Well we have been busy.......too busy to blog, sorry about that. We love getting all the messages (even the ones warning us of the rain that is waiting for us back home). We have met so many lovely people on our travels and we are not finished yet. We arrived this morning in KL.....but first let us catch up with what we did in London........and Paris!!
Marie has been very busy with her allotment and in the time we have been in London I can see the plants growing.....we headed to the allotment once more to plant some beans before we headed off to Paris!! Off we went in the morning......a bit of a drizzle for us while Marie planted and weeded. There is a picnic table there and of course Marie has brought coffee for us to have under the sun?? umbrella.......who cares if it was raining, it is beautiful at the allotment! So we sat and surveyed the 'estate' a while......corn is coming on nicely, tomatoes, courgettes are flowering, potatoes will be ready soon, raspberries are already being picked......yum, onions, leeks, mint, sage, rosemary and much more!!! They will be eating well from the fruits of their labour. By midday we were heading off into London where we had a quick look around Oxford Street for souvenirs before we headed to St Pancras Station to meet up with the Garman's. This is the first time for Phillip and I in Paris as a married couple......we were last there in 1981.......so long ago!! We enjoyed our trip on the Eurostar and arrived in Paris where we waited for 1/2 an hour for the Garman's to arrive.......seperate trains. We hoped on the Metro and off to our hotel where we were hoping to grab a drink before heading to bed.......too late, by the time we dropped off our bags the Pizza/Bar on the corner was closed, well.........it was after midnight by then.
The next day off we went to explore Paris. Maris has a wonderful book of walks around Paris and so we followed one of the walks. We started at the Musee Rodin and from there we traversed through Faubourg St Germain till we reached the Seine. On the way we passed historic houses and the old Hotel de Feuguiere which is now the home to the French Prime Minister, past the convent where Sister Catherine is said to have seen the Virgin Mary and many more!! Shopping along the way........of course!!! As we crossed the footbridge over the Seine towards the Louvre a woman tryed to scam Phillip by giving him a gold??? ring and saying it was his, Phill kept saying it was not his and tryed to give it back telling the woman to take it to the police station. We are not sure if she had a 'heavy' waiting nearby to then accuse him of taking the ring and then demanding money, or if she was just a distraction while someone else was to pick a pocket or two?? Anyway, Marie was onto this straight away and told Phillip to put the ring down and walk away, which is what he did..........we saw her try this with a few others also.........in every city huh?? Not to worry, it was a beautiful day and so we kept on, splitting up so we could each do our own thing for the afternoon. Phill and I wandered over to the Louvre to find it closed, not to worry, got a picture of the Pyramid and had lunch and a coffee before heading off around the streets taking in the sights and sounds of this wonderful city.......and doing a little shopping (as you do). We soon found out that Phill's phone wasnot working due to a flat battery and mine.........well, it was just not working!! Not to worry, we met John and Marie again in the park near the Louvre where Marie told us of an exhibition by a Korean photographer Ahae. An amazing collection of photos.......all taken from the same window in his house overlooking a dam. Photo's of deer, birds, trees.......oh so much and I cannot discribe just how wonderful each photo was........he is talented!! Nice dinner at the Pizza place along from the hotel........we were all walked out by the end of the day!!!
Next day it was time to put our bags in a locker at the train station and off to a wonderful breakfast at Cafe Nord ...... Croissant and jam, bread, orange juice and coffee........I do like their breakfast, not too good for the waistline though........oh well. Peter, Sandra, Phill and I went off to the Sacre Ceur, taking the funicular up. A wonderful view of Paris and once again a beautiful sunny day.......Ooops, maybe we are rubbing that in......sorry (but it was!!) Pee Wee enjoyed being in Paris once again.......it has been a long time for him also!! Lots of markets, shops........street artists...Aaah this is the life!!!! Phill and I left the Garman's there while we made our way back down towards the train station stopping a lovely Brasserie for lunch on the way. We had time for a few more shops before we headed to the train station to meet up with everyone. Peter and Sandra were on the following train once again and so off we went through security to our awaiting train..........but wait!! As we were sitting on the train and talking about having a drink of water........Phill realised that we were missing a bag!!! (sound familiar?).......yes, we had left one at security......train leaving in 5 minutes!! Before we could stop him, Phillip leapt from the train (yes, he did leap) and RAN up the stairs and along to security........some 500 metres away!! The station staff tell Phill he has 2 minutes to get back!!! We hear the announcement.........the doors of this train will be closing as we are leaving in 5 minutes. They close the doors early!! By this time we are wondering what to do........we have a flight the next day.....in the morning!! Marie has turned white as they say they are now closing the door......Phill bursts through the carriage door.....puffing away and covered in sweat.......bag held triumphantly in his hand, Whew that was close!! He tells us how they had told him to hurry (he did not need telling) and so he ran as fast as he could, thinking he was going to have a heart attack on the way back, poor lad! Phill earned a beer and as soon as they opened the bar John, Phill and I went off, leaving Marie to mind the bags with a promise that we would bring her back a coffee on our return........eventually!! This is the way to travel - no airports with 2-3 hours wasted ......straight from one city to another!!
We arrived at St Pancras at a busy time and squeezed- and I mean SQUEEZED onto a train, sardines packed into a tin. At least we left nobody on the station (that happened in Paris one day......Ooops, John and I caught the train and thought Marie and Phill had got on also.......they did but thought we had not........so they got off again!). Anyway, I digress......we made it 'home' where Phill and I had to start packing our bags....easier said than done!!
Meanwhile Marie was busy ing the kitchen whipping up a veritable feast!! We came downstairs to find the dinner table set so beautifully........candles and even sweet pea from the garden......along with food galore!! Oh, and lets not forget the Louis Chourey Champagne!! with Creme de Myrtille or if you preferred..cream du Famboises!! We enjoyed our meal and, of course, the company!! it is going to be so hard leaving tomorrow.......but don't worry..........we have a plan!! Pee Wee will return once again with us to New Zealand.........if they ever want to see there beloved Pee Wee again they will have to once again return to 'The Land of the Long White Cloud'.......our beloved Aotearoa!!