Saying Hi to High Tea at the Ham Yard Hotel

When in London I had a day free before the wedding. Unlike usual trips where I might go see something with my friends I was left to my own devices. After all my friends were slightly busy with last minute wedding planning. They also had a million and one family and friends arriving. I know how to share their time. And I'd be visiting again.

This free time worked in perfectly as what I usually don't have in London is family visiting at the same time. Until now that is. My Aunt and Uncle were on a big trip of their own to Paris and London for a trade fair or two as a part of their interior design business. This was perfectly timed for a catch up in London. And they had a great plan of going to the Ham Yard Hotel for afternoon tea as it was associated with a well known designer. I don't know names so I can't quote them to you. But I knew it would be a great experience.

The hotel doesn't look to be in my normal travel budget. But that doesn't stop one from going to have high tea. I had never gone for high tea before. Having experienced it here I am quite open to doing this again! Wow.

 The food was quite the experience. The setting was well worth it. We even had a lovely chat to our waitress who said it was possible to go around after, and perhaps talk to the concierge to arrange to see a guest suite (if one was available). I ran out of time. But I do hope my Uncle and Aunt had time. After all this was their visual wonderland.

Not that I usually put in links to places I visit, but here's the hotel website:
https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/ham-yard-hotel/afternoon-tea/

However if you can't make it to London and want a bit of style into your own world then perhaps give my uncle (or cousin) a call. Or visit the shop in Toowoomba. Tell them I sent you! Perhaps they'll remember to invite me to their next travel idea.
http://beadles.com.au/

The Real Rock. Mont Saint Michel

Finaly made it to the Rock. Or well the Monestary on the island called Mont Saint Michel. As a personal note I had always wanted to visit this place since about 1989 when it became the focus of my high school French class assignment.

Gee this is a great day. Too many tourists in the end. The big tip here is that is you want to beat the crowds making just a day trip, then arrive early. I arrived about 9:30am and it was probably just about the right time. It took me about 2 hours before I completed the actually monestary tour itself. By the time I was out in the little street of tourist shops again it was packed to the rafters. From about 12:30pm until when I left at 2pm it was standing room only around all the restaurant entrances. All I wanted to do was leave. But I had to wait for the La Poste to reopen just so I could send a postcard.

Seriously if there is one country you want to get working rights to its France. Post offices in tourist centres closing from 12:30pm to 1:30pm is merely the tip of the iceberg. This is what I've learnt. The French get the normal 4 weeks a year of leave. Sure sounds no different. But there's more. They only work to a official 35 hour week. But they don't officially work shorter days. So if they would be working the normal 9 to 5:30pm 8 hour day (with half hour lunch) this means they accrue an extra 4 hours a week of leave. So by the time this adds up they actually accrue an extra day of leave every 2 weeks. That's an extra 26 days a year, or once added about an extra 5 weeks a year. It partly explains why France just shuts down in August.

One of the reasons Mont Saint Michel was packed this day was that it was supposed to be the biggest high tide of the year. Which explained the normal entrace being cut off.

The whole environmental issue relating to the island is interesting. They had previously built a permanent land crossing in the 1950s or so. Anyway they have realised the error of their ways, the fact that this was changing the natural environment expanding out the Mont. So to repair the damage they've made the causway into a bridge so the tides can wash out the sediment. Therefore the island that is the Mont will return to being surrounded by water at high tide. For the moment there are reminants of the old car park that floods at high tide. To keep the convenience of the Mont for the tourist they offer free buses from the main land which depart every 3 mins during the day. The fact they offer buses every 3 minutes helps you understand just how busy this place gets.

The Monestary is absolutely marvelous. The amount of work that went into it's construction. Stone by stone. One of the highlights to me was the hanging garden. A little oasis of greenery where you would not have expected, and indeed an escape for those who lived here.

My accommodation for my visit was a small Airbnb Bed and Breakfast residence in the village of Beauvior. It's litterally the last place before the tourist centres. I litterally had to just walk less than 2 km to the bus stop to be picked up. Being my first ever Airbnb host I was interested to find out how they had been enjoying the experience and how they hosted. They were having a ball. The stories they had of how they got there and the process of building the house was good. It had only been 3 months they had been offering Bnb rooms, and the house itself was totally derilict only a year before. The locals were all for the development, and the neighbours had all benefited through better sewerage etc. I got to hear about the whole process. It's these personal stories I loved.

Anyway the village area down near the river had all the caravan parks. The place I stayed was just a few hundred metres further from the river. Very important I found on the 1st night. The mossies were vampires. As soon as the sun went down about 8:30pm they launched their attacks upon the dining restuarant guests. Luckily I was at dessert by then. I enjoyed the slap dance put on as everyone in vain attempted to warn the mossie's brethren of their fate if they attacked. But the mossies didn't care. It was a feeding frenzy at end of the summer. They knew it would not be long before the tourist would return to eating indoors.

