Merry-Go-Rounds

#carousels#merry-go-rounds

Life sometimes can feel like you are going round and round just as if you are riding one of these beautiful "Carousels"!

In many countries in Europe, these are permanent fixtures found in town squares where children can enjoy a ride for very little money.

And, actually as an adult you can also ride and recapture some of your youth.

We don't see these very much in our part of the world, unless it is the visiting midway entrepreneurs at the Fall Fairs. 

I have never seen any as beautiful and detailed as the one in Cahors, France all decked out in gorgeous blues.

Cahors

Sarlat

A double decker carousel ... I am not sure where this was... it could be in Avignon, Carcassonne or even somewhere in Italy!

Even here on a rainy day in April the carousel was operating protected by plastic covers...

This year on our adventure I will be on the look out for these magnificent, playful structures in both France and Spain.

Will I go round and round?

Costa Brava Bound!

#Tossa de Mar#Costa Brava#Hotel Diana#Memory lane#Collioure

This year's adventure is going to include a trip down "memory lane" for Monsieur Honey.

In the early 1960s as a young man, Monsieur Honey living in his homeland of England embarked upon his first trip abroad.

He travelled by train from the north of England across the English Channel through France into southern Spain.

We have planned a week-long stay at the Hotel Diana on the Mediterranean Coast in the ancient fisherman's village come holiday resort of Tossa de Mar.

Tossa de Mar is almost equidistant between the French border and the city of Barcelona, situated in the municipality of Catalonia, Spain on the Costa Brava.

Being only approximately 100 kilometres north of Barcelona, we also plan on including some day trips to see and visit some of the famous sights.

While Monsieur Honey was on his trip abroad 50 plus years ago, he captured these amazing black and white photos of Tossa de Mar ... he hopes to be able to stand in the same view points and compare the scenes. 

(Does my Msr. have too much time on his hands?)

I hope to find a special spot on one of the beaches to soak up the ambiance of the Mediterranean, I have a feeling the village will have a similar vibe to one of our favorite French places ...

Collioure which is also an ancient Catalan fishing village on the Med.

     Where do you think this young lady is today?

    Blue waters of the Mediterranean in Collioure, France. 

I am looking forward to the fresh seafood and Catalan specialities, discovering a new country, and enjoying the golden sunlight.

Stayed tuned for future "Postcards" ... postmarked from Costa Brava!

Where is Spring?

#5rueMarsis#Gourdon#Beaucaillou#Dégagnac#Dordogne#Lotvalley

#oùestleprintemps?

Never before has our adventure felt so far away!

Maybe the length, harshness and bitter cold of our "Southern Ontario" winter has played a factor in these feelings.

The past two days we have felt milder temperatures with the birds singing and sunbathing on the roof of the neighbour's garden shed.

There has been more hours of sunlight each day with promises of "Spring" like weather!

And then ... Tonight I checked the forecast ... predictions of plummeting, icy cold temperatures and again more snow! Will it ever end?

This year's adventure has been delayed due to a prior commitment.

Fot the past two years we have extended our trips to France to three month long stays.

Our rendezvous in 2012 began on March 1st and found us settling in at our rented cottage at "5 rue Marsis" Gourdon .

Gourdon is a medieval town in the Lot Valley and not far from the Dordogne region of France.

                          

In 2013 our adventure began a month later with our arrival in Toulouse on April 4th. 

We travelled for two hours in our rented vehicle and finally found this year's cottage in Dégagnac ... "Beaucaillou".

 It seems Spring has arrived in this area of France, my friend Madame M has posted some beautiful photos of daffodils in bloom in her garden.

Monsieur Honey jokingly said that our daffodils are six feet tall underneath their blanket of snow!

  

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