Yes, it’s warm. Temps have been in the high twenties thru mid thirties with more of the same forecast. I know this isn’t what friends and family back home want to hear as they prepare for more high winds, snow and a possible white Christmas.
Just to rub a little salt in the wounds I thought I would let you all know that we have been spending quite a bit of time in the pool, alternating with visits to local hostelries where they are serving well chilled beers. Actually chilled beer is available at poolside too ….
Chillin in the pool
And when relaxing in the pool gets just a tad too much there is always the hot tub ….
Just add vegetables … !!!
As I said we have been visiting various hostelries to sample both the chilled beer and tasty seafood. Here you can see some of the locals indicating their approval of the local cuisine …
Fine Dining Critics – Discussing the finer points of the Beer Battered Squid
We visited The Boat restaurant, up at Mindarie. where we had possibly the tenderest squid served in a lemon pepper coating. Once again I succumbed to the call of Little creatures and had a pint of their draught Pale Ale while the others partook of a local cider.
The restaurant is right alongside the quay within the marina with a fine view of some nice properties …
Mindarie Marina Properties
…. complete with moorings.
While promenading, and drooling over some rather nice gin palaces, I spotted this craft sitting idle …
Fishful Thinking – Mindarie Marina
When you consider the current exchange rates $55k is a steal. So, if I blow my pension on this, all I have to do is acquire a nice waterside property where I can park it. Then it’s look out fishies, here I come.
I have just been advised that, should I blow my pension on this boat, it would probably become my home. So I guess that’s another dream shot down in flames.
Oh well, back to the 32 degC temperature and another beer by the pool then.
So, here we are down under. Must be an age thing but I think the journey has taken more out of me than usual.
We flew Cathay Pacific and the service and comfort was very good. But thirty plus hours of travel and wakefulness has taken its toll.
We have spent time relaxing by, and in, the pool. Soaking up a few rays. Temperatures have been up in the thirties, centigrade that is.
On Friday we trundled down to Fremantle, for a mooch around the fishing harbour, which is always lively and interesting.
After a gentle stroll in the sunshine what could be better than a long cool pint of beer. And where better than the Little Creatures Brewery . We have been visiting them since they opened. The beer is excellent and the food very good too, although we weren’t eating there this time.
Saturday was very hot and, apart from a run to the bottle shop, the day was spent in and around the pool.
On Sunday we took a run up to Lake Leschenaultia
where we had a pleasant walk with an ice cream and watched the kids enjoying themselves swimming and kayaking..
Today has been spent, once again, in and around the pool although on this occasion my granddaughter gave me a thorough workout playing a cross between water polo, basketball and football. Most importantly she beat me eight to five.
Grand title. Hopefully I will find something of interest to back it up.
My wife and I have begun a holiday in WA (Western Australia). So, for the next few weeks my posts will be centred around Perth. We are planning to take a trip down south, perhaps taking in Esperance, Albany, Augusta and Margaret River.
We have been down there before but we hope to spend a bit more time and explore the area.
Then later on we are intending to head up north.
We have previously visited Geraldton, Denham and Monkey Mia to see the dolphins. But the intention is to go further up, possibly as far as Broome.
This will be the first of, we hope, many trips down under. Now we are retired we have the freedom to take off for as long as we like.
Originally I had thought we could do a complete circumnavigation of Australia. Prudence has taken over and the plan is to make several, more focused trips.
WA first, then perhaps Victoria based around Melbourne so we can take in the F1 Grand Prix or perhaps the tennis. After that, maybe we’ll head up to Darwin or Cairns, not forgetting the Red Centre Uluru and Alice Springs.
Lots planned for the future as long as mind, body and bank account hold up.
We only arrived in Perth about ten hours ago. Jet-lag has forced me up after just over four hours sleep. Not much of a battery recharge having been up and mostly awake for the previous thirty hours, or so.
So, after a short scene setter, I’ll sign off. Back soon with more words and, hopefully some interesting photos.