If you want to learn more about the Mont then view here:
http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/index.htm?lang=en

When the tide's out in France

They're not kidding in France when they say they have big tides here.

I've never actually noticed this before but when I was in La Rochelle there was a big difference between low and high tide. And then on the drive to Mont Saint Michel in the small town of Pornic I stopped for a breather. Wow! Tide's out. I mean these tides made this river based town a mudflat trickle through the most important restaurant precinct.

Harbouring a Rochelle.

I've just spent 2 nights in La Rochelle. Never met her.

In my eyes I did all the rights things. I walked around the harbour. No Rochelle.

I walked to several Plage / Beaches. No Rochelle.

So I sat down and had dinner. No Rochelle. Had the Moules and Frites.

Might of helped if I asked one of the locals to see if they knew a Rochelle. But I don't speak French.

The Golden Ticket of Cognac

As a purely cultural stop on the road towards Mont Saint Michel I inserted an overnight stay in Cognac. This stop was on one of their more important festivals of the year. It was something to do with street art. I'd be lying to say that was what attracted me.

Anyway after lucking out with the Martell Cognac brand for an English tour my hotel was able to find an English tour with Hennessy. Being the only distiller of the 6 or so main cognac distillers I would take I decided to pay the little bit extra for the XO & Chocolate tour.

Little did I know was the fact that this was the Golden Ticket. I ended up the only person on my tour of about 8 Europeans, and 20 or so package tour Chinese who paid for the better quality nip at the end. Everyone else just got the 2 nips of the standard cognac, and some other drink they produce. Heck the Chinese were on a classic tour, shoot and shuffle timetable. They weren't even staying to savour the drop so much.

 I on the other hand got to taste the XO. Which apparently stands for extra old. This stuff had a blend of Cognacs from something like 25 to 100 years old. Not that you could taste it. Unlike Single Malt Whisky the blending process ensures that every Cognac is the same from year to year. However you can't fault  place where the historical tour even includes showing the barrel room with the Cognac from the 1800s.

Cognac itself is a quaint town. It's not entirely off the tourist route but is treated much like the Chinese tour treated it. A tour and gone. However with the street art festival I found entertainment in the evening. Even if I didn't understand what the performance artists were saying.

Warming to Bordeaux

I have to admit when I arrived into Bordeaux in the afternoon I was a bit disappointed and concerned. My hotel near the station was okay, the area was less than desirable. I walked the streets for a few hours before meeting with couchsurfers in Bordeaux for a picnic. There were some English conversations but I didn't really feel relaxed. I also probably should have gotten used to the tram system before staying out until nearly midnight. The couchsurfers were very nice in explaining how it worked.

The tram system of Bordeaux ended up being very useful. Their trams are awesome for getting around. The city has an abundance of old stone buildings in the inner city, and is easily walked. But the Trams were just to convenient not to make use of.

Going into the second day I started to really enjoy the best bits. I found the main historical buildings and just relaxed soaking up the city.

In the evening of the second night I met with another non-local couchsurfer for dinner. It gave me a good opportunity to not feel awkward dining alone at a decent restaurant.

And yes mum I am looking after myself. Look Creme Caramel!

Carcassonne Castle

Carcassonne is one of those French cities you don't fully understand the historical importance until visiting.

Now I've seen it on coverage of the Tour De France. So I knew it seemed to be impressive, and the commentators would highlight the castle. But now having visited I am going away appreciative of the history available in what would seem to be nowhere important France. It was actually the French boundary to Catalan. A critical stronghold.

I don't remember ever visiting a city with such a large restored castle and gate before. This is over a square km. Apparently it required 1300 soldiers just to guard it when fully staffed.

Sure the other shops inside the gates are overrun with tourist shopping. But it helps pay the upkeep I guess. 

And more importantly my friends nailed it in terms of finding a great apartment. The view was great.

Figueres

The trail back into France took us via the town of Figueres. Never heard of it? Well perhaps you will know if you're an art fan. Dali lived here!

Don't confuse your unusual Spanish artists. General rule is I still don't get them. Some real weird stuff. But it's still visually amazing.

Is it Spanish Black Tea? Or an attempt to get marketing advantage

After 3 days of drinking the tea my friend had bought for me I actually read the box.

I am the only tea drinker in the group. So I am also concerned by subliminal messages.

A bit more Barcelona

La Sagrada Familia Basilica and a few more sights in my final day around Barcelona.

Again I'll just point out that I am happy to be openning the "Barcelona Office". However I doubt I'll live off a purely Iberian Ham snack diet. After all Mojitos will have to be in the diet. Question is do they count as salad ?