Sunday 17th May - La Moselle, Nancy

There's not a lot to say about today.  This morning, after a wet night, we packed up, and left for our long drive home.  We've had such a wonderful time at Lauterbrunnen, we were a little sad to leave, but it will be nice to get home too. 

It's a long drive back to Calais, so we've scheduled a couple of stops.  The first was in France, at a little place called Liverdun, on the Moselle river.  It looked like a lovely little town, but we were only there for a night and didn't explore.

It was a lovely place,  a little dated perhaps, but really large pitches and very nice and peaceful.  We took a walk along the river.

Later, we found a Kebab House for our evening meal.  After the expense of Switzerland, it seemed amazingly cheap.  The food was good too. 

More driving tomorrow.  I've picked a place near to the beach and dunes in Belgium.  Fingers crossed, it looks good from Google Earth. 

Saturday 2nd May - Strasbourg, France

So we woke this morning, quite late but well refreshed in Camp Gritt, Ingledorf, Luxembourg.  After yesterday's heat, (I didn't mention how hot it got, did I?), it was nice and cool.  We didn't rush, and left the site at 11 o'clock.  Google said the drive to Strasbourg was about 3 1/2 hours, which would give us time to have a wander around the city once we got there.  With a mental check to drive on the right, we set off.

T'internet said that fuel was cheapest in Luxembourg and Austria and looking at the pump prices, we worked out diesel was £1.65 a litre, so Peter filled up.  To get to Strasbourg without having to use one of France's many toll roads meant we drove into Germany, which is where we had lunch, and then onward to Strasbourg.  Everything they say about European roads seems to be true.  They were distinctly empty in comparison to the UK, with hardly any litter.  Yesterday France and Belgium had been distinctly flat.  Today we were driving through hills and forests, it was really quite pleasant.

We got to the site about 4pm, quickly checked in, set up and then went out.  Strasbourg has it's own Notre Dame Cathedral and we wanted to see it.  We could've taken a tram but we chose to walk.  The cathedral works out about 40 mins from our City Kamp site, and there was plenty to see on the way. 

Strasbourg is a really lovely city, full of gorgeous historic buildings, quaint squares and cobbled alleys, the cathedral is magnificent and there is the river of course.

We decided it was France's answer to York, to the point where Peter said he expected to turn the corner and find The Shambles, and guess what.....

We almost sat down to eat in the city.  But after allocating us a table, the waiter didn't come back to give us a menu.  After 5 mins we decided we couldn't be bothered and set off back to the campsite where we ordered pizza instead.

Tomorrow we're off to the Black Forest.  A lot less driving for Peter, and a bit of what we love, walking, hills, forests and nature. Fingers crossed it goes as well as today. 

Day 14 - Saturday 4th Jan - Le Havre

Well this is a place we didn't expect to see, and since we've not been here before, it's quite a pleasant surprise.

Le Havre is a city, like any other city I suppose.  Good for shopping I think, but not a place for those of us like me n himself who like mountains, castles and roman ruins. 

We did however find a fantastic church in the centre of town.  I think it's called St Joseph's, but I haven't got the paperwork with me to check.  It's quite new, built in the 1940's and from the outside it doesn't look anything special, in fact you may think it stands out like a sore thumb. 

But looks can be deceiving.    Like the Auditorium we saw in Tenerife, the architect managed to design a building full of geometric shapes.  We were quite stunned by it.

From there we went to the Museum of Modern Art which contained loads of impressionist paintings.  Boudin, Monet, Matisse and a few others.  I discovered that I don't like Matisse but I really do like Monet (which is probably why I bought a poster print of one his paintings years ago.

I liked the art gallery and the way it was laid out, and I loved the fact that it was free, due to it being the first Saturday in the month.

Then we went to look at the Notre Dame Cathedral (not the famous one), but sadly it was closed.  To add to this, Peter was feeling a bit under the weather, so we decided it was time to hightail it back to the ship.

Once on board I was able to run a few errands and make sure all the passengers got their paintings and things back before they left the ship.  Tomorrow we all disembark and head for home, and in my case, work.  It's definitely been an eventful cruise, with some very high highs (at the top of the wave), all the way down to the stomach lurching lows.  I think I would need a few years to get over this one before I ever decided to do a Christmas Cruise to the Canaries again.

So, as I said, I'm off the ship tomorrow, but watch this space...........  I'll be back.   Very shortly as it happens.