Day 9 turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag. One of our happy band of travellers wanted to send an email a family member based in the US. The email had been written but, due to the fact that the gite was pretty much a dead zone for wifi and mobile technology, we decided to take a trip to MacDonalds. Normally you couldn’t get me to within a mile of one of their establishments. Leastways not without a lot of wailing, gnashing of teeth and not an insignificant amount of kicking and screaming.It’s not that i don’t like burgers, it’s more that I don’t like the way they are served to you. Wrapped or boxed and slowly going soggy in their own steam. Best commercial burger I ever had was from Fuddruckers in Austin, Texas. Anyway, I digress.
So we trundled off to our nearest McDonalds as they have free WiFi and so that we didn’t feel guilty we actually sat inside and purchased coffee. However, the coffee was as awful as I remember and so was the WiFi coverage. The laptop containing the email could not even see the McDonalds WiFi and would not connect. My Blackberry could see the “see” McDonalds WiFi but also would not connect. My wife had her iPad with her and that could “see” and connect to McDonalds WiFi. Isn’t technology wonderful. Three devices but no way to get the data onto the device that could talk to the outside world. In the end, after nearly an hour, it was decided that when we returned to the gite, the email would be transcribed to the iPad and then we would make another foray to McDonalds.
So our slightly subdued band of travellers headed off for their second visit to Limoges. There are lots of things to see in Limoges. One of the things I like about France in general is that they don’t just leave blank walls on buildings. They don’t leave them to crumble or fall foul to the vandal graffiti artist. I don’t have anything against graffiti in general, just the mindless desecration perpetrated by those who just leave their name or a pretty poor caricature of a penis. In fact I see some graffiti as a perfectly valid and useful art form. In France they turn blank walls into huge canvasses to provide street scenes, country views or truly humorous cartoons.
Église Saint Michel Des Lions, Limoges, Limousin, France
Here in Limoges, with the Église Saint Michel Des Lions as a back drop, the end of a building has been painted not only to extend the street view but also to provide one with a voyeuristic insight on what may be going on behind closed, or in this case open, shutters.
The Voyeurs View – Limoges, France
Everywhere you walk in Limoges there are reminders of the past.
Limoges, France
With differing architectural styles jostling for attention.
Limoges, France
It is with that in mind that we have chosen to explore one of the most famous areas of Limoges, the Quartier de la Boucherie, the Butchers Quarter. In the 14th century this district was inhabited by families belonging to the brotherhood of the butchers and many of the original half-timbered buildings remain. Although few, if any, have the same purpose as you can see in the next picture….
Hot Rocks Boutique – Limoges, France
The old doorways give evidence to our ancestors diminutive height and at times the old buildings seem to resemble a jumbled stack of packing cases …
Quartier de la Boucherie – Limoges, France
Every now and then as we explored we would stumble across a real gem.
Chapelle Saint-Aurelien – Limoges, France
Chapelle Saint-Aurelien – Limoges, France
On almost every street there is something to draw your attention…
Limoges, France
Be it old, ancient ……
Just Chillin’, Rue du Canal – Limoges, France
….. or modern …
Mask – Limoges, France
Walking the lanes of the “Quartier de la Boucherie” made us a tad peckish so we took lunch on a terrace overlooking the Central Market building.
Central Market – Limoges, France
The market, built-in the 19th century, was designed using a mix of materials, including iron, glass and ceramics. The result is this beautiful building with Eiffel-inspired architecture (or so I read somewhere). Just round the corner from here is Place Saint Michel, a pleasant square adjacent to the church.
Église Saint Michel Des Lions – Limoges, France
Place Saint Michel as well as providing access to the church has a number of shops and cafe’s. Of immediate interest was the Belgian chocolate shop.
Place Saint Michel – Limoges, France
However, we all agreed that we could each of spent several hundreds of Euros in “Comptoir Famille”. This establishment sells some very stylish items for the home. It is a good job that our vehicle was stuffed to the gunnels on our journey into France and wasn’t getting any lighter during our stay and i was rather taken with a rustic wooden storage / display unit.
