cyprus, been there?

We've been once at self service in St. Odile - out of season, only guests. (L'ami Fritz is a really nice restaurant and hotel .... but was a bit out of range for our purse!)

Ami fritz wasnt exorbitant, just a plat each we hadnt realised it was a public holiday in france (whit sunday).

We are now in Lyon. I tried an online reservation at jeremy galvan for thursday (on Tuesday) but we wandered up the rue l'boeuf and and got a table without a reservation. Awesome food and service. Tonight we dined at Les Adrets. Food good but service a little stressed: just two waitresses doing everything. Felt sorry for them when I wasn't in fear of them slitting my throat.

Got the funicular up the hill and bought the girls some new dog collars from the same pet grooming shop ee found in 2012. This time they wre shaving a westie and a scottie. They didn't remember us ;-)

We're in vieux lyon this time ( we stayed in hotel across the saone last time) in a slightly renovated apartment in a heritage listed building. It's brilliant.

Last time lyon at night felt like the way we romantically thought paris should be (but isn't). Tomoorow night we'll try and capture that 'wander into a random bar after dinner, order two chartreuse, watch the bar lady jpim the guitarist on stage and sing three beautiful jazz ballads befor returning to the bar to serve us two more chartreuses.

Sigh.

<sigh>

now home!

Sad for you margo. Last day in lyon. Mrs hinge in a panic because of email in french from SNCF. The trains went on 24 hour strike a day after we arrived and the gist of the email is that there will be disruption over the weekend and we can get a refund. Not sure what it means for todays train to avignon.

May have to hire a car or get a bus. Have a hire car waiting for us at avignon anyway to get uzes.

Lyon!! Always have wanted to check that out..

Just seen this, hinge. Kept seeing the Cyprus title and left it alone, but I see you are now in France, and about to go through the Ardeche.
Where next, after Avignon?

If your train driver stops en route from Lyons to Av, at Montelimar, you can get some Nougat, as they make tons of the stuff there.

Did you go to a Bouchon, whilst in Lyons?

Lyon! On my list.

Cold and rainy in Sydney

Many 'pot' vin in bouchons, lord. Train left on time buy arrived hall hour late.

In uzes for two weeks in a 2nd floor apartment a stones throw from the old city wall. The saturday markets were huge, spreading from place d'herbes up the boulevard that circuits the old town. Bought saucisson, jambon, chevre, pain, framboise, cepes, ouefs etc and are finally dining in on the speccy balcony.

So many things to explore.

Is it reverse bigotry to avoid people (and speak in hushed tones) who talk in loud australian accents?

Sorry for the slackness in updates!

Nearing the end of our second week in Uzes. Its been a great base for exploring Provence. We hiked a little (to La Baume-22km), drove a lot (to Orange, Avignon, Nimes, Ales etc). Highlights have been Michelin star dining at Les-Beux-En-Provence followed by the light show at http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g1819081-d2651179-Reviews-Carrieres_de_Lumieres-Les_Baux_de_Provence_Bouches_du_Rhone_Provence.html and today's road trip to the camargue for a 2 hour horse ride to the beach. I think I first heard about the camargue horses through a picture someone posted on a2k. Ticked off bucket list. As was eating huitres and crevette with a bottle of vin blanc at the bar/brasserie across from the market stall on saturday. I cant imagine any establishment in australia allowing you to buy food elsewhere and consume it on their terrasse, but it's symbiotic saturday here. Bar supplies the wine, the oyster shuckers shuck on demand and bring them too your table (scientifically indicated with random pointing gestures). The shuckers clean up the shells and prawn heads and the bar sells lots of wine.

Tomorrow have to convince mrs hinge to come to the musee le bonbon, aka the Haribo museum for a laugh just a km walk from the apartment.

That's done (nearly) everywhere in France, especially in the huitres regions. (Decades ago, you found stalls with huitres [and other fish] in front of any restaurant/bar.)

I hadn't thought about Uzes, but I do want to get back to that area - especially Arles. Do you want to end details of apt?

But...after 2 European /Morocco trips in 6 months, we're probably not looking at going again for a couple of years. 2017 trip already in planning!

Will pm the link when we get back Margo.

jow in Nice for four nights before the flight home. Had dinner at Jan. Awesome - who would have thought a south acrican chef could be that good. The only downside was two loud obnoxious south africans wanting to say hello to Jan. Compounded by the fact that I now understand why europeans and americans can't always distinguish oz, nz and sa accents.

Ps we were warned off Arles by a waiter in Nimes ("it's nothing special") we spent time in Orange, Avignon, Les-Beux-En-Provence, Gordes, l'espiguette and aigues mortes apart from aforementioned market days and hike to la Baume. We barely scratched the surface.

Good flight, you two.

You really must walk up to the castle in Nice ... and walked down (via the stapes) towards the harbour side. (When I've been there in winter time, I had to climb over the gate there because it was closed and I didn't want to walk up and down again to get to the main entrance)

Interesting! I liked Nimes, but thought Arles was something else again. I found it fascinating and was/am planning to go back for a week on the next French trip. I'll wait for a more detailed run down on Uzes.

That was in my plan.... until I realised our apartment (which is at the eastern end of the beach two streets back from the esplanade) is a 5th floor walk up and I had to carry our large suitcases up it yesterday. I'm about over steps ;-) lovely view of the water though.

I asked mrs hinge if she thought there was a chance waiter was dissing Arles through some sort of Nimes/Arles rivalry. But really we did so much that going to arles would have meant missing out on something else. We have a series of paper towels where we tried to map what we wanted to do against the days we had. So much to see and do so little time. We'll have to come back.

We all have to come back.

Spent an hour or so looking at rentals in Uzes. It does look good.

So, listen, tell ms. hinge hi from me, please. She deserves it, managing to be quiet in all this report.

On you, you already know you I gravitate to your takes on places. I suppose I'll argue sometime. Wait for it.