Our Easter trip to France started from Portsmouth which is the major operational base for the British Navy. It is amazing how small these modern fighting ships are compared to our car ferry; we looked down to the decks of destroyers, harrier carriers and aircraft carriers. The historic ships Victory, Nelson's flag ship and Warrior the first ironclad sailing ship adjoin the base and other older fortifications. The ferry arrived at Caen in the afternoon after a 5 ...

Borrowed Janet's car and went down to Dorset to visit an old friend from Balmain, Richard Norman, who was the Treasurer of the Balmain Association and Balmain Theater Group early in the 70's. Richard lives in a small run of four terraces in the countryside at Sturminster Newton. The houses were built two at a time by the farmer about 200 years ago. His back garden is quite deep and is highly developed with mainly English plants and he lives there with his two bor...

We took a two day break to Liverpool, Wednesday & Thursday, wondered why the accomodation was more expensive and very hard to find on Thursday and why the trains were close to booked out, well it was the Grand National weekend!!Arrived at the grand Lime Street Liverpool Station midday, outside is an appalling bad electronic billboard with motion picture ads and still posters stating "Liverpool the European City of Culture 2008"!!! Walking down from ...

Back in London and an opportunity to catch up with old friends. We went to see Richard(Harry) Lake and his wife Dee at their home at Bagshot. I have not seen Richard since College 44 years ago and he still looks the same maybe a little heavier. We were taken to a local pub for lunch which was very good ( pub rally quaint with head height about 5ft 6in! We had a drive around the area, past Ascot, Edward & Sophie's house, an Arab's house worth 80 million pounds...

Back in Paris staying in Diana and Norman's apartment which is located in the 7th arrondisment very close to Gare du Nord. The apartment is very small but very convenient. We go out in the morning and buy fresh croussants or bagettes; later in the day the shops are still open providing fresh fish, cheese meat etc, everything is sold in small very specalised shops providing the very best quality. On Kevin's recommendaton we went to near Bastille Metro, where an o...