Day one on a new city break

 

It was another 4 am start for me, and a drive down to Leeds/ Bradford airport. No decent city break  (or holiday for that matter), is started without the glass of champagne or 2 usually at unsociable hours. Mine was at a more sociable 9am, but I had been trying to cough a lung up for half an hour like a Victorian heroine with consumption . 

After getting over that  I had a Greggs Latte which was no match for a glass of chilled champers, so off to the Cabin Bar I went.

Also did my fair share of people watching, as well as discovering things I didn't know were a 'thing'

1. Wearing rollers at the airport, yes really and one of the roller wearers was on my plane and still had them in at Beauvais

2 Silver cowboy boots, who knew???? who knew cowboy boots were still a thing. I saw 3 ladies wearing them and they weren't all with each other.

3 Quite a few young chaps who would have been trendy hipsters with their beards a couple of years , now sporting handlebar moustaches. As my lovely Mum would have said, 'what do they think they look like'!!

Onto the plane, and once again landed in a pretty shaky fashion, it seems to be happening a lot to me.

Out of the airport, and into  a taxi, yes a taxi, it was very new and had sliding door ( it was more of a people carrier than a car so had to be safe)  7 mins later I was outside my apartment in the lovely compact city of Beauvais.

After negotiating 2 flights of  typically French stairs, with my suitcase ( I know, I know, I'm only here for a long weekend , but I was  in the Brownies and the Girl Guides so 'be prepared' is still my motto), I was into my sanctuary for the weekend.

Oh my days!!!!! Beautiful wooden floors, huge windows, original mouldings, and a spa shower, I was over the moon. and then this...........................

I drew back the curtains and the comment of ' the apartment is  close to the Cathedral' really didn't prepare me for this!

So I decided to go  out and get my bearings and as it was Bastille Day I knew there would be something going on at the town hall.

Well yea, there was lots, the police, the fireman. the ambulance/ medics all on parade.a band playing and obviously no shops open, for little old me to get provisions.

I made my way to a pizza restaurant and ordered one to take away, whilst I was waiting I ordered a bottle of water and glass of rose (soaking up the holiday vibes and local chatter)

Then I had a brainwave, why not ask if I could have a bottle of wine and bottle of water to take away too.

€22 later I was on my way home a very happy bunny, despite them asking me if I was Russian, my first thought was those shot putters at the Olympics of my childhood. Diet when you get home Lainey for sure.

I always think of France as home of the hydrangea, and finding a huge display of Annabelles ( stunning hydrangeas in white)  near the cathedral made my day.

I  found a little gold disc with a salamander on, along the cobbles  on the Rue De Musee so I will be looking into this.

I am up  and about to head to the market, which a very nice young policeman told me is definitely on today, so food shopping sorted.

one more thing I learned  yesterday, as it gets to dusk, French birds get very vocal and by vocal I mean 'squeaky', strange squeaky calls, which stopped very suddenly ( even more freaky), and there are bats too!!!

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode.

Happy Saturday