Clapton has still got what it takes

Enjoyable weekend around Harewood in Warfedale where we went to see Eric in Concert. Stayed at a nice site for two nights (Maustin Park) where we could get back in, after being out late. There were many other campers doing the same thing - very handy for Harewood House events - and we even had a barbeque the first night. We visited the house and gardens in the afternoon and left the van on the car park hard standing instead of the festival field. Worked out very well as it had rained for a couple of hours earlier.

Excellent concert, if you like Clapton in his bluesy mood, but disappointed a lot of people expecting the more popular stuff. Eric does do what he likes these days - but then he is still a God. Impressed by the sound system and video screens (we were near the back) - how do they get those rock steady close ups with no obvious cameras?

Superb setting for a concert, down by the lake with the magnificent house up on the hill in the sunset. Even had red Kites circling over the crowd looking for scraps from the food tents. A memorable event. Got the program but not the T shirt!

The Sugar Babes are in concert there in August. Rosemary says - no way!

Clappy weekend

We are off to see Eric Clapton in concert, for the first time, at Harewood House near Leeds. Its Glastonbury weekend too so I expect it will pour with rain :-( . We get reduced price entry to the house and gardens too so it may keep Rosemary happy - not a great Clapton fan yet.

Abersoch jazz weekend.

We went to the jazz festival weekend in Abersoch to meet Libby and Jerry. The ladies had a 'retail therapy' weekend, while Jerry and I had a stroller ticket to wander around Abersoch to the various jazz venues. Good choice of styles and location, combined with excellent weather made for a very enjoyable weekend. We stopped at Porthmeirion on the way back, the village and gardens are on a private estate we had first visited on honeymoon 40 years ago. This time we could actually afford to eat there, so we went to the restaurant at Caste Druageth for a super lunch and afternoon tea and wandered around the village again. The place has hardly changed, much to our surprise and brought back happy memories ;-) We stayed overnight at a CL near Dollgellau, to break the journey home and also called to see the oldest iron bridge, at Ironbridge near Telford, as we were passing.

Back home again - reflections

Woke up to yet more rain in Calais before we caught the SeaFrance ferry back to Dover. Tedious journey home round the M25 and up the M1 in occasional heavy showers. Judging by the buckets we left outside in the garden its been pretty wet in Leicester too, so we have not missed anything.

We did have some good days I suppose but any pleasant evenings seemed to coincide with being on Aires or parking areas. That may explain why I did not have a single barbeque and we only ate outside the van on 2 or 3 occasions. Meteo France declared 'un mois de mai extrêmement chaotique' with record rainfall in parts of Normandie and Brittany - so it was rather a disappointing 3 weeks compared to previous years weather. It did prove one thing however, that the investment in a slightly bigger and more comfortable motor home was very worthwhile. Surprised to find that we covered 2080 miles in the 22 days trip.

Waiting for the Ferry home

After leaving Mike and Margaret, in the sun, we made our way back over the Pont de Normandie to Fecamp a busy resort/fishing harbour/town where we stayed on the smaller of the two Aires just behind the sea wall. Watched the local lads fishing, they actually caught a few, before having a nice evening meal at a fish restaraunt. Aire was free - the meal was expensive. As it was another nice sunny day on Thursday we wended our way slowly up the Alabaster coast, thru some lovely scenary and pretty harbours as far as Dieppe before a blast up the A16 to Calais. We had a call from Mark, just back from Florida, on the way to tell us about his MCSE course. Stopped at the Baie de la Somme service area (100% better than those in the UK) and had a coffee while feeding the huge carp in the terrace lake. Bought loads of wine and stuff in massive Carrefour to take home and spent the night on the usual Aire by the ferry port.

Meeting Mike and Margaret

We met Mike and Margaret, on their first motorhome venture to France, in Le Havre and took them to Honfleur for their first 'Aire' stopover. It was 5 o'clock when they arrived from Newhaven so we just had to time to settle in to two adjacent parking 'slots' and have a walk into town for a quick meal. Found a nice restaurant just off the harbor to introduce them to Galletes and Cider. Next day we went to Houlgate via Trouville (had a quick board walk) for a two night stay in a camping cheque site at La Vallee. Unfortunately all the rain in France had left many of the pitches too wet for motorhomes so we were allocated two near the entrance. It rained for most of the afternoon to make matters worst but we sat outside and had an evening meal and plenty of wine. The next day it rained most of the day, not a good introduction to the delights of camping in France, but we managed a rather cold walk into town to do a spot of shopping and ate in doors that evening. Wednesday started much better so off we went to see Pegasus Bridge museum and then on to Courseulless where Mike was planning to spend the night on an ACSI site nearby. Having set them on their way, with bit of last minute advice we 'bade farewell' and headed back north to meet our ferry at Calais.