So we dragged ourselves away from the delights of Place Saint Michel and headed over to Limoges Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges), an impressive gothic building started in 1273 and only finished in 1888 when the nave was connected to the bell tower.
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoge, France
Makes you wonder why the bell tower was not built as an integral part of the main building. There is much to see inside the cathedral. The following photo shows an ornate gallery. Sadly all of the statues have been damaged, their heads are missing.
Detail inside Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoges, FranceDetail inside Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoges, FranceDetail inside Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoges, FranceDetail inside Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoges, FranceMusée municipal de l’Evêché & Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges – Limoges, France
There are some beautiful gardens in the cathedral grounds….
Cathedral Gardens – Limoges, FranceCathedral Gardens – Limoges, France
Limoges is also home to the Musee de la Resistance which is just a short walk from the cathedral. As with Oradour, I found walking through this museum quite moving. The exhibits set the part played by the people of Limoges into the proper war-time context. Great focus is always given to the capital cities such as Paris .This museum puts the records straight. And again, as with Oradour, I found myself leaving the museum with an underlying feeling of anger towards the politicians who took all of europe and most of the world to war.
By the time we left the museum it was time to look for a place to eat. Our day was completed by a really nice meal provided by Restaurant “La Maison des Saveurs”
Eighth day of our vacation based at the La Porcherie gite. I think we are getting into the swing of this holiday lark.
Yet another nice day, weatherwise so we decided to go explore Landes Pierre du Mas.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
Once again the pond impressed with its quiet beauty.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
It’s refreshing to be able to visit such places and to have them to yourself.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
Not just the tranquility of the pond and the paths around its perimeter but also the beauty of the heather illuminating the mound.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
Just a few feet of elevation makes all the difference and changes your perspectives.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
There were many brightly coloured lizards here, but they were much to fast for me to photograph, so you will just have to take my word for it.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
Even the lichens and moss, covering the rocks, has an inherent beauty. Providing a subdued contrast to the vibrant floral display of the heather.
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
We had taken some stale bread to the pond, hoping to entice the fish to put in an appearance. We were out of luck, the suitably softened crusts floated across the pond, driven by the gentle afternoon breeze. Apparently of no interest to the fish. However, it did prove to be attractive to a large crow who performed some impressive aerobatics and a fair emulation of a fish eagle plucking soggy bread from the surface of the pond.
Crafty crow plucking bread from the surface of the pond – Pierres du Mas, Limousin, France
The fresh air and exercise set us up nicely for the BBQ planned for our evening meal. The only fly in that particular ointment was the bottle of wine that we opened to wash it down. It was so decidedly bad that I tipped it away, the only bad wine of the whole holiday.
Yet another misty morning and we were treated to a visit from a Red Squirrel. We had been throwing out the stale bread for the birds, using the wooden barrow as an impromptu bird table. Tufty seemed to like stale bread too. He certainly had the teeth for it which is more than could be said for us old codgers in the gite.
Red Squirrel – La Porcherie, Limousin, France
Our itinerary for today, Thursday, was to take us to Oradour-sur-Glane a few miles north and west of Limoges. Chosen by me because, a couple of years ago, I had read an excerpt from a book that had just been published. The excerpt, published in one of our national papers, told of the tragedy that befell the residents of this French village.
So to set the scene …
On 10th June, 1944, 642 of its inhabitants, almost the entire population of Oradour, including women and children, were massacred.
From Wikipedia: A massacre is a specific incident which involves the violent killing of many people and the perpetrating party is perceived as in total control of force while the victimized party is perceived as helpless or innocent.
Although the true reason for this atrocity is not known, one explanation is that members of an SS Panzer Division entered the village to avenge a German officer, kidnapped by the French Resistance.
The SS ordered all the townspeople to assemble in the village square. To keep everyone calm, this was done under the pretense of having their papers checked. Some 400 women and children, separated from the men, were herded into the church where the SS placed an incendiary device. After it was ignited, women and children tried to escape through the doors and windows of the church, but they were met with machine-gun fire. Only one woman, 47-year-old Marguerite Rouffanche, managed to escape from the church. She was shot and wounded as she escaped but managed to hide until she was rescued the next day.
