Hotel Le Relais Du Square Charleville-Mezieres

Nice country drive throughout the Verdun region to the little village of Stenay, where there is a council platz with washing machines etc, in a picturesque setting next to a canal. The whole area is scattered with monuments to the Americans, and with a large cemetery. It seems as though no Frenchman would need to mouth off at the ...

..definitely the highlight of our second week of ritual in the Ardennes was fire walking on the Friday night.After spending the afternoon with a fire walking expert going through reasons to walk the fire, what you might focus on as you walk, what you might dedicate it to ..how HOT the fire will be and the possible length of your stay in hospital should it all go horribly wrong. Even showing photos of the fire ...

The best hotel in town, especially as we've been on the road 12 hours! Looking forward to a shower, as we are all soaking already from the heat. Sampling the local beer first though :-) Le Relais

... Je leur parlait comment j'etais impressione de leurs pistes cyclables. Ils m'expliquaient que les Neerlandais sont obsedes par la securite. C'est pourquoi les velos sont si bien proteges et ont la priorite. Si l'Amerique du nord pouvait avoir la meme philosophie!! Et toujours aussi modestes ces Neerlandais ! L'un d'eux connaissait bien le Canada. Son frere effectue son Doctorat a St-John, Nouveau-Brunswick pour la compagnie Irving. Il n'a pas ...

... ma bière. Quel délice! J'adore vraiment ces petites attentions culinaires en Europe. Les cafés, thés et chocolats chauds sont toujours accompagnés des petits chocolats ou biscuits. L'Europe est décidément un paradis pour les palais! L'après-midi, nous faisons une promenade près du Tombeau du Géant, une colline lovée dans une des boucles de la rivière Semois qui a l'aspect d'un tombeau, ou du moins, selon les ...

... Chimay by train is somehow long and the phone connection not always good, but I did talk a bit with Gil on the way until it cuts. Then we arrived in Chimay and finally simply talked a bit, had a meal and later on went to sleep. It was already nightfall anyway when we arrived there so we simply went to mathilde's cousin to try to watch a movie but finally came back ...

... house where the camping ground was. Not only did she point it out, but she also asked me if I would like to come in for some tea, coffee, or trifle. "Oh if I must!!" I said. "But you'll have to chat with the two French girls in the observatory too" she added. "Oh if I must!!" I said. So my lesson from the day was, even when its bucketing down and you're getting cold and start getting in a foul mood, keep biking 'cause you might have a trifle with two french girls! :)

... particularly consoling. Belgium has also meant new tires for Lach - the last couple days his Indonesian numbers were being held together with Elastoplast from the first aid kit. This also meant no back break - not the greatest on a heavy bike on those steep downhills. Were now being pampered by Genes family and will head off to Luxembourg tomorrow. Had a quick trip into Brussels with Gene and her dad - rather crazy to think the distance we drove would take Lach and I a week!!

... ashame to have waited so long, you being such a sax maniac :P So we planned the road trip for the early morning of the 8th. We had a hot day and finally manage to drive to Givet in France just for a drink and analyse a different culture :P And yes, excentric as I am... I needed my Orangina! We drove the whole Meuse Vallee and manage to act like dumb american tourist just to make our hiking ...

Hurrah! France! Camping car friendly and full of baguettes. Our first night on an aire (designated overnight sleeping spot) (actually it wasn't but we were close enough) by the side of a river. Also our first night of church bells all night long! Oh well, that's life on the road