotel in the Jordaan district

Zandvoort

Cycle path in Zandvoort

Cathedral square in Haarlem

Canal tour

Ribs at De Klos

Clever window display

Cafe with Hannah, Joost, Karen and Karen's father

Freiburg

We went to Freiburg in May to meet with my parents who had just finished a boat/barge trip from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf. This was the first time that my parents had met Richard's parents, so it was a very important family gathering!

Despite the language barrier between my parents and Richard's, Sofie, Richard and I helped to translate and after a while it started to feel like just a natural conversation. Just as when you're watching a foreign film with translated subtitles, after ten minutes you forget that you're reading and just get into the movie--- that's the way the conversations worked, at first a bit fragmented but after a little while it felt very natural.

First meal together at Richard's parents place

The parents

Taking the gondola up the Shauinsland in the Black Forest 

Mom and Dad enjoying the view

Flower market at the Freiburger Muensterplatz 

It was spargel (asparagus) season while we were visiting.
The best way to eat it is steamed with some hollandais sauce!

Meal at Martinsbraeu

Pretzels and beer at the Schlossberg beer garden