The men of the village, more than 200 were herded into a barn where machine gunners opened fire, shooting at their legs so they could not move then dousing them with petrol and setting them alight. The SS then looted the village and set fire to the buildings before leaving.
A few months later, after Liberation, de Gaulle visited Oradour-sur-Glane and it was decided that the ruins were to remain, untouched, as a monument to the martyr village.
Oradour-sur-Glane now has a visitor centre, the “Village Martyr, Centre de la Memoire” which leads you through world history and the events that lead to the war and ultimately to the events that occurred in Oradour itself.
Centre de la Memoire, Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
The centre sets out to put Oradour into its proper context in the war. The village was quite prosperous and, with several cafe’s and restaurants, was a popular destination for people from Limoges and the surrounding areas. All this came to a dramatic end on that fateful day.
This then, is the Oradour-sur-Glane left behind by the SS on that summer’s day.
Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
As you walk through the village you become increasingly aware of how quiet it is. It isn’t just that you are requested, on entry, to remain quiet. Having been through the visitor centre you are well aware of the tragedy that occurred here and the enormity of the crime seems to be underlined.
Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
Deserted streets which were once busy with the footsteps of the local residents. No more greetings as friends and neighbours meet, going about their daily business. Visiting the boucherie, charcuterie, boulangerie or even ladies chatting about their appointment at the salon de coiffure. Silent.
Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
The tram lines and wires which once carried many visitors now lead nowhere and, like the streets, are silent. The quiet settles about you like a mantle. It’s not oppressive here although you might expect it to be.
Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
The plaque on the wall of the ruined church reminds us that some women and children were massacred by the Nazis and asks that you make a prayer for the victims and their families.
Plaque on the church – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
The heat of the fire was so intense that the bell dropped from the church tower. Just a molten blob remains, with only the clapper giving a clue as to its original purpose.
Molten remains of the church bell – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
Another symbol of the heart that was ripped out of Oradour is the infants school. This being a weekday, there should have been the sounds of the classroom and the playground. Silent
Infants School – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
A memorial to a family, victims of the massacre, their ages ranging from 5 to 67.
Family Memorial – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
There are, in the ruins, many symbols of normal, daily life. Perhaps the one that I became most aware of is the sewing machine. It seems that almost every house had one and the body of such machines is the lasting reminder of the fact that these were indeed, people’s homes.
Sewing Machine – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
Other reminders are scattered around the ruins. The ornate metal frames of beds, perambulators, bicycles and cooking pots all serving as a memorial to the lost people of this village.
Bicycle – Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France
I found myself getting angry as I walked around the ruins of this once prosperous village. Angry, not just at the men that had perpetrated this act of barbarism, but also, at the fact that despite the many years that have passed, human kind still hasn’t learned the lesson.
In the last seventy years, since Oradour, there have been many, many events that can be classified as massacres. Some, initiated by disturbed individuals, but many carried out by armed military against unarmed and non military people. There have been too many such incidents.
The sad thing is that they are still happening, perpetrated in the name of religion, race or “I was just following orders”.
Day 6, Wednesday, designated a relaxation day. Although the sun was shining on the gite, the view across the valley was very misty.
La Porcherie, France – A misty morning as viewed from the gite
As usual I made the journey into Masseret to obtain fresh bread and as is my wont, en-route back to the gite I made a small detour.
The start of some of our previous excursions had taken us past a sign, at the entrance to a small lane, indicating that it serviced something or somewhere called Landes du Pierres du Mas. Being inquisitive by nature I decided to find out what was what and after following the lane which meandered for maybe a mile or two I was rewarded with a beautiful view.
etang des Pierres du Mas – The Pond of Pierre Mas
Here I met a gentleman who introduced himself with a hearty “Good Morning” and laughed at the surprised expression that must have been on my face. I had expected at least a “Bonjour” and had, as he approached, been preparing my best franglaise. His immediate interest was to see if I was planning to fish as the pond is owned / administered by the local fishing association. I assured him the only thing that I was fishing for was a decent photograph, or two. As we were talking I discovered that he was a brit and that he originated from Little Missenden in Buckinghamshire. He has been in France for over thirty years and had originally come over as a shepherd, working a farm north of Limoges. He eventually took over the farm but had sold up and was now living in La Porcherie and fulfills the role of “guardien de peche”. During a pleasant conflab he explained that Landes du Pierre du Mas roughly translated to “the moors of Pierre Mas” and that anywhere we see “landes” indicates moors or heathland, areas of special interest.
