Hugotel Dijon

... however those ticket bays looked angrier and more modern, and as I knew it would, wouldn't let me OUT of the metro so I had to wait until someone entered and while the doors were still open get out.
I had about five hours to spend in Paris but I wasn't feeling too well so I went and put my head down in the nearby park, yet it was too cold and windy so I spent the rest of the time in the train station. The bad thing about the French trains is that they won't announce ...

... Or anything else, come to that!).

18th July 09 Giffaumont-Champaubert 48.33'15"N 4.45'55"E
Free parking at a leisure park on a huge lake.

20th July 09 Piney, near Troyes 48.21'30"N4.20'05"E

21st July 09 Sens 48.11'53"N3.17'24"E
At last we have arrived in Burgundy. At the moment our intention is to explore the Bourgogne unti our return in October. However, plans can change....
Sens is a pleasant town with a magnificent ...

... medieval Phillipean castle and explained the evolution of castle defenses. It was thoroughly enjoyable, though it would have been better had it not been 30+ degrees on the dry and dusty construction site.

After leaving Guedelon, we headed for our home base for the next two nights, the city of Beaune. Beaune is a small city of 25K in the heart of Bungundy. After checking into our hotel, we ventured into ...

After an inauspisious start to the proceeding and having reached Calais in the wee small hours, a few precious hours of much needed sleep were had before it was back in the pooper and the start of the longest part of the journey. As three weary heads hit the pillow it wasn't long before the beast of Basingstoke began its strange mating call. Grunting and snorting with a deep vibrating burr, Rich released his inner monster much to the surprise and ...

... easy enough to get this right on the motorways, ********* junctions of smaller roads! But the mistake lasted only a few seconds and the surprised French driver who alerted us to the mistake was really nice about it, slowing down gently as I eased (well, lurched) to the right side of the road, and not even offering a corrective beep - very polite indeed in the circumstances.

The last stretch of our day's journey ...

Look, I am very into going to foreign countries and immersing myself in the culture as much as possible. Its the only way to really get to know a place. There is just something about this country (this is my second time in France, first time I was 16) that rubs me the wrong way. I tried to put my preconceived notions aside, but its not working very well. So last night we went to meet Matis parents at their hotel. On the way I got the ...

... my homedawg, PDiz!) And our third roommate, Ayperi, is from Turkey and is an absolute doll. She speaks Turkish, French, and English and helps Paige and I with our French and teaches us Turkish. And we help her with her English. I have been so blessed with wonderful roommates. We ...

... nice little street cafe between the two hotels. Our first French Cafe experience was a good one with a young waitress who tried very hard with her English: So far so good: The laundrette the next morning was a little more challenging, with no attendant we had to rely on signs (and phrase book) until a helpful local came along. It still seemed to take all morning, so the theory that everything takes longer in a foreign country is true: But by ...

... to work its wonders. Turns out theres a english speaking french lady shopping, she hears suggests a doc, the pharmacie calls the doc, the shopping lady translates over the phone! and walks us to the doctors office!!! Insane! We were very happy. The doctor didnt speak english so I did my best to communicate christines problems then my own. At times I was translating between the 2! It made me laugh after, shaun was translating between a french guy and christine. We ...

... rolling hills and ancient farmsteads. Arriving at Dijon there was a dire shortage of placements for the weekend. I paired up with two young inter-railers, Simon and Dennis from Copenhagen. I was amazed at their faultless English. "We picked it up watching TV, it's all subtitled", Dennis explained. After our feed we headed off into town. "It's your 30th birthday, we have to drink beer". Although both just recovering from a hangover and ...