Holiday Pics, Charentes-Maritimes July '11

[Jim]

Here's some holiday snaps

Marennes Cathedral, inside and the view from the spire, 228 steps and boy was I hot

The river Sudre, our cottage was in Nieulle-sur-sudre

The hire car, it always feels so strange driving a left hooker

The village high street

The harbour at Marennes

Fishermens huts and nets, they scoop the fish when the tide comes in, as thats when the fish come in to eat.

The light house at ST Dennis on the isle D'Oleron

The Bastille day Fete at our village.

An old walled village, hieroux-drakse

A sheer drop off the walls, no barrier or anything, talk about health & safety

Anyone identify this bush? Colleen can't and she knows most

That's it folks

 

[Leanne1]

Great pics Jim. Looks as if you had a great time. Are the people friendly?

 

[Jim]

Very friendly leanne, I suspect that's because where we stayed is not a tourist place

 

[Dietkitty]

Looks quite rural Jim. Is that the area you want to retire to?

 

[Jim]

No Lisa, we are looking at the Perpignan area, further south, having said that, Colleen has decided she really liked Malta, mainly I suspect because of the language, we both have basic French, Colleen a lot more than me, but Malta' official language is English, taht and having relatives over there are big plusses we feel

 

[Snakes and ladders]

Hey Jim,

It looks like a wonderful holiday! Where precisely is this village?

I think the bush might be a variety of sumac bush: File:Sumac bob 3568.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It produces a very sour fruit which is used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Be careful before consumption, though, as some kinds are poisonous.

Hope this helps!

SL x

 

[Jim]

Hi SL, couldn't find out much about the village, but here's the wiki link

Nieulle-sur-Seudre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jim]

OH, and I think you are spot on it looks like a sumac to me seeing that link, thanks

 

[ladyfelsham]

Lovely pics Jim - you look very relaxed And I love the car that Mickey and Minnie are in - looks like a Kharmann Ghia, my favourite classic car.

Think the idea of retiring to Malta sounds wonderful - great shopping, lovely scenery, pretty mild climate - and you can be in Sicily by hovercraft in three hours

 

[Quak]

Lovely photos Jim, looks very quiet apart from the fete day!

 

[Alpaca]

Such stunning photos Jim!! Thank you for posting them ... Haven't had a hol in years ... Feel like I need one now though! Lol

 

[Kat1e]

Fab pictures Jim - particularly like the harbour and boat ones
Xx

 

[Jim]

It is a lovely part of France, very rural,, big on shellfish which I enjoyed, the weather can be chancy though, it's on the Atlantic coast after all, we had a lovely sunny week, but the day we left it stormed all night and it was still raining when we left.

 

[roosnanny]

fab pictures Jim.
found the one with the ship hanging in the air in the church
interesting,
was there any particular reason for that. ?
and i think my mum has a plant like that in her garden,its
more like a tree,but very invasive.

 

[Jim]

Lainey,

The church has the remains of the local patron saint for seamen and fishermen love

 

[roosnanny]

oh i see,

 

[Jim]

LOL, I doubt if the remains of the Saint are actually real mind

 

[littlemisspiggy16]

Gorgeous photos Jim, looks lovely there! Got me pining for a holiday now, lol. Think I'm just going to have lots of short weekend breaks this year, as got loads of weddings and family / friends events to go to.

I love Malta! And yeah, it's good to be somewhere where they speak English - I am so lazy when it comes to languages, and have no natural ability.

 

[Jim]

Hi Emms, I agree love, it's so much easier to speak English, I'd be ashamed of that if I didn't speak fluent German and a teeny bit of Danish. Oh and I can swear in Gurkhali and Kiswahile, courtesy of an Army Childhood.

 

[littlemisspiggy16]

Haha, I've never heard of those two languages (that's how uneducated I am), love that you can swear in them!

I did do GCSE french and german at school, but sadly that was a long, long time ago so most of it's now left my brain :sigh: That's the problem when you don't use them....