After he took his leave, I strolled part way around the pond, disturbing a pair of kingfishers who launched themselves across to the far bank. No chance of a photo, they were almost supersonic. This brief sortie served to show that here was a venue that deserved a longer visit but rumbles in my stomach told me I was long overdue for heading back to the gite for breakfast.
Later in the day a couple of us headed out to walk the lanes again, this time heading away from the centre of La Porcherie. We hadn’t traveled very far when we came to an almost complete stop. Having discovered a hazel tree loaded with nuts we spent a few minutes cracking the shells and enjoying the contents.. Moving on, we hadn’t gone very far when we stopped again. This time it was Sweet Chestnuts that were on the menu. This was how our walk progressed, walk a bit, much a bit, walk a bit more. The nuts were supplemented by the blackberries we discovered in the hedgerows. Very healthy.
Not sure what this is ? Appears to be on a rose plant
Our route around the lanes took us to a point where we could look back at the gite and on towards La Porcherie.
Puy Archer, La Porcherie, Limousin, France
The view from the lane, over the pond, back towards La Porcherie demonstrates just how rural this area is. Beautiful.
Countryside, La Porcherie, Limousin, France
Although our walk did not cover many miles it kept us occupied with so many beautiful things. Berries and Harebells in the hedgerows, blue Cornflowers (?) in the fields …
Cornflowers (?)“Tangle” Berries
One thing noticeably in abundance around the gite are birds, birds of all varieties. Our perambulations were regularly punctuated by the cries of large birds soaring out over the fields. Obviously birds of prey, but we never got a really good look at them. They certainly did not come close enough for us to be able to make a positive identification. Of course it would have been helpful if we had taken the binoculars along with us. That would be the ones sitting in the glove box of my car. My guess would be that they were kites or buzzards, judging by their size. However, the heron posing on a rock in the pond was a little easier to identify. I think the beak was a bit of a give away.
Heron – pond, La Porcherie, Limousin, France
Having seen a few trains passing in the distance, we decided to take a detour to the station at La Porcherie.
Station – La Porcherie, Limousin, France
Probably not a good idea but it had to be done.
Railway Lines – viewed from the station at La Porcherie, Limousin, France
As we headed back towards the gite we passed this sign which was very informative. Unfortunately the site that it was telling us about was fenced off with nothing to see from our position on the road.
Motte Feodale du Chateau Vieux – La Porcherie, Limousin, France
The gist of this is that, back in the 11th Century, there was built a “castle” on an earthen mound with a moat. This type of construction was introduced during the 10th Century but was eventually replaced by stone construction during the late 12th Century. My translation may be a bit flaky but it seems that this place was home to a family called De La Porcaria. This area was a centre for agriculture and in particular “pig breeding”. La Porcherie translates literally to The Pigsty.
Finding ourselves back at the gite, a little earlier than we expected, a couple of us decided to go for a walk up into La Porcherie. The gite is situated in a very quiet corner of a very quiet village so we were able to stroll the lanes with no concerns about traffic. Here are a few shots I took along the way.
This is the lane that gives access to the gite.
Behind the gite there are three lakes from which the water trickles, one to the next before passing through some kind of water treatment works. The water then passes on to the large lake which can be viewed below the gite. Whoever, owns and works at the water works had created a rather stylish rock patio set.
I think Fred & Wilma probably live here. Actually an improvised outdoor dining set for our nearest “neighbour”.
Just a few yards from the lane leading to the gite, at the side of the road, we came across a totally random collection of flowers. Not in someones garden, just at the side of the road. Beautiful.
