Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What I did on my holidays

Advice to holidaymakers: Do not go to Brittany out of season.

First Week

1. Stayed by the sea on a traffic island. We did have the beautiful view of the sea that was promised in the advertising pictures, only the owners had cutely forgotten to mention that the triangular apartment block had roads on all sides. Being at the point of the triangle, we had roads on two sides including right below our ground floor balcony. I wonder what the locals thought of my pyjamas.

2. Looked at the sea. There was a very cold wind so didn't go in. The heated outdoor pool was closed for two weeks' renovation.

3. Visited a Breton town on the only decent hot day when I might have gone in the sea. That was not my idea. I am now speaking to my Beloved again.

Second Week


We stayed in a farmhouse an hour's drive from anywhere interesting. It was a wonderful place with an old winding wooden staircase and a woodburning stove. There were horses and a lovely weimaraner dog to pet and chickens to watch. We had three days warm enough for us to swim in the outdoor pool and chat to the owners who live onsite. They were great people and we really enjoyed meeting them. If anyone fancies a country holiday in Brittany, have a look at the owner's website.

The local lake was shut for the season. Well, the lake was there but the boats weren't.

Not all the locals were friendly. We went into a bar to get a coffee and waited for the owner to appear. A couple of French people followed us in. When the owner appeared he asked "who was here first?" and when I said I was, he said "I shall serve you last." We left.

It took nearly an hour to get to Pont-Aven, which is a lovely town with a network of bridges over a river. It's full of art galleries and very pretty, so that was the highlight of our stay.



I didn't buy a clarinet. I did take it with me though and My Beloved and I had some good fun playing tunes together.

16 COMMENTS:

David F. Weisman said...

Well, I always figure any vacation where my wife and I don't kill each other is a good one!

Lulu LaBonne said...

That's a holiday like a curate's egg then!

Bevie said...

Oh, my. It doesn't sound like the holiday you were hoping for at all.

Not friendly is an understatement. I would have left, too. But then, it seems that was what the owner wanted anyway. He was very rude.

Whirlochre said...

Having done Brittany a few times out of season myself, I know it can be more hit-and-miss than Mike Tyson plucking his eyebrows.

Looks like you got to go to Pont Aven on a sunny enough day, however.

Sylvia said...

Oh my, that doesn't sound good!

Although at least holidays like that make for stories to tell. :)

Robin B. said...

The stories to tell part that Sylvia mentioned - there's always that!

The pictures are beautiful, but sounds like you just missed the parts you'd like best! I know what ya mean, though. My only trip to Portugal thus far was a few summers ago, in June, and it was too cold to enjoy being outside. It was 'almost' perfect. Except for the weather, so there ya go.


we had roads on two sides including right below our ground floor balcony. I wonder what the locals thought of my pyjamas...
Hope you gave 'em a show, girl!!

fairyhedgehog said...

David, if you set the bar low then you can't help but win!

Lulu, too right it was!

Bevie, I had a feeling this wasn't going to be our best holiday ever before we even started out.

Whirl, I wish I'd thought of that before we booked. Next year it will be different.

sylvia, you're right. The year we had moles under the tent and had to ask in French for help with jump leads was a very good year for stories.

Robin, I'm not sure that anyone would regard my rather sedate pyjamas as providing a "show"!

Kevin Musgrove said...

and you're not stressed out by high-powered holidaymaking...

Richard N said...

FH, I think it's safe to say the locals would prefer the sight of your pyjamas to mine...

But I'll spare you 'the image that cannot be unseen', even in the theatre of the mind! :-)

Sophie in the Moonlight said...

Glad to have you back.

fairyhedgehog said...

Kevin, it might not have been high-powered but it still had the power to stress me out!

Richard, too late! Aaggh!

Sophie, thank you!

Richard N said...

Pwnt!

Stacy said...

Hmmm. Some of this doesn't sound terribly relaxing, but it doesn't sound like a total wash, either. At any rate, you got some beautiful pics out of it! Can't wait to come to England someday to check out the countryside.

fairyhedgehog said...

stacy, it would be great to see you over here!

Lisa said...

what a lovely view. I'd love to walk across that bridge.

fairyhedgehog said...

Lisa, it was very pretty and I've never seen a bridge quite like it before.

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