27. May, 2022

27. May, 2022

27. May, 2022

27. May, 2022

27. May, 2022

FRIDAY 27--5-22

We'd anticipated a rough night last night what with all the noisy Yoof having occupied three pitches opposite us yesterday. But I'll give them their due. They all went out early evening and we didn't hear them come back. When I got up during the night I could hear some of them talking but it was done quietly, so they didn't really cause anybody else problems.

I have to assume that the hours of silence on the campsite must end at 08:00, because at exactly that time the Yoof came to life very noisily, and they were joined by many other campers chatting among themselves. Within ten minutes it was like standing in a huge barn full of clucking chickens.

We didn't hurry to get out. It was one of those days when we didn't know what to wear. The weather forecast said the cool cloudy morning would give way to a bright sunny afternoon, only that's what it predicted yesterday and it was wrong. It looked as if it could go either way. Brighten up or light rain showers. In the end we settled for wearing our puffa jackets to keep the chilly breeze off, and if it rained we'd get a bit of protection.

It goes without saying that within an hour of our leaving, we had them tied around our waists. Today we were mopping up on what we didn't see yesterday. Basically it was the area beyond the dockyard, and then around the town.

We came across the marina complex which was quite extensive and rather nice. In one section a chap was building his own boat. He hadn't got very far, having just starting on the back end. It was made of thin marine plywood which he'd started filling and covering with fibreglass matting and resin. It's going to be an awfully long time before he's ready to put it in the water. But what does it matter? He's got his dreams, and we all need to have them, cos' like they say -  'If you don't have a dream, how ya gonna make ya dream come true?'

Then it was a look around the town. Before going down along the main streets we had lunch. Typically for us it was a filled baguette which we shared and a drink each. We didn't want to go mad because the Chef had her eye on a shop which did cakes and coffees. The guide book claiming they were the best in town.

We were now starting to get this town. It really is a poor man's Portsmouth. Very historical, and laid out in a grid system when it was built. Of course, everywhere looks better when the sun is shining, though perhaps Blackpool is the exception to the rule.

When we came across The Chef's preferred choice for a cake and coffee, located on the very attractive Corbert Place, things were a little disappointing. There were hardly any cakes left to choose from. In the end we walked out. We are finding on this trip that the guide books really do bum these places up beyond reality. It's very unfair as folk like ourselves buy them to get an accurate and honest picture of what they're really like. In the end we went just round the corner and enjoyed two delicious tarts and a small cup of coffee each for a tenner.

By now it was getting quite hot and so we decided to make our way back. The evening will be spent watching a few more episodes of 'Episodes' on DVD having enjoyed the Chef's fine dining experience for tonight.

Our inflatable air bags used to level the vehicle www.flat-jack.de continue to cause interest. Sadly they're German, but what can you do?

Tomorrow we head for La Rochelle. I think it will be challenging to get parked somewhere that we're happy with, but all we can do is try. At the moment it's all working against us what with it being kid's half term, the weekend, and low season for the French to take a holiday.