Beautiful. A random roadside collection of flowers.
Across the road from the flowers was a field containing three horses. We were rather puzzled by the fact that all were sporting blindfolds. Perhaps they were playing some kind of equine “Blind Mans Bluff” ? We were later informed, by the owners, that this was to protect their eyes from flies. The horses were visited two or three times a day and the blindfolds were removed at times when the flies were less apparent.
A horse playing “Blind Mans Bluff” or perhaps “pin The Tail On The Donkey”
As we entered La Porcherie we came across this old shop front. Apparently La Porcherie used to have shops and an active restaurant but all are gone now. It is a shame but does, of course, mean that the village remains very peaceful.
La Porcherie, France – Old Shop Front
The church here dates from the 12th century. Unfortunately, I have forgotten if it is dedicated to a particular saint. To the left of the church is the now defunct restaurant. Anyone want to start a new business. The canvass is completely blank.
La Porcherie, France – 12th Century ChurchLa Porcherie, France – Village Well
As we strolled around the village we came across the war memorial. As we were to see in many other towns and villages, the names listed really drive home the devastating impact the first world war must have had. Not just to the families but to whole communities. When you see that single families lost two, three or even four members, it really drives home the futility of war.
La porcherie, France – Monument to the fallen of the 1914-1918 war.
One thing the Limousin is renowned for is it’s cattle. They really are solid looking beasts, much more robust than there English counterparts. And, as one of our group commented, rather glamorous with their long eyelashes and the lighter markings around the eyes, reminiscent of mascara only white. This fine example studied us intently as we made our way back to the gite.
Limousin Cow
On our return to the gite we were able to relax with a nice cold glass of Leffe Ruby which was nicely set off by this wonderful sunset.
If it’s Tuesday, it must be Collonges-la-Rouge. What the heck is that ?, you may ask.
Selected as the target for a visit from yours truly this beautiful medieval village, some eighty kilometers from our gite, is listed as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages Of France” and is entirely built from a red sandstone which comes from the Habitarelle massif.
Collonges-la-Rouge, Correze, France – A hint at what makes this one of the most beautiful villages in FranceCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Saint-Pierre church’s steeple and other roof featuresCollonges-la-Rouge, France – quaint streetsCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Le ChatCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Street viewCollonges-la-Rouge, France – detail from eatery.
After exploring the various streets and alleyways we had lunch although not in the establishment featured above. The meal was as usual, very relaxed and delicous and was accompanied by the unusual “Moutarde Violette” which is made by combining mustard with a red grape mash. The version that we were eating is produced at Turenne, just a few kilometers away from Collonges. We enjoyed it so much that we purchased a jar to bring home.
Collonges-la-Rouge, France – A local inhabitant
We, of course, visited the Church of St-Pierre. The contruction of which was started during the 11th century. Further additions and modifications were made throughout the 14th and 15th Centuries and the church was fortified during the 16th century. Hence many different styles can be observed both inside and out.
Collonges-la-Rouge, France – Saint-Pierre church entrance detail
Unusual for Collonges, the entrance way is decorated with white limestone, from nearby Turenne, although it is tinted with the red sandstone dust.
Collonges-la-Rouge, France – Stained-Glass from Saint-Pierre churchCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Saint-Pierre church detailCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Saint-Pierre church’s steepleCollonges-la-Rouge, France – viewCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Happy windowCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Through the archCollonges-la-Rouge, France – ArchwayCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Twin turrets.Collonges-la-Rouge, France – It’s that butterfly again.Collonges-la-Rouge, FranceCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Main street.Collonges-la-Rouge, France – Leather WorkshopCollonges-la-Rouge, France – One of the more remote properties.Collonges-la-Rouge, France – Another roofline shotCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Another roofline shotCollonges-la-Rouge, France – Quiet streets
After leaving Collonges our route took us past Turenne. We opted not to visit on this occasion, just stopping to take a couple of quick snaps from afar before heading home to the gite.
WrAnTz 